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William Duer to General Gates

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Dalston' s Tavern, December 9, 1776, ten o' clock at night.

SIR: Since the resolutions which are referred to and enclosed in the above letter were agreed to, General Clinton and myself were requested by the Committee to proceed to Goshen, where we understood you was expected this evening, in order to know the route which the troops under your command propose taking, and to confer with you on other matters, which are the objects of these resolutions.

I am sorry we were not fortunate enough to meet with you; but from the intelligence we have received from your Aid-de-Camp, Major Pearce, and from the route which we find General Lee has taken through Princetown, we find that the intentions of both your Armies is to join General Washington, and not to form a separate Army in order to fall on the enemy' s rear.

In compliance, therefore, with his orders, General Clinton will be under the necessity of confining himself to the objects specified in the resolution marked No˙ 7, unless he should learn from either General Lee or yourself, that your intentions are to form another army on the rear of the enemy. For this purpose he desires me to inform you, that he will immediately order his troops to rendezvous at the place called H˙ City, near Kakeat, in Orange County, at the parting of the road which leads to Tappan and Paramus, where he will he ready to obey your orders, so far as they are consistent with the objects of the enclosed resolutions. The force he will have with him will consist of about fifteen hundred men.

By the latest accounts, we hear that General Washington is daily receiving strong reinforcements from the Militia of Jersey and Pennsylvania; in consequence of which, he might probably be induced to form an army for the purpose of hemming in the enemy in the rear, were he made acquainted with the measures pursued by the Convention of the State of New-York. I have therefore to request the favour of you to have copies of the Committee' s letter to you and of the enclosed resolutions, transmitted immediately by express to his Excellency General Washington and to Major-General Lee, in order that they may pursue such measures as they shall judge best calculated for the general good.

I am, sir, with great respect, your obedient, humble servant,

WM˙ DUER.

Major-General Gates.