The writings of George Washington; being his correspondence, addresses, messages, and other papers, official and private, selected and published from the original manuscripts; with a life of the author, notes and illustrations. By Jared Sparks.

PART II.] THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION 109
TO BRIGADIER-GENERAL WATERBURY.
Head-Quarters, 21 July, 1781.
SIR,
The army will make a movement this evening. You
will march your corps on the same route, and in such
time and manner as to be at East Chester between
daybreak and sunrise. Your troops should be supplied,
if possible, with three days' cooked provisions; and the
movements of the army, as well as of your troops,
must be kept a secret until the moment you march.*
* With a view of ascertaining the exact position of the enemy on the
north end of New York Island, General Washington resolved to reconnoitre their posts from the western shore of the Hudson. For this purpose, on the 18th of July, he crossed the river at Dobbs's Ferry, accompanied by Count de Rochambeau, General de Beville, and General
Duportail. They were attended by an escort of one hundred and fifty
men from the Jersey troops, then stationed on the west side of the river. The day was spent in reconnoitring from the high grounds between
Dobbs's Ferry and Fort Lee. The subsequent manceuvres near Kingsbridge are briefly sketched in the following extract from his Diary.
" July 21st. - I ordered about five thousand men to be ready to march
at eight o'clock, for the purpose of reconnoitring the enemy's posts at
Kingsbridge, and of cutting off, if possible, such of Delancey's corps as
should be found without their lines. At the hour appointed the march
commenced, in four columns, on different roads. Major-General Parsons
with the Connecticut troops, and twenty-five of Sheldon's horse, formed
the right column, with two field-pieces, on the North River road. The
other two divisions, under Major-Generals Lincoln and Howe, together
with the corps of sappers and miners, and four field-pieces, formed the
next column on the Saw-mill River road. The right column of the
French, on our left, consisted of the brigade of Bourbonnois, with the
battalion of grenadiers and chasseurs, two field-pieces, and two twelvepounders. Their left column was composed of the legion of Lauzun, one
battalion of grenadiers and chasseurs, the regiment of Soissonnois, two
fieqd-pieces, and two howitzers. General Waterbury, with the militia and
State troops of Connecticut, was to march on the East Chester road, and
to be joined at that place by the cavalry of Sheldon, for the purpose of
scouring Frog's Neck. Sheldon's infantry was to join the legion of Lauzun and scour Morrisania, and to be covered by Scammell's light infantry,
who were to advance through the fields, waylay the roads, stop all communication, and prevent intelligence from getting to the enemy. At
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