The active Wayne's mid-July success at Stony Point made him alert and eager for another fight before the army went into winter quarters; this letter shows him reacting to a potential threat to his command on the west side of the Hudson
Autograph Letter Signed, 1 1/2 pages, 4to, "Light Infantry Camp 22nd Oct 1779 10 O'Clock a.m." To General William Woodford, "at Kakeat," franked by WAYNE on the integral address leaf.
"I am apprehensive that the fireing this morning is to cover the Landing of
the Troops mentioned in his Excellency's Letter, either on this, or the East side of theriver"
"Should they effect a Landing at Closter, they have not more than twenty miles March to Sujfrans. It is therefore our Immediate duty to ascenain this matter, and in case we should be their Object - there is not a moment to be lost in throwing our Baggage into the Clove, & moving in force to such position, as to annoy the Enemy & to give Security to ourselves. "
"I wish to hear from you the moment your Patroles return from the River ... " Wayne was in command of the Light Infantry, an elite veteran unit headquartered at Fort Montgomery just north of Bear Mountain. His reference to Closter and a twenty mile march to "Sujfrans" envisioned a British landing in extreme northern New Jersey and an advance to Suffern's Tavern, a patriot rallying place at the opening to Smith's Clove, the relatively protected area west of West Point. Kakiat where Woodford's Brigade was encamped is southwest of Haverstraw. Washington, writing from West Point on the previous day, had warned Wayne of a possible attack. This had been- occasioned by British activity in the River, but evidently they were merely covering their withdrawal from Stony Point (and Verplank's Point on the opposite side of the river) to concentrate their forces in New York City. They had re-occupied Stony Point after Wayne's capture and destruction of their works there; now, three months later, they destroyed what they had rebuilt; the Americans then built their own works at this gateway to the Hudson Highlands!
A nice war content letter, enhanced by the franking signature. Minor repair, integral address leaf is mounted but cut on the reverse to show the address panel.
