PAGE Itinerary of General Washington from June 15, 1775, to December 23, 1783. By William S. Baker. (Continued.). 335 A Sketch of William Biddle and Thomas Biddle. By John Clement 364 The Registers of the Ephrata Community. By Julius F. Sachse. (Concluded.) 387 Memoir of Israel Daniel Rupp, the Historian. By Professor : 403 List of the Taxables of Chestnut, Middle, and South Wards, 414 Extracts from the Letter-Book of Samuel Rhoads, Jr., of Phila delphia. By Henry D. Biddle. 421 Records of Christ Church, Philadelphia. Baptisms, 1709-1760. Extracts from the Report of the Finance Committee to the Council 455 Index 457 The Trustees of the Publication Fund desire it to be understood that they are not answerable for the opinions or observations that may be expressed in articles under the names or initials of the contributors. BOUND VOLUMES OF THE MAGAZINE. Copies of all the volumes of this MAGAZINE can be obtained at the Hall of the Historical Society, bound by Messrs. Pawson and Nicholson, in the very best manner, in the style known as Roxburgh, half cloth, uncut edges, gilt top, for $3.75 each and the postage. They will be furnished to subscribers in exchange for unbound numbers, in good condition, on the receipt of 75 cents per volume and the postage. Address F. D. STONE, 1300 Locust St. PRINTED BY J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY. HAPVA D COLLEGE LIBRARY ITINERARY OF GENERAL WASHINGTON FROM JUNE 15, 1775, TO DECEMBER 23, 1783. BY WILLIAM S. BAKER. (Continued from page 280.) 1778. THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 1778. At Head-quarters, Valley Forge: "The enemy returned into Philadelphia on Sunday last, having made a considerable hay forage, which appeared to be their only intention. As they kept themselves in close order, and in just such a position that no attack could be made upon them to advantage, I could do no more than extend light parties along their front, and keep them from plundering the inhabitants and carrying off cattle and horses; which had the desired effect."- Washington to the President of Congress. SATURDAY, JANUARY 3. At Head-quarters, Valley Forge: "Our army are tenting themselves; they are almost worn out with fatigue, and greatly distressed for want of clothing, particularly the VOL. XIV.-22 (335) article of shoes and stockings. The present mode of clothing the army will always leave us without a sufficient supply. The change in the Commissary department has been a very distressing circumstance; the army has been fed from hand to mouth ever since Mr. Trumbull left it. Our operations have been greatly retarded from the situation of the Commissary department. The Quartermaster-General's department also has been in a most wretched condition. General Mifflin, who ought to have been at the head of the business, has never been with the army since it came into the State." -General Greene to Jacob Greene. Although the necessities of the army demanded a speedy change in the quartermaster's department, it was not until the 2d of March that General Greene was chosen to be the head of it. John Cox, a well-known merchant of Philadelphia, and Charles Pettit, a lawyer of New Jersey, secretary to Governor Livingston at the time, were appointed assistants. The muchneeded change in the commissary department, however, did not take place until later. On the 9th of April Congress elected Jeremiah Wadsworth, of Connecticut, commissary-general, and five days later adopted a plan for the management of the department, more liberal than the original one, which had induced the first commissary-general, Colonel Joseph Trumbull, to quit the department, and in its operation had nearly destroyed the army. The good effect growing out of the appointment of General Greene and Colonel Wadsworth is particularly mentioned by Washington in a letter to the President of Congress, dated August 3, 1778. MONDAY, JANUARY 5. At Head-quarters, Valley Forge: "The letter you allude to, from the Committee of Congress and Board of War, came to hand on Saturday morning; but it does not mention the regulations adopted for removing the difficulties and failures in the commissary line. I trust they will be vigorous, or the army cannot exist. It will never answer to procure supplies of clothing or provision by coercive measures. . . . I shall endeavour, as far as possible, to carry the intention of Congress into execution, respecting the extra pay, and to prevent any from receiving it, who do not come under their description."- Washington to the President of Congress. As soon as it was determined that the army would go into winterquarters at Valley Forge, Congress directed General Washington to inform the officers and soldiers that, in consequence of "their soldierly patience, fidelity and zeal in the cause of their country," one month's extraordinary pay would be given to each.-Journal of Congress, December 30, 1777. THURSDAY, JANUARY 15. At Head-quarters, Valley Forge: "About the 15th of January, we had our huts nearly completed, and the men in comfortable quarters."-Diary of Joseph Clark, Proceedings New Jersey Hist. Soc., VII. 103. TUESDAY, JANUARY 20. At Head-quarters, Valley Forge: "We have taken a post on the west side of the Schuylkill, about twenty miles from the city [Philadelphia], and with much pains and industry have got the troops tolerably well covered in huts."- Washington to General Arnold. TUESDAY, JANUARY 27. At Head-quarters, Valley Forge: "I am much obliged by your polite request of my opinion and advice on the expedition to Canada and other occasions. In the present instance, as I neither know the extent of the objects in view, nor the means to be employed to effect them, it is not in my power to pass any judgment upon the subject. I can only sincerely wish, that success may attend it, both as it may advance the public good, and on account of the personal honor of the Marquis de Lafayette, for whom I have a very particular esteem and regard."— Washington to General Gates. On January 22 Congress adopted a resolution that "an irruption be made into Canada, and that the Board of War be authorized to take every necessary measure for the execution of the business, under such general officers as Congress shall appoint." The following day the Marquis de Lafayette, Major-General Conway, and Brigadier-General Stark were elected to conduct the irruption. This proposition, which emanated from the Board of War, of which General Gates was president, was without the knowledge of the commander-in-chief, the appointment of Lafayette being made for the purpose of detaching him from Washington. In this, however, the conspirators were disappointed, and finding they could not use the marquis, the expedition was abandoned. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28. At Head-quarters, Valley Forge: "The disagreeable picture, I have given you, of the wants and sufferings of the army, and the discontents reigning among the officers, is a just representation of evils equally melancholy and important; and unless effectual remedies be applied without loss of time, the most alarming and ruinous consequences are to be apprehended."- Washington to a Committee of Congress. The above is the concluding paragraph of a lengthy paper (fifty folio pages) drawn up by the commander-in-chief for the use of a committee of Congress, then in camp for the purpose of consulting with him, in order to mature a new system of arrangements for the administration of the army. Committee: Francis Dana, Joseph Reed, Nathaniel Folsom, Charles Carroll, and Gouverneur Morris. The paper or memoir, prepared from information communicated by the general officers, exhibits in detail the existing state of the army, the deficiencies and disorders, with their causes, and suggests such changes and improvements as were thought essential. This formed the basis of the plan adopted by the committee, who, after remaining in camp nearly three months, returned to Congress. The report, containing the result of their proceedings and the new scheme of the army, was approved. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 15. At Head-quarters, Valley Forge: "Lord Cornwallis has certainly embarked for England, but with what view is not so easy to determine. He was eyewitness a few days before his departure to a scene, not a little disgraceful to the pride of British valor, in their manœuvre to Chestnut Hill, and precipitate return, after boasting their intentions of driving us beyond the mountains."- Washington to Richard Henry Lee. Lord Cornwallis sailed from Philadelphia for England, December 19, on private business, but returned June 6, and took part in the battle of Monmouth Court-House, June 28. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16. At Head-quarters, Valley Forge: "For some days past, there has been little less than a famine in the camp. A part of the army has been a week without any kind of flesh, and the rest three or four days. Naked and starving as they |