was heard from below [on the Delaware] and continued till afternoon; from the top of Chew's house in German Town to which place the General [Washington] took a ride this morning, we could discover nothing more than thick clouds of smoak, and the masts of two vessels, the weather being very hazy."-John Laurens to Henry Laurens.

" November 7.—The cannonading heard day before yesterday was between the Somerset 64 Gun Ship, the Roebuck and some other vessel on the one part, and our row-gallies seconded by a two gun battery on the other.”— John Laurens to Henry Laurens.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7.

At Whitemarsh: Orderly Book." Since the General left Germantown [Schuylkill Falls] in the middle of September last, he has been without his baggage, and on that account is unable to receive company in the manner he could wish. He nevertheless desires the Generals, Field Officers and Brigade-Major of the day, to dine with him in the future, at three o'clock in the afternoon."

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 9.

At Whitemarsh: "A letter, which I received last night [from Lord Stirling], contained the following paragraph. 'In a letter from General Conway to General Gates he says, "Heaven has been determined to save your country or a weak General and bad counsellors would have ruined it."""-Washington to General Conway.

This brief note is the earliest public record bearing on the subject of the conspiracy to displace Washington from the command of the army, known as the Conway Cabal. The particulars respecting this cabal will be found fully set forth by Sparks, v. 483.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13.

At Whitemarsh: "The army which I have had under my immediate command, has not, at any one time since General Howe's landing at the Head of Elk, been equal in point of numbers to his... How different the case in the northern

department! There the States of New York and New England, resolving to crush Burgoyne, continued pouring in their troops, till the surrender of that army; at which time not less than fourteen thousand militia, as I have been informed, were actually in General Gates' camp, and those composed, for the most part, of the best yeomanry in the country, well armed, and in many instances supplied with provisions of their own carrying."— Washington to Patrick Henry.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17.

At Whitemarsh: "I am sorry to inform you that Fort Mifflin [on the Delaware] was evacuated the night before last, after a defence which does credit to the American arms, and will ever reflect the highest honor upon the officers and men of the garrison."— Washington to the President of Congress.

As the Pennsylvania fleet under Commodore Hazlewood could be of no further use after the evacuation of Fort Mifflin, it was decided to send the vessels up the Delaware to Burlington, New Jersey. The attempt was made on the night of November 19, and thirteen galleys and twelve armed boats succeeded in getting past the batteries at the city. The following night, one sloop, some ammunition-craft, and others with cannon, made their way up. Ten other vessels, unable to escape, were set on fire at Gloucester Point, and abandoned.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22.

At Whitemarsh: Orderly Book.-"The Commander-inChief offers a reward of ten dollars to any person, who shall by nine o'clock on Monday morning produce the best substitute for shoes, made of raw hides."

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23.

At Whitemarsh: "I am sorry to inform Congress, that the enemy are now in possession of all the water defences [on the Delaware]. . . . The garrison [of Fort Mercer, at Red Bank] was obliged to evacuate it on the night of the 20th instant, on the approach of Lord Cornwallis, who had

crossed the river from Chester with a detachment, supposed to be about two thousand men, and formed a junction with the troops lately arrived from New York, and those that had been landed before at Billingsport."- Washington to the President of Congress.

The loss of Forts Mifflin and Mercer ended the defence of the Delaware. The obstructions in the river were removed, and the enemy had full possession of Philadelphia.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24.

At Whitemarsh: A council of war held to consider the expediency of an attack on the enemy's lines at Philadelphia.

The Council adjourned without coming to a decision, and the Commanderin-Chief, despatching a special messenger to General Greene, then at Mount Holly, New Jersey, required of the other officers their written opinions. On comparing them, eleven were found against making the attack, and four only, Stirling, Wayne, Scott, and Woodford, in its favor.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25.

At Whitemarsh: "Col° Meade delivered me Yours this Morning as I was on my way to reconnoitre the Enemy's Lines from the West side of Schuylkill. I had a full view of their left and found their works much stronger than I had reason to expect from the Accounts I had received."— Washington to General Greene.

