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.

90 WASHINGTON'S WRITINGS. [-ET. 45.
TO LIEUTENANT-COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH.
Skippack Camp, 11 October, 1777.
I received yours of the 9th, informing me of the occasion of the late firing. I imagine the enemy still persist
in their attempt, as the firing has continued at intervals
ever since.* As the rear of the fort is only defended
by a picket work, I think you ought to lose no time in
throwing up a bank against the picket, which would
strengthen it and make it defensible against shot. If
some blinds were thrown up, within the area of the
fort, they would be a security against shells, of which
I think you are in more danger than from shot. You
seem apprehensive, if the enemy should possess Province Island, that your men must quit their barracks.
In that case you should think of finding out some more' The enemy erected a battery, on the 9th of September, at the
mouth of the Schuylkill, to secure the passage at Webb's Ferry. Commodore Hazelwood sent several galleys to attack the battery, which was
silenced in a short time. In the night of the 10th the enemy crossed
Webb's Ferry and erected a redoubt opposite the fort, within two musket
shots of the blockhouse. As soon as the redoubt was discovered in the
morning, the Commodore despatched three galleys and a floating battery to attack it; which was so well executed, that one lieutenant, one
ensign, and fifty-six privates were compelled to surrender themselves
prisoners of war. - Hazelwood's MS. Letter, October 11th.
In speaking of the probability, that the enemy would bring their cannon to bear upon the fort from the opposite shore, Colonel Smith wrote;
— " I shall in that case be obliged to cover my men; and should they keep
up their fire in the night, it will compel us to sleep in the open air,
which will soon destroy my small party. I have already sent away six
men and one officer sick. Besides this, we have seven more in garrison
unfit for duty; however, if they keep their men in the marshes two or
three days, they must in this weather become equally sickly. From the
number of the enemy we saw on the shore, I am of the opinion that they
have at least seven hundred and fifty men, perhaps a thousand. I have
now two hundred effective men in garrison. The number of wounded in
last Saturday's engagement [at Germantown], by every account we can
get from the city, exceeds twelve hundred." — 1 iS. Letter, October 9th.