Philadelphia, Thursday, 21 August, 1777.
This morning we have heard again from the fleet. At nine o'clock at
night on the 14th instant, upwards of a hundred sail were seen standing
in between the Capes of Chesapeake Bay. They had been seen from the
eastern shore of Virginia, standing off and on, for two days before.
This method of coasting along the shore, and standing off and on, is
very curious. First, seen off Egg Harbor, then several times off the
capes of Delaware, standing in and out, then off Sinnepuxent, then off
the eastern shore of Virginia, then standing in to Chesapeake Bay. How
many men and horses will he lose in this sea ramble in the heat of
dog-days? Whether he is going to Virginia to steal tobacco, to North
Carolina to pilfer pitch and tar, or to South Carolina to plunder rice
and indigo, who can tell? He will seduce a few negroes from their
masters, let him go to which he will. But is this conquering America?
From the northward we learn that Arnold has marched with about two
thousand men to the relief of Fort Schuyler. Our people have given Sir
John Johnson, and his regulars, Tories, and Indians, a very fine
drubbing. The Indians scarcely ever had such a mauling. The devils are
so frightened that they are all run away to howl and mourn. The papers
inclosed with this will give you more particular information. Can
nothing be done at Rhode Island at this critical time? Opprobrium
Novangliae! What is become of all the Massachusetts Continental troops?
Every regiment and every man of them is at the northward under Gates,
and yet we are told they have not four thousand men fit for duty,
officers included. And there are three regiments there from New
Hampshire, too.