By Albert J. Heusser
Passaic County Historical Society Publication, September 1, 1928

While the circumstances of Washington’s sojourn in this vicinity on two occasions in 1780 are well known, very little in the nature of documentary proof of the fact exists except that which is provided by the correspondence and diaries of the Commander-in-Chief and some of his more prominent officers.  A few months ago (in 1928), however, John Heise, an autograph dealer of Syracuse, N.Y., catalogued for sale the original receipted Salary List of “Captain Daniel Pendleton and his company of Carolina artificers,” – a 2 page folio document dated at “Camp Totowa, Oct. 26th 1780,” and twice signed by Pendleton.  That the payment of this money had been long deferred before it was forwarded by Quarter-master General Timothy Pickering is evident from the fact that Captain Pendleton receipted for $1800 Continental dollars, Lieutenant Grannis $1200, and every private in the ranks $500.

Your curator made a bid (in 1928) for this autograph item by telegraph, but it had already been “snapped up’” by another equally ardent collector of New Jersey Revolutionary items.

It is interesting to set down the fact that Captain Pendleton was soon thereafter appointed one of the aides to General Nathaniel Greene and in this capacity won distinction at the battle of Eutaw Springs (Sept. 8, 1781) being cited by congress for gallantry in action*

*These resolutions of Congress were dated Oct. 29, 1781, just about a year after his sojourn in the Preakness Hills.  (See B. J. Lossing’s “Field Book of the Revolution.” Vol. 11 p. 498.)