I. From George Washington to Major Benjamin Tallmadge, 19 May 1780
I
To Major Benjamin Tallmadge
Head Quarters Morris Town May 19th 1780
Dear Sir
Your favor of the 8th reached me a few days ago.1 As C—— junr has totally declined and C—— Senr seems to wish to do it,2 I think the intercourse may be dropped, more especially as from our present position the intelligence is so long getting to hand that it is of no use by the time it reaches me.3 I would however have you take an opportunity of informing the Elder C—— that we may have occasion for his services again in the course of the Summer and that I shall be glad to employ him if it should become necessary and he is willing.4
I am endeavouring to open a communication with new York across Staten Island, but who are the agents in the city I do not know. I am Dr Sir Your most obet servt
Go: Washington
LS, in Richard Kidder Meade’s writing, PWacD: Sol Feinstone Collection, on deposit at PPAmP; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. Tallmadge, alias John Bolton, had informed GW that Robert Townsend (alias Samuel Culper, Jr.) had lately stopped assisting Abraham Woodhull (alias Samuel Culper, Sr.) in intelligence-gathering operations, and that Woodhull had concerns about continuing his own involvement in the spy network (see John Bolton to GW, 8 May, and n.1).
2. Following this word on the draft, which is in Tench Tilghman’s writing, the phrase “at least for the present” is written and then struck out.
3. Townsend’s espionage reports followed a circuitous route from New York City to Setauket on Long Island, over the Long Island Sound to Tallmadge in Connecticut, and from there to GW in Morristown (see GW to Tallmadge, 21 March 1779, n.2; see also Culper Spy Ring Intelligence, 6–17 Aug. 1779, editorial note).
4. Tallmadge replied to GW on 27 May from Wethersfield, Conn.: “I have been duly hond with your Excellency’s favour of the 19th inst., the Contents of which shall be communicated to C—— by the earr[l]iest opportunity” (ALS, DLC:GW). He enclosed GW’s letter to him of 19 May when he wrote Woodhull on 5 June (see Tallmadge to GW, 13 June, and n.1 to that document).