1. The diary entry for 23 Oct. of a British officer stationed in New York City reads: “The Anna Theresa Pacquet, Captain Gayler, arriv’d in 44 Days from Falmouth & brought the August & September Mails. By her Advice was receiv’d of two Companies being added to each Battalion of Artillery & the Invalids with two additional Companies formed into a Battalion” (Ritchie, “New York Diary,” description begins Carson I. A. Ritchie, ed. “A New York Diary [British army officer’s journal] of the Revolutionary War.” New-York Historical Society Quarterly 50 (1966): 221–80, 401–46. description ends 441). New York printer Hugh Gaine wrote in his journal entry for the same date: “The Packet arrived; she left Falmouth the 9th of September, but has not brought anything worth Notice, more than that Sir Charles Hardy was not able to see the French Fleet, tho’ they paraded the Channel. This Intelligence and our Indolence here gives much Uneasiness to every Lover of Liberty and Good Government” (Ford, Journals of Hugh Gaine, description begins Paul Leicester Ford, ed. The Journals of Hugh Gaine, Printer. 1902. Reprint. [New York] 1970. description ends 2:68).

2. For another erroneous report of a significant naval engagement near England during the late summer, see John Mitchell to GW, 30 Oct., and n.4 to that document.

3. William Smith, royal chief justice of New York, wrote in his memoirs for Monday, 25 Oct.: “The Mail of last Saturday threw the Town into Consternation by alarming Letters of a menaced Invasion and certain Intelligence of the Superiority of the Combined Fleet in the Channel. It increases the Rage against the General for the Inactivity here” (Sabine, Smith’s Historical Memoirs description begins William H. W. Sabine, ed. Historical Memoirs . . . of William Smith, Historian of the Province of New York. 2 vols. New York, 1956–58. description ends [1971], 180). French plans to invade England never came to fruition (see Lafayette to GW, 12–13 June, and n.17).

4. The British evacuated Stony Point and Verplanck Point in New York on 21 Oct. (see GW to Horatio Gates, 22 Oct., and n.7 to that document). For the arrival of these troops at New York City on Sunday, 24 Oct., see Ritchie, “New York Diary,” description begins Carson I. A. Ritchie, ed. “A New York Diary [British army officer’s journal] of the Revolutionary War.” New-York Historical Society Quarterly 50 (1966): 221–80, 401–46. description ends 441.

5. In a letter written at New York on 26 Oct., Gen. Henry Clinton informed Lord George Germain: “Admiral Arbuthnot is now with his fleet at Sandy Hook in the intention of sailing to succour Halifax. He has with him a command of troops under Brig.-General Stirling which, with General Maclane’s resources, will be sufficient to give the land defences of that place their fullest efficacy.

“The grounds on which Halifax was supposed to be in danger were the information derived from dispatches intercepted with great address by the captain of a privateer” (Davies, Documents of the American Revolution, description begins K. G. Davies, ed. Documents of the American Revolution, 1770–1783; (Colonial Office Series). 21 vols. Shannon and Dublin, 1972–81. description ends 17:236–37). Clinton then changed his mind and explained his decision in a letter to Germain written at New York on 28 Oct.: “The Admiral and myself have been induced to consider the expedition for the relief of Halifax with more attention as to the season, which is now every day lessening our apprehensions of an enemy attacking that place. He gives it me as his opinion that if no effort has as yet been made such an attempt at present is become very improbable, and with him I have decided that the reinforcement shall not sail” (Davies, Documents of the American Revolution, description begins K. G. Davies, ed. Documents of the American Revolution, 1770–1783; (Colonial Office Series). 21 vols. Shannon and Dublin, 1972–81. description ends 17:237–38). Clinton and Vice Adm. Marriot Arbuthnot debated sending reinforcements to Halifax (see Willcox, American Rebellion, description begins William B. Willcox, ed. The American Rebellion: Sir Henry Clinton’s Narrative of His Campaigns, 1775–1782, with an Appendix of Original Documents. New Haven, 1954. description ends 148, 425–30; see also Sabine, Smith’s Historical Memoirs description begins William H. W. Sabine, ed. Historical Memoirs . . . of William Smith, Historian of the Province of New York. 2 vols. New York, 1956–58. description ends [1971], 175–76, 178).

6. Commodore George Collier reached Portsmouth, England, in late November. Lt. Col. Charles Stuart carried Clinton’s letter to Germain of 23 Oct. (see Davies, Documents of the American Revolution, description begins K. G. Davies, ed. Documents of the American Revolution, 1770–1783; (Colonial Office Series). 21 vols. Shannon and Dublin, 1972–81. description ends 16:196).

7. For similarly erroneous intelligence of successful American and French operations against Savannah, see GW to Horatio Gates, 22 Oct., and n.6 to that document.

8. For the British evacuation of Rhode Island, see GW to Duportail and Alexander Hamilton, 30 Oct., and notes 1 and 2 to that document. Gaine, then in New York City, wrote in his journal entry for 27 Oct.: “The Evacuation of Rhode Island is now Confirmed for the whole Garrison is arrived safe here” (Ford, Journals of Hugh Gaine, description begins Paul Leicester Ford, ed. The Journals of Hugh Gaine, Printer. 1902. Reprint. [New York] 1970. description ends 2:69).

9. The British Legion was a Loyalist military unit.

10. For the sinking of hulks to impede the shipping channel, see GW to Edmund Pendleton, 1 Nov., n.5.

11. Townsend is referring to invisible ink (see Tallmadge to GW, 21 April, and GW to Tallmadge, 25 July; see also the second letter from John Jay to GW, 19 Nov. 1778, and n.1 to that document).

GW wrote Tallmadge from West Point on [2] Nov.: “I have recd yours of yesterday inclosing Culpers senr and Juniors. I send you a part, of the very small quantity of the stain which I have left, to be forwarded to C—— junr as he says he is in want of it. He should be directed to use it with the utmost frugality” (Df, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW). Tilghman dated the draft 1 Nov., which was the same date as Tallmadge’s letter to GW with the enclosures from the Culpers.