Washington, George, as Commander-in-Chief

"The intelligence you conveyed is very interesting ... I shall expect to hear from you frequently, as every circumstance, now, will have it's weight." Washington is referring to British troop and warship movements around occupied New York City contained in Lord Stirling's letter of 16 October. From his headquarters in Elizabethtown, Stirling reported: "Everything is in Motion with the Enemy at New York and Staten Island ... Capt. Clun an exchanged prisoner ...Says that there are about 250 Sail of Transports prepared for the reception of Troops ... that Yesterday he saw the highlanders Embark in the East River ... the day before yesterday he saw a Number of Troops Marching in towards the Town from Kingsbridge, that the Invalids of all the foreign & British Regts are embarked ... that 50 days provision is embarked in the transports ... the Opinions in town, Various, of their destination; some say Boston others to the British West Indies, others an Expedition to South Carolina ... that a General Evacuation of New york will take place, that they will all Sail together, that the Tories and some troops are going to Hallifax, Invalids & others to England, the remainder to their own West Indies while the Grand fleet of Capital Ships after seeing them off the Land will look at the Count de Estainge to prevent his Medling with any of them." According to the Papers of George Washington, The informant may have been Charles Clunn of Cumberland County, New Jersey, a ship captain who traded in the West Indies and who commanded several privateers during the war (17:416).

With the movements of the British so vague and uncertain, Washington is anxious to receive news more expeditiously so he has "written to the Quarter master General to establish a lay of Expresses between us. I think it will be adviseable for you to have the same done on the route from major Howel to yourself ... " On the same day Washington's secretary Robert Hanson Harrison wrote Nathaniel Greene: "His Excellency request, that you will send to the different Expresses on the Rout to Boston, and order them to be always in a situation to start at a moments warning both night and day. The Advices from New York are interesting & such point strongly to a total evacuation—His Excellency also desires, that you will send on the communication from hence to Elizabeth Town and have a suitable number of Expresses established—and in readiness to fly on the earliest intelligence being conveyed by Letter."

Washington closes with a post-script wishing happiness to a newlywed couple. Elisha Boudinot married Catharine Smith at Elizabeth, New Jersey, on 14 October.