Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1876-02-11
Al Unpublished Letter OF Gen. Wash.
ington.


The Poughkeepsie on. " Eagle says
Col. William H. Tallmadge, of that city,
has letter written by Gen. Washing
his room. 1t has never before been given
to the public. 1t reads as follows:
CoRYELL's FERRY, 3Oth July, 17T7.
SIR: / have desired Gen. Gates to give
you immediate information of the arrival of
the enemys fleets on the Delaware, upon
which you are to move down to Philad.;
with all the troops at Trenton. My former
directions were to wait order of march from
me, but you are now to attend to those
of General Gates. Be pleased to communi-
cate this to the officers commanding the diff
ferent corps and desire them always to hold
themselves in readiness to move at moments
warning.
P. S.-When you begin your march send
one of your aids forward to Gen. Gates
to know to what post you are to march. l
am, sir, your most obedient servant,
G. WASHINGTON.
Benson j. Losing, the historian, writes
in relation to it as follows:
my Dear Sir: 81 thank you for the
copy of Washington's letter Coryell's
Ferry was on the Delaware, above Tren-
ton
cit was indeed critical time in the
history Of the war. Washington's head
quarters were at Ramapo, in Rockland
County, Burgoyne was making his way
toward the upper Hudson, and was already
supposed that the army under Gen.
Howe would be borne up the Hudson
River by the feet of Admiral Howe, to
meet Burgoyne, and so holding possession
of the Hudson Valley, upper and lower,
separate New England from the
rest of the colonies. Washington
had been watching the British at
New York for some time, until at
length their fleet and army sailed out of
the bay, when he suspected (what hap
pened) that instead of going up the Hud.
son they were going to attack Philadel-
phia. He was at Coryells Ferry for a
day or two, while trying to gain informa-
ton of their real destination. He sus-
pected they would enter Delaware River
and move Immediately upon Philadelphia.
They went further. They went to Chesa-
peake Bay, sailed up to its head at Elk
ton, where the troops landed and attempt
ed TO take Philadelphia the seat of the
Continental Government in the rear.
Washington, apprised of the movements,
moved his army from the vicinity Of the
Hudson into Pennsylvania, and on the
18th of September fought the battle of the
Brandywine, in which he was defeated.
cat the time this letter was written
Gen. Gates was in Philadelphia, angry
and sullen because Gen. Schuyler had
been reinstated in the command of the
Northern army; and already, no doubt,
contemplating the conspiracy for the over
throw of Washington which he Gates
planned and entered into at the close of
that year.
AS soon as Washington knew that the
British fleet and army had gone out upon
the ocean, he moved his own army to the
Delaware River. They were stationed
in divisions at the time he wrote the letter
in your possession, at three ferries, ready
to pass over into Pennsylvania at mo-
ment's warning These ferries were Cor
yell's, Trenton and Howells. There he
halted until the destination of the British
forces was certainly known. At the same
time he left division of the army to pro-
tect the posts in the Highlands of the
Hudson, in case the British should sud-
penly return and ascend that river"