George Washington Papers

To George Washington from Major Alexander Clough, 18 September 1778

From Major Alexander Clough

Hackensack [N.J.] Sept. 18th [1778]

Sr

since my last1 tho I have seen severall from New york I have not been able to collect any thing more then a confermation of the former intellegance, and that a great quantity of furniture is selling off at vandue—Adml Byron arive’d the last wedensday2 with a ninhty & seventy four, which as been the only movement in the fleet for this week past, according to the best inthelligance I can get. I am Your Exellencys Most Obt Hbl. Servt

A. Clough

ALS, DLC:GW. Tench Tilghman docketed the manuscript: “Hackensack 18th Sepr 1778 from Major Clough.”

2Capt.-Lt. Francis Downman of the British artillery says in his diary entry for Wednesday, 16 Sept., that “Admiral Byron of the Blue, in the Princess Royal of 90 guns, and the Culloden of 74, Captain Balfour, arrived off the [Sandy] Hook, but not getting pilots to bring them in went for Rhode Island” (Whinyates, Services of Francis Downman description begins F. A. Whinyates, ed. The Services of Lieut.-Colonel Francis Downman, R.A., in France, North America, and the West Indies, between the Years 1758 and 1784. Woolwich, England, 1898. description ends , 83). Byron arrived at Newport, R.I., on 18 Sept. (see John Sullivan to GW, 21 Sept., and note 1 to that document).

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