The writings of George Washington; being his correspondence, addresses, messages, and other papers, official and private, selected and published from the original manuscripts; with a life of the author, notes and illustrations. By Jared Sparks.

PART I.] THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. 395
Howe, have any despatches for Congress, and think fit
to transmit them to my care, they shall be forwarded
by the earliest opportunity. If you have any for me
of a military nature, for none other can come properly
under mny consideration, I wish them to be communicated in writing, and in the usual way. This will prevent any trouble on the part of Colonel Paterson, and
must answer, I should suppose, all the purposes you
may have in view. I have the honor to be, Sir, &c.*
TO MAJOR-GENERAL DICKINSON.
Head-Quarters, Valley Forge, 5 June, 1778.
DEAR SIR,
Your favor of yesterday came safe to hand. What
the real designs of the enemy are, remains yet to be
discovered. Appearances and a thousand circumstances induce a belief, that they intend to pass through
the Jerseys to New York. Your last intelligence however is a let to this opinion, inasmuch as it contradicts
a former report of their assembling a number of boats
in Prince's Bay. That they will either march to Amboy, and from thence pass to Staten Island, or embark
below the chevaux-de-frise scarcely admits of a doubt;
and the first being much the most probable, I would
recommend it to you to be in the most perfect readiness for their reception, as you may rely upon it, that
their march will be rapid whenever it is begun. t' Sir Henry Clinton took command of the British army in Philadelphia, on the 11th of May, in the place of Sir William Howe, who shortly
afterwards returned to England. — See APPENDIX, No. XVII.
t The enemy had resolved to evacuate Philadelphia as early as the
23d of May, and perhaps before. On that day General Clinton wrote
to Lord George Germain, that he had determined to leave Philadelphia
and proceed to New York with the whole army, as soon as it could be