Lebanon 18th- July 1778.
Sir
Your Letter of the 14th- inst- received this moment-have sent the intelligence contained in it1 to New London, where are four Private[er]s to Middletown and Hartford where a Number of Smal Armed Boats—have prepared Letters to Govr- Green, & President Powel at Massachusetts—2 with the Same to go by Post Monday next—
hope they may be so happy as to succeed in their Attempts to intercept the Cork Fleet—
Colo Jos Trumbull is at my House very dangerously ill with a Relapse, look on his recovery very doubtfull—3 I am with great Esteem [&c.]
Jonth. Trumbull
PS- I have no other than vague, uncertain Accounts of the Circumstances of your Success in the Jersies—4
L, DLC, George Washington Papers, Series 4. Addressed below close: “His Excellency General Washington." Docketed: “Lebanon 18 July/1778/from/Govr. Trumbull/Ansd. 22d."
1. The "intelligence" concerned the arrival of a British victualling fleet from Cork, Ireland, and its anticipated passage through Long Island Sound. See Washington to Trumbull, 14 July, above.
2. Gov. William Greene of Rhode Island and Jeremiah Powell, President of the Massachusetts Council.
3. Joseph Trumbull was Jonathan Trumbull's son and the former Commissary General. He died on 23 July 1778.
4. In his reply of 22 July, Washington apologized for not having sent Trumbull an account of the battle of Monmouth, adding that he was sure that by now the governor had seen his public letter discussing the battle. See Washington to Trumbull, 22 July, G. W. Papers, Rev. War Series 16: 136–37.
