To George Washington from Brigadier General Anthony Wayne, 14 December 1779
From Brigadier General Anthony Wayne
Light Infantry Camp Second River [N.J.]
14th Decr 1779
Dear General
No part of the Enemies fleet had sail’d yesterday morning—nor do I think had any Considerable Embarkation taken place altho’ everything is undoubtedly ready for the purpose.1
the Inclosed written Intelligence is to be depended up[on]2—the person is again gone in & has it in his power to procure the most authentick Information.
You’l find a few very artful Insidious pieces in some of the Inclosed papers—Rivingtons of the 8th contains ⟨one⟩ or two tolerable performances in that way3 pray how are our Magazines of flower—we have now been four days without a particle—the troops are suffering extremely—will you be so Obliging as to Order us a supply of this Essential article the soonest possible—perhaps a Warrant for thrashing out some wheat in the Vicinity of this Camp may be advisable—notwithstanding Mr Rivingtons Premature & Invidious Resolve for Congress.
Capt. Pendleton complains for want of Artillery men in place of those whose times are expired—an order may be Necesary for the purpose, as he has not men to Work his Guns.4 I am your Excellency’s most Obt Hume Ser.
Anty Wayne
8. O Clock P.M. Colo. Putnam has this Moment Returned from 10 Miles S.E. of South Amboy where he was Reconnoitring the Enemy & Corroborates the enclosed Intelligence of no part of the Fleet Sailing except 12 Top sail Vessels which went out this morning.5
A.W.
ADfS, PHi: Wayne Papers.
1. For GW’s eagerness to confirm reports of a major British detachment from New York, see his letter to Samuel Huntington, 29 Nov., and n.1; see also Henry Lee, Jr., to GW, 30 Nov., n.4.
2. Wayne may have enclosed an undated intelligence report that reads: “A List of the Men of War at New York Viz. Russel of 74 Guns Capt. [Francis Samuel] Drake[;] Robust—74—Raisonable 64[;] Defyance—64—Capt. Jacobs; Europa. 64—Admiral Arbuthnot—Renown 50—Roebuck—44—Sir Andrew Hammond[;] Romulus—44—Capt. Gayton, Sir Henry [Clinton] goes with him[;] Rainbo[w]—44[;] Thames—32[;] Perseus—24—Capt. Elphingston these Ships are ready for Sea & will Sail as a Convoy in the Course of 7 Days—Upwards of Eleven thousand Men are under Orders but Not more than Eight thousand will embark—Sir Henry Commands, Lord Cornwallis Acompanies him two or three thousand of these troops will Land at Charlestown the Destination of the rest is for Virginia if Charles Town should fall Sir Henry will go home—300 Men from the Different Regmts of the New Cores are to Act as flanking Companies Capt. Furguson has the Command—the Regms. that go on the Expedition as to the best of my rememberance are the 7th 23d 33d 42d 54th 57th[,] Q[u]eens Rangers[,] the Dismounted Legion[,] Hessian grenadiers[,] some of the British Grenadiers & Light infantry” (DLC:GW).
3. James Rivington published The Royal Gazette (New York), a Loyalist newspaper. Wayne probably is referring to a lengthy item by “A LOYAL AMERICAN” printed under the heading “To the INHABITANTS of the several (revolted) British Colonies in America” in the issue for 8 December. That item criticized the American alliance with France as “dangerous” to “liberties, religion, government and country.” “A LOYAL AMERICAN” added: “Your money is gone, nor can all the combinations, regulations, or devices of Congress, States or Committees, possibly restore it—all your efforts to this end, are but mere temporary expedients—your land, instead of bringing forth its natural inc[r]ease, and equal to your wants, has yielded but a blasted crop—a general scarcity prevails throughout your country, and of course a general want must ensue.
