To George Washington from General William Howe, 12 September 1777
From General William Howe
Head Quarters Dilworth [town, Pa.] 12th Septemr 1777
Sir,
The Number of wounded Officers and Men of your Army in this Neighbourhood, to whom every possible Attention has been paid, will nevertheless require your immediate Care, as I shall not be so situated as to give them the necessary Relief. Any Surgeons you may chuse to send to their Assistance, upon Application to me, in consequence of your Orders, shall be permitted to attend them.
The Officers Paroles will be taken, and the Men considered as Prisoners of War. With due Respect I am, Sir, your most obedient humble Servant
W. Howe
LS, DLC:GW; copy, in Timothy Pickering’s writing, MHi: Pickering Papers; two copies, P.R.O., 30/55, Carleton Papers. The LS is addressed to: “General Washington &ca., &ca.”
Gen. Nathanael Greene wrote his wife Catharine on 14 Sept. from Germantown, Pa.: “General How sent in a flagg yesterday acquainting General Washington that it would be out of his power to do Justice to such of our wounded as fell into his hands. I suppose he has full employ in taking care of his own. He sent out and got all the Country Doctors for Ten miles round to assist his surgeons. From those circumstances and from several accounts of people that has seen the field of action, there must have been a terrible carnage among his troops” (, 2:162–63).