1. Seely’s letter to GW of 27 Oct. has not been found, but a letter from GW’s secretary Robert Hanson Harrison to Maj. Gen. William Heath written on 28 Oct., 7:00 P.M., describes its contents: “With respect to the movements of the Enemy in Jersey, our accounts are far from being accurate. The best, however is from Colo. Seely, of the Jersey State Regiment dated at Elizabeth Town at 5 OClock P.M. Yesterday. By this it is said, the Enemy the day before, landed a party at South Amboy & at the same time about 100 Horse at perth Amboy, the latter of which proceeded rapidly to Middle Brook—burnt Rariton Meeting House & Sommerset Court House & returned through Spotswood to South Amboy. Colo. Seely adds—that this party was met in its retreat by 13 Militia who fired on it—killed some of their Horse—took the Commander, a Lieutenant Colo. & three more prisoners. If these things are true & only these—a pretty enterprize this on the part of Sir Harry” (MHi: Heath Papers; see also GW to George Clinton, 29 Oct., and n.5). For the delivery of the letter from Seely to GW, see GW to William Woodford, this date.

2. The specific contents of this packet are unknown, but it came enclosed with a letter from Robert Troup, secretary for the Board of Treasury, to GW written at Philadelphia on 22 Oct.: “I do myself the Honor of enclosing your Excellency a Packet from Major General Phillips to Sir Henry Clinton; and I am directed by the Board of Treasury to request that you will be pleased to have it transmitted to him” (ALS, DLC:GW). GW’s assistant secretary James McHenry wrote Troup from West Point on 30 Oct.: “I am directed by his Excellency to acknowlege the receipt of the Packet addressed to Sir Henry Clinton and to inform the board of treasury of its transmission to New-York” (DLC:GW). For the conveyance of this packet to Seely, see Woodford’s letter to Anthony Wayne of 30 Oct., found at GW to Woodford, this date, source note.