“The wealthy farmers among you, who used formerly to live in hospitable plenty, cannot now command a peck of salt … Your army is discontented and mouldering for want of solid pay and wholesome provisions. …
“Surrounded by such natural and compl[i]cated dis[t]resses, you know, and must feel that destruction is near at hand.” The writer concluded: “Great Britain is now roused and unanimous.—She is, must, and will be, by the blessing of God on her arms, triumphant over all her enemies.—What then are your prospects?—look around! A dreadful view!—What to depend upon but repentance of the evil you have committed, and like the Prodigal Son, ask your Parent’s blessing, return to her house, be forgiven, and receive her maternal protection against all the foes that this world can raise against you.”
The Royal Gazette for 8 Dec. also printed congressional resolutions proposed by “OLIVER” to show the “disinterested patriotism” of “the virtuous Yeomen.” Those resolutions read: “That the Farmers of these States, shall, during the space of six months, be exempt from all taxes whatsoever, on the following conditions:
“That they immediately deliver to Committees appointed for that purpose; all their Wheat, Flour, Rye, and Indian Corn, together with all the Beef and Pork, reserving for themselves and families, all the bran, husk and oats, together with the offal of the said beef and pork; and in order to obviate all objections to the aforesaid reasonable request, we further ordain, that the said Farmers deliver all their horses to the Quarter Master General, for the benefit of the States, who will furnish oats from the Continental Store, and thereby leave a sufficient supply of oatmeal for the said farmers and their families: It will be expected, as the said farmers will then have little use for their hay and straw, they will send it to the Quarter-Master-General, with the said horses, to be given gratis.
“And whereas, it appears to us inconsistent, that any of our fellow beings should remain in a state of Slavery, whilst we, for this three years, last past, have enjoyed the great and glorious privileges of liberty.
We do Resolve, That all negroes in slavery, shall, after the first day of January next, be free from their masters, and one half of them delivered over to his Most Christian Majesty, the King of France’s Ambassador, to satisfy some urgent claims, which we at this time, are not able to answer. The other half of the aforesaid negroes, to be hired out to such masters, as a [committee appointed] for that purpose shall approve.
“And whereas it appears to us, just and necessary that the said negroes, for the great and valuable blessings of Freedom, should contribute to the public expences of these states; We further ordain, that the whole of the said negroes wages be paid into the public treasury.
“And to the GOOD PEOPLE of America in general, we Declare,
“That immediately on the arrival of Count d’Estaing at Georgia, we did proclaim a general day of thanksgiving, to be held in these States, on the ninth day of December next, not doubting but a complete victory over all the British forces in Georgia, was ‘fixt as fate;’ but it has pleased the Lord, for our sparing the tories, the Amalakites, and taking only their sheep and oxen, their negroes and land, to suffer us to be defeated, and his most Christian Majesty’s exertions to rescue us from slavery, to prove abortive.
“We therefore declare it our will and pleasure, that the said ninth day of December, be turned into a day of fasting and humiliation, by all those who think it most proper at this time.
“Nevertheless, anxious not to depress the spirits of the good people of these States, we further declare, that all those who chuse to make it a day of Thanksgiving, may with propriety, thank God it is no worse.”
4. See GW to Wayne, 15 Dec., n.4.
5. Wayne had written Col. Rufus Putnam from camp at Second River on 11 Dec.: “His Excellency is very desirous to ascertain whether the Enemy have made an Embarkation or not,—I am Informed that from Peth Amboy which is about 20 Miles from this place, a very good view may be had of the [Raritan] Bay & Sandy Hook—which together with accounts to be procured from the Inhabitants, may enable you to determine whether an Considerable number have sailed.
“I have directed an Officer & Eight Dragoons to attend at your quarters—and wish you to proceed to that place or some other good lookout as soon as possible—you had better return as far as Elizth Town this Evening—perhaps Colo. Seeley may save you the trouble of proceeding further by Certain Intelligence of their Sailing—I wou’d therefore wish you to call on him on your way down … NB you will find an Order on any forage Master for such Hay or Grain as you may want for the use of the party” ( 141–42). Putnam later recalled his trip to South Amboy, N.J., as “a tedious Cold jorney & Somwhat arduous. we were obliged to return by the way of New Brunswck” ( 85).