To George Washington from Joshua Hett Smith, 28 June 1780
From Joshua Hett Smith
White House [near Haverstraw, N.Y.] June 28th 1780
Sir
A Friend to the common Cause who lives near East Chester comfirms the above Account given by Captain Lawrence1—should any Intelligence worthy your Excellencies Notice fall within the compass of my Knowledge of the Movements of the Enemy on the River tis more than probable I shall be early acquainted with their Operations—In that case your Excelly shall have the most speedy intimation by Express. I am with great Respect your Excellencies most Obt hume Sert
Joshua H. Smith
ALS, DLC:GW.
New York attorney Joshua Hett Smith (1749–1818), a brother of William Smith, a Loyalist and royal chief justice of New York, had been active in revolutionary politics but subsequently opposed independence. Smith could easily observe activities on the Hudson River from his residence, and he recently had become involved in Maj. Gen. Robert Howe’s intelligence network (see Anthony Wayne to GW, 27 July 1779, n.2, and , 289). A court-martial acquitted Smith of entanglement in Maj. Gen. Benedict Arnold’s treason, but New York authorities jailed him as a suspected Loyalist. Smith escaped to New York City in May 1781 and resided in Great Britain after the war. He eventually returned to the United States and died in New York. For more on Smith and Arnold, see , 290–391; see also Smith, Authentic Narrative.
1. The letter from Jonathan Lawrence, Jr. to Smith, written on “Tuesday Evening ½ past 6 June 27th,” appears above Smith’s letter to GW: “Yours of this Morning Just came to my hands as I returnd from over the River. it was told to me there in Confidence that Genl Sr Hy Clinton was at East Chester that the most of the British Army were moving that way, that an Incursion in Connecticut was generally supposed by our friends & that Great part of the fleet were orderd up the Sound. I was this Morning opposite the fleet at Philips. the fleet Consi[s]ted of One Sloop of War ⟨1⟩ Armd Snow, Eleven Square Rigd Transports & 28 Sail of the Mosqeeto fleet. the rest part of the fleet Were makeing the best of their way down to New York. a Number of Men are landed at Philips Live in Bush Hutts a few Marques & Tents Picket Guard extended two Miles, near Abraham Vincents” (DLC:GW). For similar false rumors of a British movement toward Connecticut, see John Stagg to GW, 27 June, n.3. For Gen. Henry Clinton’s movements in later June, see , 234–35.