To George Washington from Brigadier General Anthony Wayne, 15 November 1779
From Brigadier General Anthony Wayne
Camp at Acquakeneunk Bridge [N.J.]
15th Novr 1779
Dear General
Being informed that a Considerable number of fat Cattle were Collected on Secokus Island or neck of land (say 300 head) for the use of the Enemy, Colonel Putnam & myself formed a plan for bringing them off, he was accordingly Detatched with three Hundred men for that purpose yesterday Evening, at 10 OClock last night & Six this morning he sent me the Inclosed Notes,1 in answer to the first I directed him to halt until he was Ascertained of the Enemies Situation & Numbers if out, & if he thought it practicable to strike them, I would advance with the remainder of the Troops, if not, for him to fall back to this place, as his Numbers would not justify his runing much Risque.2
the Moment I am Informed of their being out I shall give the earliest Intelligence to Generals Sullivan & Maxwell, & not attempt the Enemy unless I am justified by a fair prospect of Success in which case we shall push hard for Victory.
Mr Woodbridge waits on your Excellency for an Order for Clothing, for the Respective Regiments under my Command3—they are realy very much Distressed—but particularly in the Articles, of Shoes Shirts, & Blankets, many of the Regiments are nearly Destitute of Coats & Indeed almost every Other Article of Clothing, & I find that they have made a pretty full return of their Wants, whilst others have confined themselves to such Necessaries as they could not possibly do without.
We have some Disagreeable accounts from the Savanah—i.e. the raising of the Seige, the loss of 500 men the Death of Count Pulaskie—the Wounding of the Count De Estaing &ca &ca.
I should be glad to hear the particulars—for be they what they will they can’t be much worse than what are Reported to us.4 Interim I am Your Excellency’s most Obt & very Hume Sert
Anty Wayne
ALS, DLC:GW; ADfS, PHi: Wayne Papers. Wayne wrote on the cover of the ALS: “⅌ Lieut. [Theophilus] Woodbridge.”
1. The enclosures were letters from Col. Rufus Putnam to Wayne dated 14 and 15 November. Putnam’s letter of 14 Nov., 10:00 P.M., written at New Bridge, N.J., reads: “the people in this Quarter have ben All unnerved this eveing by a Report of a party of the enimy being out at the english Neighbourhood this After-noon I have not Seen the person who brought the Report—but I find the people have drove theire Cattle on this Side the Bridge I have ordered the detached parties to Retier and Shall remain here if not obliged to Retreat till I know they are Saif—Shall then Retier to Camp or act as circumstances turn up” (DLC:GW). Putnam’s letter of 15 Nov., 6:00 A.M., also written at New Bridge, reads: “I have no farthr account of the enimy I Sent two Six months men with ordors to capt. Bwoman to Retier which I have heard nothing of I feare my letter may have fallen into the Enemys hands—I have detached a Small party under an officer this Morning to look after Capt. Bwoman and leaving a Small guard at this place Shall move on to cover Capt. Bwomans Retreat Shall how ever be verry cautious of moveing ⟨illegible⟩ till I know whether the enemy are out or not” (DLC:GW). Both Joshua Bowman and Nathaniel Bowman then served as captains in the light infantry. For the failure of Putnam’s raid, see Wayne to GW, 18 November.
2. Wayne wrote Putnam from the bridge at Aquakinunk on 15 Nov., 1:00 A.M.: “I am favored with yours of 10 oClock last Evening & approve of your halt until you are fully Informed of the truth or falsity of the Report,—should it prove true, you’l endeavor to discover the Enemie’s numbers &c. & if thought practicable to attempt them, I will join you with the Remainder of the troops,—otherwise you’l retire with Caution, looking well to your left at Closter Landing—as the Enemy may Otherwise throw you by the Paramus Route—should it be a false alarm we perhaps may not have an Other Opportunity to Effect the business” ( 141).
3. For the summoning of Lt. Theophilus Woodbridge, see GW to Wayne, 14 November.
Theophilus Woodbridge (1754–1815) served as a private in the 2d Connecticut Regiment from May to December 1775 and became a lieutenant in the 3d Connecticut Battalion under Col. Samuel Wyllys in January 1777. He participated in the capture of Stony Point, N.Y., on 15–16 July 1779 and served as brigade quartermaster for the Light Infantry during that summer and fall. Woodbridge resigned his commission in April 1780.
4. For official notice of the American and French defeat at Savannah on 9 Oct., see Samuel Huntington to GW, 10 Nov., and n.1 to that document; see also Benjamin Lincoln to GW, 7 Nov., and GW to Lincoln, 12 December.