To George Washington from Major Henry Lee, Jr., 22 August 1780
From Major Henry Lee, Jr.
Camp [Orangetown, N.Y.] 22d August. 80
sir.
My Corps reached Slotterdam yesterday evening, where they halt this day.1
In the mean time I have hurried to Camp to receive your Excellencys orders for the disposal of them, on their arrival here.2
I gave orders to Capt. Rudulph to deliver Mr Andersons horse to him. The horse is gelded & Mr Anderson refuses him.
When I left Monmouth, I directed Capt. Rudulph to be under the guidance of Gen. Furman, in Conformity to whose advice, every hoof seized, has been seized.
I am fully persuaded from Capt. Rudulphs natural equity & moderation of temper that he has committed no act but can be justified by his orders, & by Gen. Furmans council.
It is very common to hear of horses being conveyed from among the disaffected in upper freehold to the hook, & Capt. Rudulph assures me this horse was the property of two persons connected with the enemy.
Relationship & the ties of acquaintance will often introduce Whigs pleaders for our internal enemy.
This probably is the case now.3 I have the honor to be, sir most respectfully, your Excellys very hum. sert
Henry Lee Junr
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. Slotterdam was on the east bank of the Passaic River about five miles west of New Bridge, New Jersey.
2. GW replied to Lee on this date from headquarters at Orangetown, N.Y.: “You will be pleased to employ the whole of your Corps both Horse and Foot tomorrow in impressing Waggons and Drivers from Totowa—Prekaness—Little Falls—Slotterdam—Wesel—Acquaquenac and the Neck between Hackensack and Passaic Rivers—You will direct the Waggons to rendezvous as they come in at Acquaquenac Bridge and Hackensack Town. You will receive further orders the morning after tomorrow, by which time you will be pleased to direct your Corps to assemble at Hackensack or Acquaquenac Bridge. You will be punctual in the execution of this order as there will be a correspondent maneuvre” (Df, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW).
3. For Joshua Anderson’s petition to GW and for Capt. John Rudulph’s explanation of this incident, see GW to Lee, 20 August.