From George Washington to Brigadier General Anthony Wayne, 29 October 1779
To Brigadier General Anthony Wayne
Head Quarters West point 29th Octobr 1779.
Dear Sir
I recd your favr of the 27th in due time.1 Before this reaches you, you will undoubtedly have heard that the enemy have returned to Staten Island.2 I think you may as well take post with the Infantry, for the present, in the neighbourhood of paramus inclining towards Kakeate, and draw your forage as much as possible from the lower part of Bergen.3 You will be in a good situation to gain intelligence from New York. should any thing of consequence come to your knowledge, I shall be obliged to you for communicating it. I am Dear Sir Your most obt Servt
Go: Washington
P.S. Hold yourself in readiness to move on towards Stoney point or this post if necessary. some information just received may make it so.4
LS, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, PHi: Wayne Papers; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. Wayne had written GW on 27 Oct., 1:00 A.M., and GW acknowledged that letter later on the same date. If Wayne wrote a second letter to GW on 27 Oct., it has not been found. The reference also may be a mistaken one for Wayne’s letter to GW of 28 October.
2. GW is referring to Lt. Col. John Graves Simcoe’s raid into New Jersey (see GW to George Clinton, this date, and n.5).
3. GW is referring to Bergen County, New Jersey.
4. This information may have come in a letter from Maj. Benjamin Tallmadge to GW dated 28 Oct., which has not been found (see GW to Tallmadge, 30 Oct.).