From George Washington to the Orange County Committee of Safety, 14 July 1776
To the Orange County Committee of Safety
Head-Quarters N. Yk July 14th 1776
Gentlemen
Nothing can be more pleaseing than on all Occasions to see the people ready to fly to the protection of any part of the Country where there is any danger from the Enemy, but at this extreem busy season I cannot recommend your keeping the Regiment embodied, it would be well to notify them all to be ready at a moments warning to Assemble at any place they may be call’d too, Every precaution ought to be taken to prevent the Men of War from geting any supplies of fresh Provision or keeping up any intercourse or Correspondence with the disaffected Inhabitants; shall be much obliged for timely Information of every Manœver of the ships & tenders up the River, & hope that every necessary Step will be taken to prevent any of our Vessels falling into their hands. I am Gentlemen wt. Esteem Your Most Hume servt
G.W.
LB, in Samuel Blachley Webb’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
This letter is a reply to the committee’s letter of 13 July addressed “to the Commanding Officer of the Continental forces at Paulus Hook or on the West Side of Hudsons River,” which had been forwarded to GW. “The Regt of this County,” deputy chairman John Coe wrote on behalf of the committee, “is now and has been under Arms all Night Occasioned by the Appearance of Several Ships of War of the ministerial Fleet now Lying in Tappan Bay—we have heard that an Other Part of the same Fleet Attacked the City of New York last Evening, but what has been the Event or Whether they have been Able to pass the Forts on the River we are not Able to larn—As we would Endeavour to Ease the County as much as is Consistant with the Public Service at this Busey Season of the Year we have Dispached the Bearer Mr Resolvert Van Houter [Resolvent Van Houten] Express to you, and beg you would give him the necessary Information Relative to the Action of Yesterday, and Your Advice on the Secessary [necessary] Steps to be taken by us to Prevent the Enimy from making Inroads and Depredations on the West Side of Hudsons River” (DLC:GW).