To George Washington from Major Benjamin Tallmadge, 28 January 1779
From Major Benjamin Tallmadge
Fairfield [Conn.] Jany 28th 1779
Sir
This day has come to hand the enclosed No. 7—from C——, which agreeable to directions recd from your Excellency in your favr of 2d instt, shall forward to Genl Putnam to go by one of his Expresses to Head Qrs.1
In a Letter of Yesterday to C—— I directed him to have ready for me a Comprehensive acct of the Strength, Situation & Movements of the Enemy, by the 20th insuing; after which (for certain reasons which I shall explain shortly, as I intend being the Bearer of the next Letter from C—— to Head Qrs) He will not write again untill the 20th of March next, unless something important should turn up in the Interim.2
I intend joining the Regt again at Durham,3 immediately, where I shall be found until the time appointed for the next dispatches as abovementioned. I am, with great Esteem Your Excellencys most obedt & very Hble Servt
Benja. Tallmadge
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. See Samuel Culper to Tallmadge, 22 Jan., printed as an enclosure to this letter.
2. Tallmadge’s letter to Culper of 27 Jan. has not been identified. For a letter that Culper wrote to Tallmadge on 26 Feb., see GW to Tallmadge, 5 Feb., n.1.
3. Tallmadge’s regiment, the 2d Continental Light Dragoons, wintered at Durham, Conn., about thirty-five miles northwest of Greenfield, a village within Fairfield overlooking Long Island Sound that Tallmadge had chosen as his station so he “could easily cross to Long Island” (, 30).