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.

PARTII.] THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. 39
Delaware or the North River without performing some
enterprise first in another quarter. The probability is
in favor of a southern expedition, because he has been
seen, since his departure from the Capes, off Sinepuxent,
steering a southern course; and because, had his destination been to the eastward, his arrival there, from the
general state of the winds, must have announced it
before this, or his fleet would have been discovered by
some of the cruisers on that coast.
If he is gone to the southward, he must be gone far
that way; for, had the Chesapeake Bay been his object,
he would have been there long since, and the fact well
established. Beyond that, there is no place short of
Charleston of sufficient importance to engage his attention. The extensive commerce, the vast accumulation
of military and other stores in that town and its dependencies, with the eclat it would give his arms if he
should unfortunately take it, afford him stronger inducements to direct his operations there, than he could
possibly have elsewhere. Matters being thus circumstanced, an important question arises; how this army is
to be employed. If his intentions are such as I have
supposed them, it appears to me that an attempt to
follow him would not only be fruitless, but would be
attended with the most ruinous consequences. The
distance is so immense, that General Howe might accomplish every purpose he had in view, before we
could possibly arrive to oppose him; and so long a
march through an unhealthy climate at this season
would debilitate and waste a principal part of our force.
Added to this, after we had made a considerable progress, he might easily reembark his troops and turn
his arms against Philadelphia or elsewhere, as he should
think proper, without our being in a condition to give
the least aid.