16 November 1776 five Maryland rifle companies take part in the defense of Ft. Washington. One company survives. Three days after the fall of Ft. Washington, General Washington wrote the following letter to Congress.

Hackensack, November 19, 1776

Sir: I have not been yet able, to obtain a particular account of the unhappy affair of the 16th, nor of the Terms on which the Garrison surrendered. The Intelligence that has come to hand, is not so full and accurate as I could wish. One of the Artillery, and whose information is most direct, who escaped on Sunday night says the Enemy loss was very considerable, especially in the attack made above the Fort by the Division of Hessians that Marched from Kingsbridge, and where Lieut. Colo. Rawlings of the late Colo. Stevenson's Regiment was posted..... [Rawlings and Stephenson were previously Captains of rifle companies from Maryland and Virginia respectively - Editor]

As Fort Lee was always considered, as only necessary in conjunction with that on the East side of the River, to preserve the Communication across, and to prevent the Enemy from a free Navigation, It has become of no importance by the loss of the other, or not so material, as to employ a force for its defence. Being viewed in this light and apprehending that the stores there, would be precariously situated, their removal has been determined on, to Boundbrook above Brunswick, Prince Town, Springfield, and Acquackinac Bridge, as places that will not be subject to sudden danger in case the Enemy should pass the River, and which have been thought proper, as repositories for our Stores of Provisions and Forage.

The Troops belonging to the Flying Camp [Maryland Militia - Editor] under Genls. Heard and Beal, [This is Samuel Beal, father of Thomas Beal who commanded one of the five Maryland Rifle companies - Editor] with what remains of Genl. Ewing's Brigade, are now at Fort Lee, where they will continue till the stores are got away. By the time that is effected, their term of inlistment will be near expiring, and if the Enemy should make a push in this Quarter, the only Troops that there will be to oppose them, will be Hand's Hazlet's: the five Virginia Regiments, (and Smallwood's) [from Maryland - Editor] the latter greatly reduced by the losses sustained on Long Island &c. and sickness, nor are the rest by any means complete. In addition to these, I am told there are a few of the Militia of this State, which have been called in by Governor Livingston. I shall make such a disposition of the whole at Brunswick and at the intermediate Posts, as shall seem most likely to guard against the designs of the Enemy and to prevent them making an Irruption or foraging with detached Parties.

By a letter from the Paymaster General of the 17th he says there will be a necessity that large and early remittances should be made him. The demands, when the Troops now in service are dismissed, will be extremely great, besides the bounty to recruits requires a large supply and he adds, that the Commissary Genl. has informed him, that between this and the last of December he shall have occasion for a Million of Dollars.