Use Restrictions

Public Domain. There are no known restrictions.

Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions.

Alternative Form Avaliable

A digitized version of this document can be found here: George Washington letter.

Preferred Citation

George Washington letter to the officer commanding the militia in the county of Monmouth, C0381, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.

Acquisition Information

Donated to the Special Collections Research Center by Hayden B. Peake in 2014. The letter is part of the Hayden B. Peake Historical Intelligence Collection.

Processing Information

Processed by Elizabeth Beckman in October 2021. EAD markup by Elizabeth Beckman in October 2021.

Historical Information

Monmouth County, New Jersey was the site of the Battle of Monmouth in June, 1778, in which the Continental Army attacked British forces retreating across New Jersey (Stockwell, "Battle of Monmouth") Two years after the battle, in June 1780, Colonel Tye (an escaped formerly enslaved man) and the Black Brigade, a guerilla force fighting for the British against their former enslavers, captured Barnes Smock, a leader of the Monmouth County Militia, and several of his men ("Colonel Tye," Africans in America).

Scope and Content

One page letter written by a member of George Washington's staff, probably Lt. Col. Tench Tilghman, and signed by Washington requesting the assistance of the militia of Monmouth County, New Jersey in transmitting intelligence.

Arrangement

This is a single item collection.

Related Material

The letter is part of the Hayden B. Peake Historical Intelligence Collection.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Military intelligence -- Great Britain
• Military intelligence -- United States
• United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783