"Our Commander-in-chief wishing ardently to gratify the public expectation by making an attack upon the enemy-yet preferring at the same time a loss of popularity to engaging in an enterprise which he could not justify · to his own conscience and the more respectable part of his constituents, went yesterday [November 25] to view the works. A clear sunshine favoured our observations: we saw redoubts of a very respectable profit, faced with plank, formidably fraised, and the intervals between them closed with an abattis unusually strong. General du Portail declared that in such works with five thousand men he would bid defiance to any force that should be brought against him."-John Laurens to Henry Laurens, November 26.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30.

At Whitemarsh: A council of war held to consider a proper place for winter-quarters. No decision being arrived at by the board, Washington finally determined to establish

a fortified encampment at Valley Forge, on the west side of the Schuylkill River.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2.

At Whitemarsh : "General Howe has withdrawn himself close within his lines, which extend from the Upper Ferry upon the Schuylkill [Callowhill Street] to Kensington upon the Delaware; they consist of a chain of strong redoubts. connected by abatis. We have reconnoitred them well, but find it impossible to attack them while defended by a force fully equal to our own in Continental troops."- Washington to General Gates.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10.

At Whitemarsh: "In the course of last week, from a variety of intelligence, I had reason to expect that General Howe was preparing to give us a general action. Accordingly, on Thursday night [December 4] he moved from the city with all his force, except a very inconsiderable part left in his lines and redoubts, and appeared the next morning on Chestnut Hill, in front of, and about three miles distant from, our right wing. As soon as their position was discovered, the Pennsylvania militia were ordered from our right, to skirmish with their light advanced parties; and I am sorry to mention, that Brigadier-General Irvine, who led them on, had the misfortune to be wounded and to be made prisoner. Nothing more occurred on that day. On Friday night [December 5] the enemy changed their ground, and moved to our left, within a mile of our line, where they remained quiet and advantageously posted the whole of next day. On Sunday [December 7] they inclined still further to our left; and, from every appearance, there was reason to apprehend they were determined on an action."- Washington to the President of Congress.

In the movement of Sunday, the 7th, the enemy's advanced and flanking parties were warmly attacked by Colonel Morgan and his corps, and also by

the Maryland militia under Colonel Gist, but about sunset, after various marches and countermarches, they halted for the night. Howe was afraid to assail Washington, and on the afternoon of Monday, the 8th, he changed front, and by two or three routes marched his army back to Philadelphia.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11.

Leaves Whitemarsh: "December 11th.-At four o'clock the Whole Army were Order'd to March to Sweeds Ford [Norristown], on the River Schuylkill, about 9 miles N.W. of Chestnut Hill, and 6 from White Marsh our present Encampment. At sun an hour high the whole were mov'd from the Lines and on their march with baggage. This Night encamped in a Semi Circle nigh the Ford."-Diary of Albigence Waldo, "Historical Magazine," v. 129.

"December 12th.-A Bridge of Waggons made across the Schuylkill last night consisting of 36 waggons, with a bridge of Rails between each. Sun Set. We are order'd to march over the River. The army were 'till Sun Rise crossing the River-some at the Waggon Bridge, & some at the Raft Bridge below. Cold & Uncomfortable."-Diary of Albigence Waldo.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12.

At Swede's Ford: Orderly Book." The Commander-inChief, with great pleasure, expresses his approbation of the behavior of the Pennsylvania Militia yesterday, under General Potter, on the vigorous opposition they made to a body of the enemy on the other side of the Schuylkill.”

"On Thursday morning we marched from our old encampment, and intended to pass the Schuylkill at Madison's [Matson's] Ford, where a bridge had been laid across the river. When the first division and a part of the second had passed, they found a body of the enemy, consisting from the best accounts we have been able to obtain, of four thousand men, under Lord Cornwallis, possessing themselves of the heights on both sides of the road leading from the river and the defile called the Gulf. This unexpected event obliged such of our troops, as had crossed, to repass, and prevented our getting over till the succeeding night. . . They were met in their advance by General Potter, with part of the Pennsylvania militia, who be haved with bravery and gave them every possible opposition, till he was obliged to retreat from their superior numbers."— Washington to the President of Congress, December 14.

In consequence of this movement of the British, who were on a foraging