Dear General:
I am honored with yours of yesterday and rejoice for Greene's return on Rawdon. I still hope he will keep him at a respectable distance. Tarleton certainly means to push the Rawdon. The lucky change you mention may be the means of entrapping him. His force is 600 chosen horse & mounted infantry. I fear Gregory will fail, expecting Lord Cornwallis will send a detachment round by Edenton. Their rear, and a strong one it is, is at Meades Heights. Partys of Horse scour round. General Wayne was crossing at 4 mile creek on Saturday and yesterday. I recd. dispatches from the Marquis requesting I would inform him what troops were embarking from Portsmouth as he said it was necessary General Washington should immediately be made acquainted with the number as he in conjunction with the French Troops was investing New York.
Late British papers mention three defeats which the British met with in the East Indies in which they lost 5000 men, 2000 of which was Europeans. The same accounts say Lord Dunmore was ordered to hold himself in readiness to embark and reassume his government. The refugee prisoners were ordered to attend the same time, receive a year's pension in advance & repair to Virginia, to assist his Lordship in settling matters. A vessel from New Providence at Portsmouth report that the French have taken St. Kitts and that the British was repulsed at St. Vincents. I inclose you the best list I can procure of Lord Cornwallis's force from Portsmouth to Suffolk, those marked New York it is said is going there, a strong garrison is to be left at Portsmouth and it is thought the ballance will make a diversion up the bay. I have heard nothing but what you mention of the arrival of a French Squadron, have forwarded your paragraph relative to General Greene to the Marquis and I am Dear General with every sentiment of respect and regard your very humble servant.
Two Batts. |
L Infantry |
800 |
Col. Abercrombie bound to New York |
80th Regt. |
600 |
Col Dunlap do |
|
de Fuchs |
300 |
Hessians do |
|
Jagers |
100 |
Ewald do |
|
4 Comp. Guards |
360 |
Col. Pennington do |
|
Queens Rangers |
450 |
Simcoe |
|
2610 |
for New York. |
||
600 |
supposed to the South, Mounted, |
||
Tarleton in Commd. |
|||
76 Regt |
Major Needham |
600 |
|
17 do in part |
Lt. Col. Johnson |
200 |
|
23 do |
150 |
||
33 do |
150 |
||
17 do |
250 |
||
43 do |
350 |
||
De Bose Hessian Regt |
300 |
||
2 Bat |
900 |
||
2900 |
to remain |
||
2610 |
for New York |
||
600 |
with Tarleton |
||
6110 |
Effectives. |
(The following is written on the back of this letter.)