Road to the Sorrel Horse, thirteen miles from the City, and there rested yesterday. December 13th. ** Some people pretended to have heard a firing of cannon this morning. *** This is a strange age and place, in which I now dwell, because nothing can be had cheap but lies, falsehood, and slanderous accusation. Love and Charity, the badge of Christianity, is not so much as named amongst them. ** 14th. ** Near twelve, came to pay me a visit the French Engineer, Baraset De Kermorvan, who came by my son Christopher's from camp, and is going to York Town. He brought me a letter from him of the twelfth instant, that gave us an agreeable account that all their family were in good health, but to counterbalance, mentioned that they had met with fearful alarms since the enemy left town, it's said with their whole army, in order to attack Washington's army at Chestnut Hill, but are now returned to town, finding his army too strong in that situation to engage him. This, Howe was informed of by a deserter from Col. Proctor's Regiment of Artillery; that they had taken in with them some cattle, and it's reported, a quantity of forage, although our people pursued them; and, by a person since come out of town, who says that twenty-five wagons, with killed and wounded, were brought in. ** 15th. ** Upon the rumour yesterday of Gen. Howe's army's being on the Lancaster Road, it's said that the papers and records belonging to the Executive Council were packed up and sent by wagons to York Town; it's said that the English army is returned into Philadelphia and that our army is on this side of [the] Schuylkill. Our Assembly continues sitting here. It's said that a spirited letter is penned by them to send to Congress to morrow, respecting the report of our troops' going into winter quarters, as the enemy are attempting to, and does, ravage the country for a number of miles' extent around Philada. December 16th. ** The circumstances of affairs of [a] public nature make a very gloomy appearance. Our City, with its virtuous inhabitants that could not escape, in the hands of cruel taskmasters; the country around ravaged, stripped and destroyed, with houses, barns, &c., burnt and levelled with the ground by the same band of banditti worse than savages; no priests nor prophets, but such as are delineated by Jeremiah in his Lamentations. The thoughts of these things, and having my children with their lovely offspring in the very jaws of these enemies, afflict me sorely, break my peace and disturb my rest, but here I must stop, because the Lord is good and does not afflict willingly. The cause is of our side; we have grossly offended; yet spare us, O Lord my God! Spare thy people and bless thine inheritance, for Jesus Christ's sake. ** 20th. ** Also came James Davidson, who brought me from Gen. Roberdeau the Continental Bills of Exchange for what he took from me of said specie, being defaced with the damp. ** 21st. ** No news of any moment to be depended upon, except General orders from head quarters, encouraging the army to build huts and to content themselves where they are now. ** 22nd. ** In [the] afternoon, returned the three men and two wagons from York Town, as went last. They called to get some sustenance, as they could get none on the road from York Town till here. After refreshing themselves, they set out for home just at dusk. * * December 25th. ** Yesterday came to this town from York, Gen. Conway, on his way down to head quar. ters, and also to propose two Brigadier Generals in the room of Gen. Potter [and] Gen. Armstrong, who propose to go from the army unto their own homes. No company dined with us to day, except Dr. Phyle, one of our standing family. We had a good roast turkey, plain pudding, and minced pies. ** 26th. ** This evening Col. Proctor called, drank tea, stayed some time, giving a relation of the sufferings of the back inhabitants, through the inroads now mak. ing by the Indians and the soldiery from Fort Detroit. 27th. ** I spent the evening at home examining part of [the] History of Ephrata, brought me by Peter Miller for my inspection and correction. There appears to be no kind of news to be depended upon, but as for lies, this place is really pregnant and brings forth abundance daily, I might safely say, hourly. Caleb Johnston, that was sent to prison for aiding and assisting [James] Brooks to get out of our prison, as it's said, is just released from confinement. ** 28th. ** Our affairs wear a very gloomy aspect. Great part of our army gone into winter quarters; those in camp wanting breeches, shoes, stockings, [and] blankets, and by accounts brought yesterday, were in want of flour, yet being in the land of plenty; our farmers having their barns and barracks full of grain; hundreds of barrels of flour lying on the banks of the Susquehannah perishing for want of care in securing it from the weather, and from the danger of being carried away, if a freshet should happen in the river; fifty wagon loads of cloths and ready made clothes for the soldiery in the Clothier General's store in Lancaster; (this I say from the demand made by John Mease to the President a few days past, when the enemy was expected to be coming this way, for this number of wagons to take away these stores,) our enemies revelling in balls, attended with every degree of luxury and excess in the City; rioting and wantonly using our houses, utensils and furniture; all this [and] a numberless number of other abuses we endure from that handful of banditti, to the amount of six or seven thousand men, headed by that monster of rapine, Gen. Howe. Add to this their frequent excursions round about for twenty miles together, destroying and burning what they please, pillaging, plundering men and women, stealing boys above ten years old, deflowering virgins, driving into the City for their use, droves of cattle, sheep [and] hogs; poultry, butter, meal, meat, cider, furniture and clothing of all kinds, loaded upon our own horses. All this is done in the view of our Generals and our army, who are careless of us, but carefully consulting where they shall go to spend the winter in jollity, gaming and carousing. O tell not this in France or Spain! Publish it not in the streets of London, Liverpool or Bristol, lest the uncircumcised there should rejoice, and shouting for joy, say "America is ours, for the rebels are dismayed and afraid to fight us any longer! O Americans, where is now your virtue? O Washington, where is your courage?" *** News to-day is that Col. Bull, on the twenty-fifth instant, made an excursion into Fourth street in Philadel. phia, with two thousand militia [and] alarmed the City by firing off some pieces of cannon into the air, whereby some of the balls fell about Christ Church. He then made a good retreat back to his station, without the loss of one man. It's further said that it alarmed Gen. Howe, who was then at Q 174 MARSHALL'S REMEMBRANcer. [1777. Darby, so that he and his army posted immediately with all speed back to the City. It's further added that Gen. Howe has ordered all the fire buckets that can be found in the City to be put aboard his fleet. ** December 29th. ** It's said that Gen. Sullivan, on the retreat of Gen. Howe's army on Christmas Day from Darby, on the alarm given by Cols. Bull, Antis and (in three divisions, instead of one under Col. Bull as above, but all militia,) took thirteen provision wagons loaded from the enemy. *** Visited in the evening by Dr. Yeardwell, who told me they had made a hospital at Ephrata, in which were near two hundred and forty-seven sick and wounded 31st. ** Visited by Jedediah Snowden and Benja. Harbeson, for me to sign a petition they were carrying about, for the purpose of requesting the Assembly to call out the whole force of this State, immediately, while there is a prospect of this severe cold weather's lasting, in order to attack Gen. Howe in and out of our City, and thereby entirely ruin his army, and rid the Colonies of such cruel monsters. I then went to writing or, more properly, correcting the Annals of Ephrata, and so continued till bed time, near eleven o'clock. ** |