Sender: George Washington Recipient: The Commanding Officer of Lee’s Corps
Head Quarters, Morris Town, March 30, 1780
Sir:
You will be pleased, upon the receipt of this, to take the most expeditious measures for putting the whole Corps both Horse and Foot in readiness to march.1 If you move, your destination will be South Carolina. The Horse will go the whole way by land; the Foot will go down Chesapeak Bay by Water and meet the Horse at Petersburg. As soon as you have given the necessary orders at Burlington you had best repair to Philada. and apply to the Board of War, to whom I have written on the subject, for the Articles wanting to equip the Corps for so long a march. Be pleased to acknowledge this; send your answer to the Qr. Mr. at Trenton, who will forward it to me.
I am etc.2
On March 30 Washington wrote also to the Deputy Quartermaster General at Trenton, asking him to forward the above letter by express. This letter is in the Washington Papers.
On this same date (March 30) Washington also wrote briefly to Captain Von Heer. or officer commanding the Marechaussée Corps, to march from Pottsgrove, or Reading, Pa., to Burlington, N.J., "as expeditiously as possible." This draft is in the Washington Papers.
1 The officer commanding Lee’s Corps was at Burlington, N.J.
2 The draft is in the writing of Tench Tilghman. Sparks prints this letter as to Maj. Henry Lee.