11From George Washington to Jesse Root, 7 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
, in Tench Tilghman’s writing,
12From George Washington to Nathaniel Shaw, Jr., 7 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
, in Tench Tilghman’s writing,
13To George Washington from Brigadier General Nathanael Greene, 8 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
.
Tench Tilghman docketed this letter: “Long Island Augt 8. 1776 From B. Genl Greene.” Although 8 Aug. 1776 was Thursday rather than Wednesday as indicated in the dateline, it is undoubtedly the correct date of this letter,...
14From George Washington to Brigadier General Hugh Mercer, 8 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
The Account given you by a Deserter as brought me by Mr Tilghman. Tench Tilghman (1744–1786), captain of a Philadelphia light infantry company that recently had joined the flying camp, volunteered his services as an aide-de-camp to GW about this time and acted in that capacity without rank or pay... ...GW officially appointed Tilghman one of his aides-de-camp (see General Orders, that date), and...
15From George Washington to the Pennsylvania Associators, 8 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
, in Tench Tilghman’s writing,
16From George Washington to the Queens County Committee of Safety, 11 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
, in Tench Tilghman’s writing,
17From George Washington to the New York Convention, 12 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
, in Tench Tilghman’s writing,
18From George Washington to Brigadier General James Clinton, 14 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
, in Tench Tilghman’s writing,
19From George Washington to Frederick Jay, 16 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
, in Tench Tilghman’s writing,
20From George Washington to the New Jersey Convention, 16 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
, in Tench Tilghman’s writing,
21From George Washington to the New York Convention, 18 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
, in Tench Tilghman’s writing,
22From George Washington to Major General William Heath, 19 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
, in Tench Tilghman’s writing,
23General Orders, 20 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
Edward Tilghman Esqr. is appointed as an Assistant Brigade Major to Lord Stirling; the duty of the whole division being too great for one officer—He is to be respected and obeyed accordingly.Edward Tilghman (1751–1815), a cousin of Tench Tilghman, enlisted as a private in the Philadelphia associators earlier this year and apparently marched with them to Perth Amboy in July. A capable young...
24From George Washington to Major General William Heath, 21 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
, in Tench Tilghman’s writing,
25From George Washington to Major General William Heath, 23 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
, in Tench Tilghman’s writing,
26From George Washington to the New York Convention, 23 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
, in Tench Tilghman’s writing,
27From George Washington to Major General William Heath, 30 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
, in Tench Tilghman’s writing,
28From George Washington to Lieutenant Colonel Henry Beekman Livingston, 4 September 1776 (Washington Papers)
, in Tench Tilghman’s writing,
29From George Washington to Brigadier General James Clinton, 8 September 1776 (Washington Papers)
, in Tench Tilghman’s writing,
30From George Washington to John Hancock, 8 September 1776 (Washington Papers)
Tench Tilghman wrote Q.M. Gen. Stephen Moylan on 9 Sept.: “His Excellency [GW] commands me to desire that you would without loss of time set about preparing a sufficient Quantity of Boards, Scantlin and every Material necessary...
31From George Washington to Abraham Yates, Jr., 8 September 1776 (Washington Papers)
, in Tench Tilghman’s writing,
32From George Washington to Brigadier General James Clinton, 12 September 1776 (Washington Papers)
, in Tench Tilghman’s writing,
33From George Washington to Robert Morris, 12 September 1776 (Washington Papers)
, in Tench Tilghman’s writing,
34From George Washington to John Hancock, 18 September 1776 (Washington Papers)
The British retreated to their advanced posts near present-day 106th Street, where the Americans broke off the engagement. GW sent Tench Tilghman to recall the troops, who, Tilghman says, “gave a Hurra and left the Field in good Order” (Tench Tilghman to James Tilghman, Sr., 19 Sept., in Tilghman,
35From George Washington to Major General William Howe, 19 September 1776 (Washington Papers)
, in Tench Tilghman’s writing,
36To George Washington from William Duer, 22 September 1776 (Washington Papers)
. On this date Duer wrote Tench Tilghman that the committee was empowered “to employ a Gentleman near Head Quarters for communicating Intelligence, to whom they have engaged to make an adequate Compensation—Mr [Robert R.] Livingston and myself are anxious you should undertake this... ...Tilghman accepted the committee’s offer the following day, and he frequently wrote Duer or Livingston at...
37To George Washington from Major General William Heath, 22 September 1776 (Washington Papers)
Heath here struck out the words “without much Difficulty.” For GW’s sending of these deserters to Heath earlier this day with instructions to have them escorted to New London, see Tench Tilghman to Heath, this date,
38To George Washington from Major General Nathanael Greene, 23 September 1776 (Washington Papers)
Tench Tilghman wrote William Duer on 25 Sept. that “General
39General Orders, 24 September 1776 (Washington Papers)
, 73–76; Tench Tilghman to William Duer, 25 Sept., in
40From George Washington to Brigadier General Hugh Mercer, 26 September 1776 (Washington Papers)
, in Tench Tilghman’s writing,
41From George Washington to the Massachusetts General Court, 29 September 1776 (Washington Papers)
, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, , in Tench Tilghman’s writing,
42Orders to Brigadier General George Clinton, 30 September 1776 (Washington Papers)
, in Tench Tilghman’s writing,
43From George Washington to Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 30 September 1776 (Washington Papers)
William Duer wrote Tench Tilghman on 28 Sept. from Fishkill, N.Y., that a Discovery was made sometime ago of a Battalion of Rangers, which was raising in Westchester County to be commanded by Major Rogers, who is for that Purpose commissioned...
