Philadelphia, Monday, 1 September, 1777.
We have now run through the summer, and although the weather is still
warm, the fiercest of the heat is over. And although the extreme
intemperance of the late season has weakened and exhausted me much, yet
I think, upon the whole, I have got through it as well as upon any
former occasion.
A letter from General Washington, dated Saturday, informs that our light
parties have brought in four-and-twenty prisoners more. So that the
prisoners and deserters since Mr. Howe landed are near a hundred. The
question now is, whether there will be a general engagement. In the
first place, I think after all that has passed, it is not good policy
for us to attack them, unless we can get a favorable advantage of them
in the situation of the ground, or an opportunity to attack a detachment
of their army with superior numbers. It would be imprudent, perhaps, for
us with our whole force to attack them with all theirs.
But another question arises, whether Mr. Howe will not be able to compel
us to a general engagement. Perhaps he may; but I make a question of it.
Washington will manoeuvre it with him a good deal to avoid it. A
general engagement, in which Howe should be defeated, would be ruin to
him. If we should be defeated, his army would be crippled, and perhaps
we might suddenly reinforce our army, which he could not. However, all
that he could gain by a victory would be the possession of this town,
which would be the worst situation he could be in, because it would
employ his whole force by sea and land to keep it and the command of the
river.
Their principal dependence is not upon their arms, I believe, so much as
upon the failure of our revenue. They think they have taken such
measures, by circulating counterfeit bills, to depreciate the currency,
that it cannot hold its credit longer than this campaign. But they are
mistaken.
We, however, must disappoint them by renouncing all luxuries, and by a
severe economy. General Washington sets a fine example. He has banished
wine from his table, and entertains his friends with rum and water. This
is much to the honor of his wisdom, his policy, and his patriotism. And
the example must be followed by banishing sugar and all imported
articles from our families. If necessity should reduce us to a
simplicity of dress and diet becoming republicans, it would be a happy
and glorious necessity.
Yours, yours, yours.