Varick transcript, DLC:GW.

On 1 July, GW had moved the main army from Ramapo, N.J., to the Preakness area of northeastern New Jersey (see General Orders, 30 June and 1 July). The location of Preakness offered security from sudden attack and allowed the main army to remain in easy supporting distance of the brigades stationed at the strategically important fortress of West Point, New York. At Preakness, GW monitored British movements in the New York City area and awaited the arrival of the expected expeditionary fleet and army from France.

Assistance with GW’s correspondence during this period came from his aides-de-camp Alexander Hamilton, David Humphreys, Richard Kidder Meade, and Tench Tilghman, as well as his secretary Robert Hanson Harrison and assistant secretary James McHenry. GW and his correspondents typically referred to these men as his family (see Lafayette to GW, 20 and 31 July, postscripts, and Benjamin Tallmadge to GW, 12 Aug.). Maj. Caleb Gibbs, who commanded GW’s guards, also helped with correspondence, managed the money to pay GW’s expenses, and managed the provision of food items for GW’s table (see the source notes to the general orders of 20 Aug. and 7 July).

On this date, John Miller receipted for $200 given him by GW “for the purpose of defraying my expences as an express to Philadelphia” (Revolutionary War Accounts, Vouchers, and Receipted Accounts 2, 1775–1783, DLC:GW, ser. 5).

On this date, Meade wrote to Maj. Henry Lee, Jr., from headquarters: “I am directed by His Excellency to desire that you will let your Corps remain where it now is; that you may detach a Commissioned officer & about 15 Privates (to be relieved as often as you think proper) to patrole the Country between the Camp Hackinsack the New Bridge & paramus—Col. Moylan is directed to patrole the Country on the right from the little falls to Hackinsack & Aquacanuck” (DLC:GW; GW added the final two words to Meade’s draft).

Also on this date, McHenry wrote to Col. Stephen Moylan from headquarters: “His Excellency requests that you will without delay take post with your Regiment in a situation near the rear of the army, calculated to afford you a sufficiency of forage. From hence you will detach a commissioned officer with fifteen men, which you will be pleased to relieve as often as you may judge proper, and direct them to patrole the Country from the little falls as far as A⟨c⟩quackanack bridge to Hackinsack. It is the General’s particular recommendation that the patrole frequently change ground nor remain long in a place, never two nights at a time. Major Lee is directed to patrole on your left” (DLC:GW). On McHenry’s draft, GW wrote and then marked out the following text after the word “Hackinsack”: “they should never stay long in a place—never two Nights.”

Moylan replied to McHenry from “Camp” on the same day: “I received your Letter of this date in Which I find it is his Excellencys desire that I shoud post my Regiment near the rear of the Army, at a place Calculated to afford a Sufficiency of Forage—I have been from the right to the left of the Army, in its front and in its Rear, and Can assure You, that except I was to croud in upon the ground occupied by Major Lees Corps, or get upon Pumpton plains I do not Know a place where a Regt of horse Coud Subsist themselves in the Rear—or Right—the 4th is at present at the little falls, and shall be glad to Know, Whether I shall move them, to, for I assure you I Know not, except I get upon the road leading to Morristown.” Moylan requested a “Speedy answer” and added a postscript: “theres good ground about two mile to the Left of Head Quarters” (DLC:GW).

In reply, McHenry wrote to Moylan on the same day from headquarters: “I communicated your answer to his Excellency. He thinks the little falls too near the enemy and leaves it to you to take a position within the fork of the river, or on this side—or on the left of the army as you may find it most convenient to the objects which he recommended. You will be pleased to advise the General as soon as you have determined on a position” (DLC:GW). No letter from Moylan to GW on that topic has been found.