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.

256 LIFE OF WASHINGTON. [1777.
order, and a recruit of ammunition. Before this could
be fully effected, the enemy marched from their position
near the White Horse Tavern, down the road leading to
the Swedes' Ford. I immediately crossed the Schuylkill above them, and threw myself full in their front,
hoping to meet them on their passage, or soon after
they had passed the river. The day before yesterday
they were again in motion, and marched rapidly up the
road leading towards Reading. This induced me to
believe that they had two objects in view; one to get
round the right of the army, the other perhaps to detach parties to Reading, where we had considerable
quantities of military stores. To frustrate those intentions, I moved the army up on this side of the river to
this place, determined to keep pace with them; but
early this morning I received intelligence, that they had
crossed the fords below. Why I did not follow immediately, I have mentioned in the former part of my
letter; but the strongest reason against being able to
make a forced march is the want of shoes. Messieurs
Carroll, Chase, and Penn, who were some days with
the army, can inform Congress in how deplorable a
situation the troops are, for want of' that necessary article. At least one thousand men are barefooted, and
have performed the marches in that condition."
Congress adjourned first to Lancaster, and then
to Yorktown in Pennsylvania, where they continued
eight months, till Philadelphia was evacuated by the
enemy. Immediately after the British entered the city,
Lord Howe went out of the Chesapeake with his fleet
and came round into the Delaware, intending to force
the strong defences in that river, and ascend to Philadelphia. To aid in this undertaking a detachment of
British troops was stationed on the left bank of the
river in New Jersey. The larger part of the army