Sender: George Washington Recipient: The Officer Commanding Lee’s Corps
Head Quarters, August 29, 1779
Sir:
As from Major Lees present situation, the command of his Corps will devolve on you, I am to desire you will pa the strictest attention to the movements of the enemy down the river. It is peculiarly necessary at this juncture as I am well informed the arrival of Admiral Arbuthnot has increased Sir Harry Clinton’s strength: from this circumstance it will b necessary for us to double our diligence; I shall therefore rel on you, to take every step in your power to make the earliest discovery of any movements of the enemy [and communicate them to me without a moment’s loss of time.]
I am, etc.1
1 The draft is in the writing of Richard Kidder Meade. The phrase in brackets in the writing of Washington.