44From George Washington to John Hancock, 2 October 1776 (Washington Papers)
arrived at New York from Plymouth, England, on 13 Sept. and left several days later to cruise off Bermuda. The letters from Hugh Mercer and Richard Derby, Jr., have not been found. Tench Tilghman communicates Derby’s intelligence to William Duer in a letter of 3 Oct. and says: “Does not this look as if Genl Howes Army was not so strong as we have apprehended? or would he drain the Islands...
45Enclosure, 4 October 1776 (Washington Papers)
, in Tench Tilghman’s writing,
46From George Washington to John Hancock, 5 October 1776 (Washington Papers)
Secret Committee of the New York Convention to GW, 27 September. William Duer wrote Tench Tilghman on 1 Oct: Duer Papers). Tilghman replied to Duer on 3 Oct.: “If the new Ships should be found necessary to our Salvation you need not fear their being sacrificed, but our public Money goes fast enough without using it wantonly” (
47From George Washington to Patrick Henry, 5 October 1776 (Washington Papers)
, in Tench Tilghman’s writing,
48From George Washington to William Livingston, 5 October 1776 (Washington Papers)
, in Tench Tilghman’s writing,
49From George Washington to Comte d’Ennery, 7 October 1776 (Washington Papers)
, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, Tilghman inadvertently wrote “testitying” on the manuscript.
50From George Washington to John Hancock, 8–9 October 1776 (Washington Papers)
, 118). Tench Tilghman says in his letter to William Duer of 8 Oct. that because Stirling “was on b[o]ard Ship the whole time of his captivity he can Say very little of the Situation or intentions of the enemy—He...Tench Tilghman to the New York committee of correspondence
51From George Washington to Major General William Heath, 9 October 1776 (Washington Papers)
, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, : Heath Papers.
Tilghman added a concluding paragraph that reads: “While I was writing the above by his Excellency’s Direction he went to Bed. I thought it a pity to disturb him to sign it. I therefore have the Honor to... subscribe myself Yr most obt Servt Tench Tilghman.”
52To George Washington from the New York Committee of Safety, 10 October 1776 (Washington Papers)
We received from Mr Tilghman an Account of the enemies Ships having gone up the River—and have dispatched Expresses to General Schuyler and General Clinton agreable to your Excellency’s request.Tench Tilghman had written the New York committee of correspondence the previous day, informing it that British warships had passed the obstructions at Fort Washington that morning. “How far they intend...
53From George Washington to John Hancock, 11–13 October 1776 (Washington Papers)
Tench Tilghman, who rode with GW to Westchester County on 12 Oct.
54From George Washington to Colonel Thomas Tash, 13 October 1776 (Washington Papers)
, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, Tench Tilghman informed William Duer on this date of GW’s orders to Tash ( : Emmet Collection). Duer replied to Tilghman on 14 Oct. that Tash’s regiment “will be of great service to prevent at least a Revolt, though It will not be strength enough to occupy the Passes through the Highlands” (
55Lieutenant Colonel Robert Hanson Harrison to John Hancock, 14–17 October 1776 (Washington Papers)
Tench Tilghman wrote Duer on 15 Oct. that he had returned to headquarters the previous evening from Eastchester and Westchester and “there was no Alteration in the Situation of the Enemy except that they had thrown up small Works upon Frogs...
56From George Washington to Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 15 October 1776 (Washington Papers)
Tench Tilghman to William Duer reads: “the most in my power shall be done.” William Duer wrote Tench Tilghman on 17 Oct. that he had been informed “that the Guards who were sent to watch the ships are extremely negligent—All the Coast from Tarry Town to Peeks Kill is I am told destitute of Guards—Several Disaffected...
57Council of War, 16 October 1776 (Washington Papers)
Tench Tilghman wrote William Duer on this date: “I have yours of the 14th, which is principally taken up with pointing out the necessity of securing a proper place of retreat beyond the Highlands, should any accident befall the army...
58To George Washington from Brigadier General Hugh Mercer, 16 October 1776 (Washington Papers)
.
The last two sentences and the closing are in Mercer’s writing. Although Tench Tilghman docketed this letter in part “Ansd 18th,” that reply has not been found.
59From George Washington to Colonel Jacob Bayley, 17 October 1776 (Washington Papers)
, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, Tilghman apparently misread the account total “£982.06.5½” as “£982.16.5½.” (see
60From George Washington to the New York Convention, 17 October 1776 (Washington Papers)
: Duer Papers). Tench Tilghman wrote Duer on this date that GW “has had no great experience of the abilities of Mons. Imbert the French Engenier who goes up with your Express, but he thinks it would be of Service to you if... ...Duer replied to Tilghman on the following day: “I observe what you mention with Respect to Mr Imbert, and shall give such hints to the Committee of this Convention who...