TO GENERAL McDOUGALL.
Camp, White Plains, 12th January, 1779.
Dear Sir,
The enclosed return will show you the deficiency of officers and men
at this post. Above the complement for the parties, I wish to have a
guard for myself, and a commissary's guard. To detail men for these
purposes will interfere with the rotation of duty.
I arrived here on Friday evening. The weather on Saturday was too
severe and stormy to permit me to make myself acquainted with the post
and disposition of the troops. I improved yesterday for those
purposes, and found it necessary to alter the position. I have moved
the left three miles forward, and the two centre divisions so as to
allign with that and Tarrytown. The posts now possessed by these
detachments are,
_First._ Tarrytown.
_Second._ Isaac Reed's and John Hammond's, near Sawmill river.
_Third._ Starr's and Moses Miller's, one and a half miles in front of
Young's.
_Fourth._ Merritt's and neighbouring houses, near Farmer Oakley's.
By this arrangement the extent of my command is contracted three
miles, and the distance from my left to the Sound is three miles less
than before. The men more compact, and the posts equidistant from the
enemy. While I was upon the business above mentioned, Colonel
Littlefield and Mr. Thomas visited Colonel Enos and Lieutenant-colonel
Holdridge, to enforce the necessity of an immediate junction, to
complete the security of the country upon the present plan; but these
gentlemen say they have no orders to cross Biram river.
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