LAURENS TO HAMILTON.
Philadelphia, December 12, 1779.
My Dear Hamilton:
Upon my arrival here yesterday evening, I communicated the intelligence received from General Wayne, to the President of Congress and the French minister. The latter surprised me greatly, by informing me, that only one 74 gun ship of the Count De Grasse’s division, and the Fier Rodrigue, had arrived at Chesapeake. I am at a loss how to account for the absence of the rest. They have not been within the reach of a superior enemy’s force: no storm has happened, within our knowledge, to drive them to any considerable distance from the coast. It cannot rationally be supposed that the Count has received countermanding orders, and that a capital ship of the line, together with a very valuable warlike merchantman, is to be sacrificed. Be the case as it may, all hopes of passing our reinforcement for the southern department, by sea, are out of the question. The North Carolina Brigade, after profiting by the navigation of the Delaware as far as it would serve them, marched to the head ofElk. Thence they proceed, by water, across the Chesapeake, and up to Petersburgh, where they are to be overtaken by their wagons, and pursue the rest of their way by the middle road to Charleston. This is the route marked by the Board of War, and a Committee of Congress appointed to confer with them; and I believe it was recommended by Doctor Burke, one of the North Carolina delegates lately from that country. It is intended that the Virginians should pursue the same as far as Petersburgh, where they are to take an upper road. In this route we do not avail ourselves of Albemarle Sound. The going up the river to Petersburgh will certainly be tedious; and four hundred miles land march is to be executed from thence. I communicated these objections to Mr. Matthews, and proposed the route which the General pointed out; but the poverty of the country in provision, and the means of transporting the baggage of the troops, he said, would outweigh the advantages of the water carriage and direct road. I am by no means satisfied with the present arrangement, when I reflect how much more rapidly the British may convey their reinforcements: but all the inquiries I have made hitherto, have produced nothing favorable to our plan. Indeed, in the present unguarded state of the Chesapeake, the British might render the passage even of that ineligible.
Mr. Serle, a member of Congress, who arrived in town last night from the neighborhood of Major Leigh’s post, asserts, that no transports were at the Hook on Wednesday. Whether the British operations are delayed by false rumors of Count De Grasse’s division; or whether they have heard, as we have here, that Count D’Estaing was still on the coast the twentieth of November, I cannot decide: but one would be inclined to think, that they are disconcerted, either by false intelligence, or a total defect of it. I entreat you, my dear friend, to transmit me the earliest and most accurate relation that can be obtained, of the British movements; and enlighten me with your observations upon them. Present my respects and love to our excellent General and the family. May you enjoy all the pleasure, moral and physical, which you promise yourself in winter quarters, and be as happy as you deserve.
Tell the Doctor I shall commit his darling to the press this morning.
Yours, ever,John Laurens.
Yours, ever,John Laurens.
Yours, ever,John Laurens.
Colonel Hamilton.