23

"I have no doubt . . . but that a storm will burst soon"

George Washington.

Letter anticipating the coming British campaign against Philadelphia.

Morristown, NJ, 19 January 1777
Autograph Letter Signed, "G:Washington," as Commander in Chief, to Robert Morris, with postscript in the hand of Tench Tilghman. 2 pages, 12½ x 8 inches, plus detached blank leaf docketed in the hand of Robert Morris: "Morris Town 19 Jan'y 1777, Gen'l Washington"; silked on first and fourth pages, partial separations at horizontal folds, remnants of hinging at upper edge of second page. In a repurposed but attractive gilt morocco folding case.

  • Notes: Washington wrote this letter just a few weeks after his Christmas 1776 crossing of the Delaware River and his victories at Trenton and Princeton. The Continental Army was encamped at winter quarters in Morristown. Knowing that Philadelphia would soon come under attack, he moved to establish a new military supply base far removed from Philadelphia. Here he writes to financier Robert Morris, the wealthiest man in America and also a delegate to Continental Congress. 

    Washington starts with a sense that a storm would burst soon, contingent on the results of the diversionary expedition of General William Heath toward New York: 

    "Your favour of the 14th, with the dispatches from Congress came safe to hand, & those for the eastward forwarded on. I am thankful to you for the information of Capt'n Bell. Intelligence of the same nature had come to me before, & I have no doubt (if the diversion intended to be made by Gen'l Heath towards New York, does not withdraw from the Jerseys, or detain part of the troops said to [be] remanded from Rhode Island) but that a storm will burst soon, some where. How well we are prepared for it, my letter to Congress, inclosed, will inform you."

    He expects an attack soon from General William Howe's army, which was indeed planning its Philadelphia campaign at that time: 

    "I do immagine that the aim will be at this army. Our numbers will be estimated larger than they really are. Gen'l Howe will not therefore, I should think, move forward, & leave us in his rear, but clear I am in my own judgment that he will endeavour to disperse this army, or move on to Philadelphia, unless his force is much less than we immagine or he greatly misconceives ours, neither of which do I believe."

    Next he urges that all military stores should be removed from Philadelphia before its possible occupation, and that Colonel Benjamin Flower move quickly to establish his ammunition laboratory further west.  

     "For this reason I again beg leave to give it as my opinion, that no part of the public stores that can be dispens'd with should remain in Philadelphia; and to request you, to urge Colonel Flowers not to continue the operations of his department a moment longer than he can avoid in that place, as it is only intended, not to be idle, while he is preparing his elabatory &c'a at York, or Carlyle."

    A short postscript and the name of the addressee are written in the hand of Washington's aide-de-camp, Tench Tilghman: "Please to find me a pound or two of good sealing wax / if to be procured. Rob't Morris Esq'r."

    Published in Fitzpatrick, "Writings of George Washington," page VII:32.
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