York Town. Decr. 15. 1777
Dear Brother,
A Letr. from the Genl. of the 10th advises that Genl. Howe after many manoeuvres in which he gained no advantage & a good deal of skirmishing, in which he sustained pretty considerable loss, retired with precipitation on the 9th into Philaa. laying waste every thing before them.1 We hear that a large party has since been over Schuilkill towards Lancaster foraging, & have been attacked but our Accts are very uncertain. Our Comtee is not yet returned from Camp, & we have no news from the Eastward, except that a Privateer was arrived from France, which says, all American Vessels were stoped in the harbours; She cut & run the night after the order was published. How do you account for it? Conway is made a Majr. Genl. & Inspector of the Army.2
Inclosed is a Letr. from Your Son Tom covering bill of loading for Goods purchased for us by our bror. Wm. I suppose your things are in my packages; cant you contrive to have them landed at Green Spring & from thence conveyed to the Northern Neck.
We have reason to think that there are many emissaries of the Enemy sent into the Country & some to the parts of Virga. adjoining this State, I wish you wou’d urge the Executive power to have some active spirited whigs in those Counties to keep the most vigilant Eye over them, especially where there are prisoners of War. We find the people of Frederick begin to be poisoned. Love to Chantilly & compts. to all friends,3 especially Monsr. Loyaute. Adieu.
Francis Lightfoot Lee
Receiver’s copy, University of Virginia Library.
1 Washington’s 10 December letter to President Laurens is in Fitzpatrick, Writings of Washington, 10:142 - 45.
2 See JCC, 9:1023 - 26; and James Lovell to Horatio Gates, 27 November 1777, note.
3 Francis Lightfoot had written a brief letter to his friend Landon Carter on 7 December in which he noted: "The making of Molasses, Sugar, Sc Rum from Cornstalks has a considerable progress in the Eastern States. An Acre of the tops yields a hogshead of Molasses. I have seen some of the rum, very good. They press out the juice with a common apple mill. My bror. Richard who I make no doubt you will see, can give you a full account." Lee-Ludwell Papers, Virginia Historical Society.