Beschreibung:

AMERICAN REVOLUTION]. WEEDON, George, Brigadier General. Autograph Letter Signed ("G Weedon") as Colonel, 3rd Virginia, to an unidentified recipient, "Camp White Marsh" [PA], 6 November 1777. 3½ pages, folio, evidence of attachment in left margin of page 1, otherwise in fine condition. WEEDON REPORTS ON THE BATTLES OF GERMANTOWN FORT MIFFLIN, WHERE THE GARRISON HAS "HELD OUT WITH UNCOMMON BRAVERY" A letter full of vivid war news, written shortly before the encampment at Valley Forge. Weedon describes incidents in the Battle of Germantown, the British repulse at Fort Mifflin, and news of the British occupation of Philadelphia. Weedon disagrees with a recently published account of the Battle of Germantown. The author, he writes, "should be cautious how he relates Expeditions, or the Conduct of Particular officers...He in that letter is mistaken in many things...Where was this Animating Speech made by his Excellency? You must know the General made no Speech previous to our marching off. Who is this mighty military man that kills 1000 dead on the field, and wounds 2,500 only? Where are the Two field pieces & Baggage Waggons?" Weedon corrects the facts: "The 2 d. Virginia was not engaged more than ten minutes...they are a brave orderly regiment but not more so than many others from the same state. Carnot Baylor was only slightly wounded in the foot...Hendricks is a gallant good officer, but I should be sorry if the Virginia line did not produce hundreds as brave, and as prudent...he got his wound early in the action, and was taken off thro' a fogg that prevented your distinguishing men at a greater distance than only sixty yards." Regarding the climactic point of the battle, he notes that "Sullivan's Division was not the first troops that gave way. They behaved with uncommon firmness and not a man gave ground till he had fired all his 40 rounds of cartridges. The right wing did brake [ sic ] first, but it was composed of more Troops than that Division." Noting that the army is camped only 12 miles from Philadelphia, Weedon tells of British efforts to take Forts Mifflin and Mercer on the Delaware River: "The enemy keep themselves close within their lines...Their principle object at present seems to be our Forts below the City, on which they have made several unsuccessful attempts. While they are in our possession it separates them from their shipping w c h...distress[es] them greatly for want of provisions and other necessaries." As to the occupation of Philadelphia, he adds: "The inhabitants are near starving...This makes me think they will try every effort to open the Communication of the River. Our little Garrisons have for these six weeks held out with uncommon Bravery, but dread the events of a fortnight more, they must reduce them or give up the City." He hears artillery: "A heavy cannonade has just opened upon our Forts, my mind is entirely engaged on the success of them important posts." Fort Mifflin finally fell to the British on 15 November after a bombardment that lasted more than a month. He rejoices in news of the victory at Saratoga: "I suppose before this you have proclaimed to the world by 13 pieces, or rounds, of Cannon that Burgoyne's Army is in our possession." He continues: "we have now an Army before Ticonderoga...Gen l. St. Leger with his Troops that besieged Fort Stanwix found means to throw himself in that place...Sir Henry Clinton whos operated up North River, has given up his conquest of Fort Montgomerie, which he has evacuated, and after laying wast[e] great quantities of private property by burning near six hundred houses, has returned to New York...Such devastation as was committed by those mighty Brittons is unheard of."