WASHINGTON, George. Letter signed (“G:o Washington”), as Commander-in-Chief, to Col. Elias Dayton, Head Quarters Morris Town, 29 May 1780. Two lines on recto in Washington’s hand. Remainder of text in hand of Richard Kidder Meade . 2 pages, folio, slight foxing, small paper losses repaired (catching portions of a few letters); stains obscuring two words on recto . Framed.
WASHINGTON, George. Letter signed (“G:o Washington”), as Commander-in-Chief, to Col. Elias Dayton, Head Quarters Morris Town, 29 May 1780. Two lines on recto in Washington’s hand. Remainder of text in hand of Richard Kidder Meade . 2 pages, folio, slight foxing, small paper losses repaired (catching portions of a few letters); stains obscuring two words on recto . Framed. “IT BEHOOVES US, JUST NOW, MORE THAN EVER, TO KEEP THE ENEMY ENTIRELY IGNORANT OF OUR MOVEMENTS OR DESIGNS” WASHINGTON STOPS THE “GROWING EVIL” OF SPIES LEAKING INFORMATION TO THE BRITISH IN NEW YORK . The “Flag Boat” that passed between Elizabeth Town, New Jersey and occupied New York, Washington tells Dayton, “puts it much in the power of the Enemy to gain intelligence, and to propagate injurious reports.” It was too easy for spies to pretend to be innocent travelers between the two ports. “To put a stop, as far as possible, to this growing evil, you will be pleased to comply strictly with the following instructions.” The Flag Boats were “to come to at a convenient distance from Elizabeth Town” where an American officer would board, identify all passengers, and take the mail to his commander for inspection. The boat should remain off the port until discharged “which should be as [soon] as possible.” No person should be allowed to come ashore other than POWs to be exchanged. Likewise, no one should be “allowed on any pretence whatever to pass to New York or Staten Island,” unless they were also POWs being exchanged. Apart from these vessels, Washington is concerned with the “pernicious” commercial “traffic carried on privately with New York.” He recommends “in the strongest possible manner to make use of every measure to break it off totally. It behooves us, just now, more than ever, to keep the enemy entirely ignorant of our movements or designs. It will be impossible to do either while an intercourse almost uninterrupted prevails.” Washington’s fears were well-founded. Travelers to New York told British agents that Washington’s army was demoralized after another bitter winter encampment, and was near mutiny. Hessian General Wilhelm Knyphausen organized a raid against Elizabethtown that he hoped would bring out the locals to his side and crush the supposedly disintegrating Continentals. Just nine days after this letter, Knyphausen’s force landed, but their spies proved faulty. The local populace rose against the redcoats and Germans, not their fellow Americans, and Col. Dayton (who, for good measure, ran his own spy ring in Staten Island) led a regiment of regulars and local militia to check the attackers at Springfield Bridge. When Knyphausen broke off his attack he left many houses burned and several civilians killed, thereby extinguishing whatever loyalist sentiments remained in that part of Jersey. Published in Fitzpatrick 18:445-446.
WASHINGTON, George. Letter signed (“G:o Washington”), as Commander-in-Chief, to Col. Elias Dayton, Head Quarters Morris Town, 29 May 1780. Two lines on recto in Washington’s hand. Remainder of text in hand of Richard Kidder Meade . 2 pages, folio, slight foxing, small paper losses repaired (catching portions of a few letters); stains obscuring two words on recto . Framed.
WASHINGTON, George. Letter signed (“G:o Washington”), as Commander-in-Chief, to Col. Elias Dayton, Head Quarters Morris Town, 29 May 1780. Two lines on recto in Washington’s hand. Remainder of text in hand of Richard Kidder Meade . 2 pages, folio, slight foxing, small paper losses repaired (catching portions of a few letters); stains obscuring two words on recto . Framed. “IT BEHOOVES US, JUST NOW, MORE THAN EVER, TO KEEP THE ENEMY ENTIRELY IGNORANT OF OUR MOVEMENTS OR DESIGNS” WASHINGTON STOPS THE “GROWING EVIL” OF SPIES LEAKING INFORMATION TO THE BRITISH IN NEW YORK . The “Flag Boat” that passed between Elizabeth Town, New Jersey and occupied New York, Washington tells Dayton, “puts it much in the power of the Enemy to gain intelligence, and to propagate injurious reports.” It was too easy for spies to pretend to be innocent travelers between the two ports. “To put a stop, as far as possible, to this growing evil, you will be pleased to comply strictly with the following instructions.” The Flag Boats were “to come to at a convenient distance from Elizabeth Town” where an American officer would board, identify all passengers, and take the mail to his commander for inspection. The boat should remain off the port until discharged “which should be as [soon] as possible.” No person should be allowed to come ashore other than POWs to be exchanged. Likewise, no one should be “allowed on any pretence whatever to pass to New York or Staten Island,” unless they were also POWs being exchanged. Apart from these vessels, Washington is concerned with the “pernicious” commercial “traffic carried on privately with New York.” He recommends “in the strongest possible manner to make use of every measure to break it off totally. It behooves us, just now, more than ever, to keep the enemy entirely ignorant of our movements or designs. It will be impossible to do either while an intercourse almost uninterrupted prevails.” Washington’s fears were well-founded. Travelers to New York told British agents that Washington’s army was demoralized after another bitter winter encampment, and was near mutiny. Hessian General Wilhelm Knyphausen organized a raid against Elizabethtown that he hoped would bring out the locals to his side and crush the supposedly disintegrating Continentals. Just nine days after this letter, Knyphausen’s force landed, but their spies proved faulty. The local populace rose against the redcoats and Germans, not their fellow Americans, and Col. Dayton (who, for good measure, ran his own spy ring in Staten Island) led a regiment of regulars and local militia to check the attackers at Springfield Bridge. When Knyphausen broke off his attack he left many houses burned and several civilians killed, thereby extinguishing whatever loyalist sentiments remained in that part of Jersey. Published in Fitzpatrick 18:445-446.
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