Beschreibung:

1p, folio, print area 7.5 x 15". Printed by Order of Congress, 10 Dec. 1776, by M(ary) K(atharine) Goddard, Baltimore. Late fall and early winter of 1776 were disastrous for the Continental Army. Losses of Forts Washington and Lee led to a retreat across New Jersey with Lord Cornwallis in pursuit. The Continental troops crossed the Delaware into Pennsylvania, destroying their boats to prevent the British from following and gaining some measure of sanctuary. On December 4, Thomas Paine published The Crisis ("These are the times that try men's souls...."), describing the retreat, but extoling the bravery of the troops. Washington had the patriotic essay read aloud to the troops to boost morale. Fearing that the British would eventually cross into Penn's Woods, at the Tuesday, December 10, 1776 meeting of the Continental Congress, the assembled body passed a number of resolutions, among them: that John Hancock should send a message to George Washington requesting that he post parties of troops on the roads from New Jersey (especially the Trenton area) to Philadelphia to give advanced warning of the approach of British troops; to send General Mifflin to all neighboring counties to ...rouse & bring them in, to the defence of Philadelphia and to appoint a committee to aid and accompany him in this endeavor; to have Major General Putnam direct the troops in Philadelphia ...to make the proper defences for the protection & security of this city aided by the Phila. council of safety; and to print the broadside offered here, alerting citizens to the approach of the British and enlisting their aid. The broadside begins: To the PEOPLE in general, and particularly to the inhabitants of Pennsylvania, and the adjacent states....We think it our Duty to address a few Words of Exhortation to you in this important Crisis..., also tying this to Paine's essay, which most would have read by then. The broadside then summarizes (in inflammatory language) why this war was undertaken and the behavior of the British since its beginning. The Congress then goes on to say: What we have particularly in View...is..to excite the Inhabitants of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and the adjacent States to an immediate and spirited Exertion in Opposition to the Army that now threatens to take Possession of this City. You know that during the whole Campaign they have been checked in their Progress, and have not till within these two Weeks ventured above ten Miles from ther [sic] Shipping. Their present Advances are owing not to any capital Defeat, or a Want of Valour in the Army that opposed them, but to a sudden D[i]minution of its Numbers from the Expiration of those short Enlistments which, to ease the People, were at first adopted....In every other Part your Arms have been successful, and in other Respects our sacred Cause is in the most promising Situation....Even a short Resistance will probably be effectual, as General LEE is advancing with a strong Reinforcement, and his Troops in high Spirits....What Pity is it then that the rich and populous City of Philadelphia should fall into the Enemy's Hands, or that we should not lay hold of the Opportunity of destroying their principal Army now removed from the Ships of War.... Shortly thereafter, loyalist John Honeyman actually an American spy, was "captured" and brought to George Washington. His information indicated that Sir William Howe had called off Cornwallis' pursuit and the British and Hessian armies were going into winter quarters on Manhattan and Staten Islands, leaving a few Hessians in New Jersey. Then on his "return" to the British, he informed them that the Americans were demoralized and incapable of mounting an attack - true, for the most part - but lulling the British into a degree of complacency. Washington then mounted his famous Christmas night crossing of the Delaware at Trenton, surprising the celebrating Hessians, giving the Continental Army their first victory over a standing army and an enormous