Philadelphia, Saturday, 30 August, 1777.
A letter from General Washington was received last night by the
President, which I read. It is dated the 29th, yesterday.
The enemy are in possession of the Head of Elk, a little town at the
head of the river Elk, in which they found a quantity of corn and oats
belonging to the States. Wagons were so universally taken up in
conveying away the valuable effects of the inhabitants, that none could
be procured to transport this grain. Part of their army has advanced to
Gray's Hill, about two miles from the Head of Elk, but whether to take
post there, or only to cover while they remove their plunder from the
Head of Elk, is uncertain.
Our army is at Wilmington. We have many officers out reconnoitering the
country and the enemy. Our scouting parties have taken between thirty
and forty prisoners, and twelve deserters are come in from the fleet and
eight from the army. They say the men are generally healthy, but their
horses have suffered much from the voyage. These prisoners and deserters
are unable to give any other intelligence. The enemy give out that they
are eighteen thousand strong. But these are like Burgoyne's "make
believes" and "insinuations." We know better, and that they have not ten
thousand. The militia from four States are joining General Washington in
large numbers. The plan of their military operations this campaign is
well calculated for our advantage. I hope we shall have heads and hearts
to improve it.
For my own part I feel a secret wish that they might get into this city,
because I think it more for our interest that they should be cooped up
here than that they should run away again to New York. But according to
present appearances they will not be able to get here. By going into the
Chesapeake Bay they have betrayed a dread of the fire-works in the river
Delaware, which indeed are formidable. They must make the most of their
time, for they cannot rationally depend upon so fine a season late in
the fall and early in winter as they had the last year. September,
October, and November are all that remain.
We expect, hourly, advices from Gates and Arnold. We have rumors of an
expedition to Long Island under Parsons, and another to Staten Island
under Sullivan, but no regular accounts. I suppose it certain that such
expeditions have been made, but know not the success.