The Revolutionary Struggle to the Battle of Brandywine

forded or passed by bridges. Where there are Swamps near the river, or roads, not'g particularly their kinds & size nearly. Passes of difficulty to an army to be accurately surveyed and well described."

Nathan Sellers was directed to make the survey from the Schuylkill River to Christiana Creek, which included all the territory now Delaware County, in which duty he was enjoined to use secrecy and dispatch.

When the news of the arrival of the British fleet at the cape of the Delaware was received, Council prepared to meet the threatening attack, and as many of the militia were without guns, it was ordered that those persons who had not taken the oath of allegiance to the colonies should immediately be disarmed, "and their arms made use of by those who are willing to risk their lives to defend their liberties and property."¹ On August 1st the justices of Cheater County returned the names of a number of citizens in the county who were, in their opinion, proper persons to take an account of the grain and other stores within twenty miles distant westward from the river Delaware, and also persons to provide for the poor who might be compelled to leave Philadelphia in the event of an attack on that city by the British forces. The major part, if not all, of the persons thus suggested resided without the present county of Delaware.

Washington was at this time in Philadelphia, and on August 1st, in company with Lafayette, - whom the commander-in-chief had met for the first time the day previous at a dinner-party, - he inspected the fortifications on the Delaware River,² and proceeded as far as Chester, from which place Washington, on the date just mentioned, addressed a letter to Gen. Putnam.³

² Sparks' "Correspondence of Washington," vol. v. p. 2.

On Aug. 14, 1777, Col. Galbraith wrote from Lancaster that he had dispatched nearly one thousand militia on foot for the camp at Chester, but they had neither arms, accoutrements, camp-kettles, etc., - nothing except blankets.⁴ Two days subsequently, John Evans, member of Council, wrote from Chester that about one thousand militia was assembled at that place from Berks County, part of two classes; from Cumberland one company, and part of two companies from Lancaster; the Chester County class "was about half completed, and when completed" would have arms sufficient for their own use, but several companies from other counties must be supplied. The quartermaster report, he says, "that it will be difficult to find shelter for any more troops at this place, all the empty houses being now occupied.⁵ The next day, Col. Jacob Morgan wrote from Reading that the greater part of the twelve companies from Berks County - two battalions under Cols. Daniel Hunter and Daniel Udree, comprising six hundred and fifty-six men - had marched for Chester, and by that time were doubtless at that place.⁶ On the 18th, Col. Benjamin Galbraith notified Council that the third class of Lancaster County had marched to Cheater, and requested that commissions for the officers of the three classes of militia from that county be sent there.⁷

⁷ Ib., p. 532.

In the mean while no further intelligence being received of the movements of the British fleet, the opinion became general that one of the Southern seaports was the point of destination, and as the expense of massing the militia bore heavily on the indigent commonwealth, on Aug. 20, 1777, Council called the attention of the Pennsylvania delegation in Congress to the fact that the militia called into service had encamped at Chester, and were still reporting there; that as it was the season for sowing winter wheat, on which the country largely depended, it would be a relief to industrious people if public affairs would permit the discharge of part of the militia at Chester, "particularly as they were deficient in arms and blankets and wholly unprovided with tents."⁸

The following day a dispatch was received in Philadelphia, stating that on the night of the 14th instant the British fleet had been seen standing in between the Capes of Chesapeake Bay. Washington, who was restless in his encampment on the Neshaminy, had that very day apprised Congress that be would move his army to the Delaware the next morning, proposing to march thence to the Hudson River, which proposition on his part, notwithstanding the reported news from the fleet, was approved by Congress. The commander-in-chief, however, determined to halt until further intelligence was received, which came the next day confirmatory of the enemy's presence in Chesapeake Bay. Washington at once ordered Gen. Nash, then at Trenton, N. J., to embark his brigade and Col. Proctor's corps of artillery, if vessels could be procured for the purpose, and proceed to Chester; or, if vessels could not be had, to hasten towards that place by land with all possible speed.⁹ On the 23d the Continental army broke camp and moved for Philadelphia, through which city it passed early the next day, August 24th (Sunday), marching down Front Street to Chestnut, and up Chestnut to the Middle Ferry, Washington himself riding at the head of the column and Lafayette at his side. That evening the army encamped in and about Chester, and the next evening (the 25th) they reached Wilmington.¹⁰ On the

¹⁰ "Washington's Encampment on the Neshaminy," by William J. Buck; Penna. Mag. of Hist., Vol. i. p. 284. Irving says, in speaking of the 25th of August, "The divisions of Gens. Greene and Stephen were within a few miles of Wilmington; orders were sent for them to march thither immediately. The two other divisions, which had halted at Chester to refresh, were to hurry forward." - Irving's "Life of Washington," Riverside edition, vol. iii. p.205. In Townsend Ward's most interesting "Walk to Darby" (Penna. Mag. of Hist., vol.iii. p. 262) it is said, "It was here, along the higher ground on the left bank of the Kakari Konk (Cobb's Creek), that Washington, when moving towards the field of Brandywine, was forced, by rains so heavy as to swell the stream almost beyond precedent, to remain three days inactive." Did not the incident thus described occur when the army was moving southward to meet Cornwallis in Virginia?