To George Washington from Brigadier General Anthony Wayne, 18 December 1779
From Brigadier General Anthony Wayne
Light Infantry Camp Second River [N.J.]
18th Decr 1779
Dear General
I have nothing new from the Enemy but hourly expect my Mercury, Was I to hazard an Opinion it would be that no Embarkation takes place until the Sun has paid his visit to, & on his return from the tropic of Capricorn, for Seamen Always dread the tropical, more than the Equinoctial storms,1 and shou’d Sr Harry Clinton possess those talents necessary to Constitute a Genl of so powerful an Army as he now Commands, shou’d he have fortitude to bear the Calumny of the World & tacitly Commit his Military Character to a temporary Damnation, his business is still to keep up the Idea of an Embarkation until we have Hutted, sent off our horses, a great proportion of our Officers absent on furlough, & the term of Service of a large part of our Army expired—I say (shou’d he be the General)—he will then make a Rapid push in full force for our Debilitated Camp—where if he shou’d be unfortunate, he can’t sink lower than he already is, but if successful, his Military Character will shine with double Lustre—and put him in a Condition to act in any other Quarter, leaving a small Garrison at New York, as it would require some time for us to recover our loss, or be in a Situation to disturb or put them in Danger, whilst he might roam at large with Impunity.
I had forgot to mention the Difficiency of Field Officers with this Corps, there being only three on the Ground exclusive of Major Moore,2 who was on his way from Phila. to Camp, when your Excellency did me the honor to call at my Quarters—I have detained him ever since to take charge of the two Pennsa light Companies that were in Colo. Febegers Regt which I have annexed to Colo. Butler’s until your Excellency’s pleasure is known.
The shoe’s have not yet arrived,3 nor has the Maryland line furnished any men in place of those whose term of service are expired.4
two or three such nights as the last will give an Opening for either us or the Enemy to strike5—I therefore wish the men & Shoe’s, so as to be prepared for either.
You’l have goodness enough to excuse this freedom & believe me in ever[y] vicissitude of fortune, ready to serve you with the best Service of your Excellency’s most Obt & very Hume Sert
Anty Wayne
ADfS, PHi: Wayne Papers. GW replied to Wayne on 20 December.
1. For GW’s eagerness to confirm reports of a major British detachment from New York, see his letter to Samuel Huntington, 29 Nov., and n.1 to that document; see also Henry Lee, Jr., to GW, 30 Nov., n.4.
2. Wayne is referring to Maj. Thomas Lloyd Moore (see Wayne to GW, 10 Nov., and GW to Wayne, 14 Nov.).
3. Wayne had requested shoes for the Light Infantry command in his first letter to GW of 9 Dec.; see also Wayne to GW, 19 November.
4. In the general orders for 20 Dec., GW addressed Wayne’s concern over the inadequate number of Maryland troops in the Light Infantry.
5. In his diary entry for 17 Dec., British captain John Peebles described the weather near New York City on that date as “cold & raw little wind from N:E: looks like snow” ( 316). Peebles then recorded in his diary entry for 18 Dec.: “a Storm of wind Rain & Sleet from the north” ( 316).