From George Washington to Colonel Theodorick Bland, 11 August 1779
To Colonel Theodorick Bland
West-point 11 Augt 1779.
Sir
Major General Philips and Major General Baron de Riedisel with his lady, and the gentlemen composing their respective families have permission to go into New-York on parole. You will be pleased therefore to notify them of this and furnish the Generals with a copy of the inclosed route1—That it may be strictly observed, and to prevent, as much as possible, the consequences that might arise from their travelling the country, alone, you will direct a sensible and discreet officer to attend them.2 Should they go seperately or set out at different times one with each general will be necessary.
They may be informed that the commissary of prisoners will take their paroles at Elizabeth Town and procure them a safe pass-port to New-york.3 I am Sir &c.
Df, in James McHenry’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. The route, written on a separate sheet by GW’s assistant secretary James McHenry, reads: “From Charlottisville the most direct road to Leesburg. Frederick Town York Town—(avoiding Baltimore Town) to Lancaster Reading Easton Middlebrook Elizabeth Town.
“Col. Bland will be pleased to fill up the blank between Baron Riedesels quarters and Leesburg, and between Frederic and york Town Pennsylvania. Observing the same in Gen. Philip’s route” (DLC:GW).
2. For GW’s distrust of Maj. Gen. William Phillips and his displeasure with Phillips’s failure to follow the route specified for his journey from Cambridge, Mass., to Charlottesville, Va., in 1778, see GW to Benjamin Harrison, 5–7 May.
3. Later action by Congress necessitated that GW retract his permission for Phillips and Riedesel to go into New York on parole, much to GW’s chagrin (see Samuel Huntington to GW, 28 Sept.; William Phillips to GW, 30 Sept., n.1; and GW to the Board of War, 2 Oct.).