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.

118 WASHINGTON'S WRITINGS. [-,ET. 45.
of my duty to make this request, I am persuaded you
will excuse it when I add, that the good of the service,
not only in my judgment but in that of others, absolutely requires it to be carried into execution.
I have the honor to be, &c.
TO LANDON CARTER.
Philadelphia County, 27 October, 1777.
DEAR SIR,
Accept my sincere thanks for your solicitude on my
account, and for the good advice contained in your little
paper. At the same time I assure you, that it is not
my wish to avoid any danger, which duty requires me
to encounter, I can as confidently add, that it is not
my intention to run unnecessary risks. In the instance
given by you, I was acting precisely in the line of my
duty, but not in the dangerous situation you have been
led to believe. I was reconnoitring, but I had a strong
party of horse with me. I was, as I afterwards found,
in a disaffected house, at the Head of Elk, but I was
equally guarded against friend and foe; the information
of danger, then, came not from me.
So many accounts have been published of the battle
of Brandywine, that nothing more can be said of it.
The subsequent engagement on the 4th instant had
the Commander-in-chief, his instructions were complied with, and the
frigates were sunk. All the other vessels, great and small, which were
in the river above Philadelphia, were forced up with much labor into
Croswicks Creek, where they lay aground. —.S. Letter from the VNavy
Board,.November 10th.
The galleys and other craft, which escaped, on the reduction of Forts
Mifflin and Mercer, passed up the river under Commodore Hazelwood,
and wintered there, but were not sunk.