FIRST TROOPS TO ARRIVE AT BOSTON, According to Capt. H. M. M. Richards—Proceedings of the Pennsylvania-German Society, Vol. XVII—Capt. Nagel’s company, from Reading, arrived at camp at Cambridge, July 18, before Doudel’s company, which, according to the same authority, arrived at Cambridge July 25, at: P. M. Compare p. 14; p. 15, August 18, undoubtedly error for July 18.
WASHINGTON’S ORDER TO MAGAW AND REPORT TO CONGRESS, The precise words of General Washington, over his own signature, to Colonel Magaw, entrusting the defense of Fort Washington to him, seem to the writer to allow of more discretion on the part of that officer than might perhaps be inferred from the words used by General Washington in his Report to Congress. In it he says Colonel Magaw was left in that command, ‘‘and orders given to defend it to the last;’’ and afterwards in the same report, he says that he wrote to General Greene, who had command on the Jersey side, “‘directing him to retain or evacuate the post as he should think best, and revoking the absolute order to Colonel Magaw to defend the post to the last extremity.’’ These last words were not in his order to Magaw, and seem to follow the language of Magaw’s reply to Howe.
In this connection it seems proper to correct a statement, p. 48, sometimes made, that Washington, in the Report alluded to, called Magaw’s reply a ‘‘spirited reply,”’ the exact language in the Report being ‘‘a spirited refusal.”’
ADDRESS AT DEDICATION OF MONUMENT. The address quoted, p. 49, was not by Judge Steele, but by Walter B. Logan, President of the Empire State Society of the American Revolution.
DATE OF DEATH OF MAGAW. The date given—p. 54—January 6, as that of the death of Col. Magaw, is that of his funeral. His death probably occurred on Sunday, three days earlier. The date of the death of his wife, Marietta, should be April 18, instead of August 18.
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