180 miles, eighteen days mixing backwoods hard riding with national strategy and world stage strategic negotiations.

I am reading In The Hurricane's Eye by Nathaniel Philbrick, his new book on the American Revolution. In it Philbrick brings to the fore, in a way not often accomplished in most Revolutionary War histories, Washington's isolation in the Hudson Valley as the Southern Campaign raged for the final three years of the war; the importance of the French alliance; and the importance of the naval strategy in the final year compared to early in the war.

In Chapter 3, Philbrick recounts a headlong dash by Washington and his closest aides, beginning March 2 in New Windsor in New York to Newport, Rhode Island. The goal was a close conference with our French allies, especially regarding naval strategy. The war was at a stalemate - the British could not conquer the country and the Americans could not dislodge the British from the cities. A naval engagement between the British and French fleets seemed the only means to break the stalemate.

I read Chapter 3 a week ago.

Today, doing a little, essentially random, research on fifth great-grandfather Colonel Andrew Morehouse, I came across a surprise.

Morehouse kept a tavern in what is now known as South Dover between New York and Connecticut. It was a major trail for moving agricultural produce from states north to New York City and other centers. It was heavily used during the Revolution by Americans, skirting, as they had to do, the city-based British.

I knew Washington and other famous Revolutionary War figures had stayed in the Tavern. But not much more than that until I came across, The Visit of General Washington to Newport in 1781 by Mrs. French E. Chadwick, published in the Special Bulletin of the Newport Historical Society in February 1913.

Ms. Chadwick had come across what was essentially the time and expense report of Tench Tilghman, one of Washington's aides who apparently took care of the logistics of the journey. Which roads, where to stay, victuals, shodding horses, etc. There, in all its bureaucratic glory, is the minutiae of history. And there is Colonel Andrew Morehouse, owner of Morehouse Tavern.

Here Colonel Tilghman spent 483 dollars for the party, probably for a meal for horses and men. The note attached to the Memorandum says, "Old Continental money, which remained in my hands after the Commander in Chief returned from Wethersfield. Continental money then sunk entirely and was no longer in circulation." Tench Tilghman.

From Vanderburgh's they went to Morehouse's, where is now the town of Dover. In the Chastellnx Diary when making somewhat the same journey he says: "The inn I was going to, is in the Oblong. It is kept by Colonel Moorehouse."

Here I fancy they took a longer rest as their expenses were more than double, $1034; probably they spent the first night there. The next day there was a mishap, for the following item is "Getting a horse out of Bull's Falls, $215." This point is just on the borders of Connecticut; de Chastilux says of it, "The Housatonick is not navigable and is easily forded near Bull's Iron Works. We then turned to the left, it is impossible not to be lost in admiration." The up-hill and down-dale of this region is very lovely, but rough and stony the roads were no doubt, then as now, for "Shoeing Horses $34" comes next.

At Litchfield they only spend $687, so I think that the second night as they went to the east was spent at Farmington and
at Litchfield as they returned. It must be about fifty miles by the roads from Morehouse's to Farmington but in the days when most of the traveling was done on horse-back, this was not accounted too long a ride.

Colonel Israel Angell mentions in his diary that an officer on scout duty rode 180 miles in three days.

That incident at Bull's Falls corresponds with an incident related by Philbrick on page 47.

Two days after leaving New Windsor, they were charging across a small wooden bridge in Connecticut when Washington' horse, "frightened by [the bridge's] springy action," lurched to the side and broke its leg. Even though it was one of his cherished saddle horses, Washington showed little outward emotion. "In seeing His Excellency's face at that moment," von Closen wrote, "you could appreciate very well this great man's very tranquil nature, for he was unmoved and not at all agitated by such an incident. He shrugged his shoulder and said, 'Well! We must leave him behind!." Given the urgency of their mission, Washington hadn't the time for heartfelt goodbyes. By the end of the day they were in Farmington. Two days later, on the morning of March 6th, they were being rowed from Narragansett bay's Conanicut Island to Destouches's flagship, the Duc de Bourgogne.

After their tense negotiations, Washington and his aides returned to New Windsor, staying once again at Morehouse Tavern, spending $592 Continental dollars. The round trip was eighteen days covering 180 miles.

Click to enlarge.
George Washington's ride to Newport, Rhode Island and back, March 2nd to March 20th.

Fascinating to see the micro detail connecting with the larger story.