From George Washington to Major General Arthur St. Clair, 30 January 1780
To Major General Arthur St. Clair
Head Quarters Morris Town 30th Jany 1780.
Dear Sir
I have been favd with yours of the 28th and 29th. Your reasons for preferring patrols, and those chiefly of Horse, are so conclusive, that I would wish you to endeavour to engage about twenty to serve while the Sound is passable upon the Ice. If they will find their own Forage, it will be more convenient than to supply them from the public Magazines. They shall be allowed accordingly. One Mr Marsh offered, a few days ago, to raise that number upon the shortest notice.1 Colo. Ogden knows him, and can inform you where he is to be found. As soon as the patrols are instituted, I think it will be prudent to withdraw all the small Guards from the points, and even from Elizabeth Town and New Ark in the Night. A Captains Guard should go every morning to the former to receive and forward Flags—As the number of Horse, I have mentioned, will be, of themselves, too few, you will mix patrols of foot with them. If these do their duty on the main Road along the Sound, which the Enemy must cross, our main Body cannot be surprized: But, to give them more perfect security, I am of opinion that they may fall back into a chain of cantonment upon a line with Westfield, but of this, and every other matter,2 you will consider and determine. Our Magazines of Hay ought principally to engage our attention, as they will probably that of the Enemy, and I would therefore wish you, always, in making your disposition, to have regard to them.
I will bear in mind your hint of the expediency of sending down whole Corps instead of detachments from the line—The Connecticut Brigades having more natives than any others would best answer the purpose, but there are, at present, some objections which I will mention to you when I see you.
Be pleased to direct regular Enquiries, by judicious Officers,3 to be held upon the Officers who commanded the advanced Guards and pickets the night of the 25th that such of them, as appear guilty of neglect, may be brought to trial. This is the only method of procuring justice to the public and to individuals.4
I have written to Docr Cochran and have directed him to send down Surgeons and Dressings, which I thought had been already provided.5
Having in this letter answered the several matters mentioned by Colo. Hazen, I have not written to him by this conveyance.6 I am Dear Sir Yr most obt Servt
Go: Washington
P.S. There are certain signals ⟨e⟩stablished for calling out the Militia in case of Alarm. Be pleased to make yourself acquainted with them, that you may communicate them upon occasion.7
LS, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, NjMoHP; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. On the draft, which is also in Tilghman’s writing, this word is “warning.” Daniel Marsh (c.1735–1802) of Essex County, N.J., after receiving the authorization of the state’s council, raised forty-five militia light cavalry for these patrols (see St. Clair to GW, 31 Jan., n.2, and St. Clair to GW, 7 Feb.).
In December 1779, the legislature of New Jersey had appointed Marsh contractor for the collection of army provisions in Essex County (see , 41–47 [chapter XVII]; see also William De Hart to GW, 13 Jan.). Marsh also was assistant deputy quartermaster at Rahway, N.J., a post he held until March 1781. From March 1778 to March 1779, he had been assistant quartermaster in Middlesex County, New Jersey. After the war, Marsh served as a judge, represented Essex County in the state assembly, and served on the state council. He also owned several saw- and gristmills along the Rahway River. Shortly before his death in a drowning accident, Marsh was nominated as a federal port collector, but he died before the Senate could act on his nomination.
2. On the draft, GW wrote the previous four words.
3. On the draft, GW inserted the previous three words.
4. “A Court of Enquiry held by order of Majr Generl St Clair to investigate the conduct of the officers on duty at New Ark and Elizabeth Town on the night of the 25th [inst.] when the Enemy made an incursion and surprizd these Posts and the orders they recievd” was held on this date, with Lt. Col. Marinus Willet as president and Maj. Evan Edwards and captains Benjamin Bartholomew, Andrew Fitch, and Benjamin Weatherbee as members. The court interviewed Col. Moses Hazen, Maj. James Hamilton, Capt. John Noble Cumming, Capt. Henry Bedkin, Lt. James Bruff, Lt. John or Samuel Bryson, Lt. Jonathan Rhea, Lt. Enos Reeves, quartermaster William Gillan, Pvt. Henry Badwin of Bedkin’s troop, and a “Mr Parrot.” The court concluded regarding the conduct of the officers at Newark, N.J., that “every necessary precaution (considering the extensiveness of the Ground and the few men they had to guard it) was taken to prevent a Surprize But are of opinion that their continuing to keep their Men in one fixd place which was not defencible was rather an Error.” Regarding the conduct of the officers at Elizabeth, N.J., the court determined that “the orders from Colonl Hazen were not properly attend[ed] too; and that there was a deficiency in not having out the proper Pa[t]rols of Horse—The principle officers on duty that night with the Commandng officer being taken Prisoner—The Court are unable to determin who are blamable for this deficiency. The Court ⟨are⟩ also unable to collect the necessary information respecting the foot Pa[t]rols or the Centurys: excepting the Guard at Deharts point under Lieut. Bruff who appears to have had proper instructions and that he regularly attended to them” (DLC:GW).
5. GW’s letter to John Cochran has not been found.
6. GW presumably is referring to Hazen’s letter to him of 29 January.
7. For the establishment of militia alarm beacons in New Jersey in the spring of 1779, see Stirling to GW, 20 March 1779, and n.1 to that document, and William Livingston to GW, 30 March, and n.1 to that document. On 26 Dec. the New Jersey Council again directed the construction of beacons and the establishment of “any other conventional Signals in different parts of the State” ( 142–43). For the condition of the beacons, see St. Clair to GW, 31 January.