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Major General LORD STIRLING - War Date ALS

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Lord William Alexander Stirling (1726-1783) Major General. When the American Revolutionary War began, Lord Stirling was made a colonel in the New Jersey militia. Congress appointed him brigadier general in the Continental Army in March 1776. At the Battle of Long Island, in August of that year, Stirling led the Maryland Brigade in repeated attacks against a superior British force and took heavy casualties. Outnumbered 25–1, his brigade was eventually overwhelmed and Stirling was taken prisoner, but not before repelling the British forces long enough to allow the main body of troops to escape. He was released in a prisoner exchange, promoted to major general and became one of Washington's most able and trusted generals. 7" x 9" autograph letter, front and back, signed, "Stirling Major Genl," Basking Ridge, March 12, 1777, to Lieut. Col. Hollingsworth. "...I have ordered a party of one hundred men...to Quibbletown tomorrow morning by 8 o clock of which troops you are to take command...you will find Major Butler whom you are to relieve, and to take his advice how...to annoy the enemy by Guards patrols or scouts. If the enemy should press hard on you, you are to retire to the gap of the mountain in your rear, and defend that pass in the best manner you can, giving Genl Green or myself the earliest notice...in the meantime you will endeavor as often as possible to annoy the Enemy and alarm them at night which will keep them out and subject them to a great increase of the disorders of this season of the year..." He adds the following postscript: "...Whenever you find it necessary to retreat from Quibbletown, you are to take up or destroy the Bridges over the streams which you leave behind you. Stirling M.G." Broken in folds with some minor paper loss.

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