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318
HISTORY OF MARYLAND.
GENERAL HOWE.
General Howe, with about seventeen thousand men, had effected his landing by the 26th of August, and formed it into two divisions. One, under Sir
William Howe, was stationed at Elkton with its advanced guard at Gray's
Hill, about two miles off. The other division, under
Genera] Knyphausen, was on the opposite side of the
ferry, at Cecil Court House. The inhabitants were
in the greatest alarm, and intent on hurrying off their
most valuable property, so that it was difficult to
procure cattle and vehicles to remove the public
stores. The want of horses, and the annoyances
given by the Cecil and Harford County riflemen
under William Paca and other patriots, kept Howe
from advancing promptly, and gave time for the
greater part of the stores to be saved. The militia
also hovered around his flanks and rear and captured many stragglers and
prowlers who were plundering the farmers in their line of march.
To allay public alarm, and to insure immunity for his stragglers, General
Howe issued, oji the 27th of August, the following
" Declaration to the inhabitants of Pennsylvania, the lower counties oh the Delaware,
and the counties on the Eastern Shore of Maryland :
" Sir William Howe, regretting the calamities to which many of his Majesty's faithful
subjects are still exposed by the continuance of the rebellion; and no less desirous of protecting the innocent, than determined to pursue with the rigors of war all those whom his
majesty's forces, in the course of their progress, may find in arms against the king: Doth'
hereby assure the peaceable inhabitants of the province of Pennsylvania, the lower counties on the Delaware, and the counties of Maryland on the eastern shore of Chesapeake
Bay, that in order to remove any groundless apprehensions which may have been raised
of their sufferings by depredations of the army under his command, he hath issued the
strictest orders to the troops for the preservation of.regularity and good discipline; and
"Mr. Russell's, Head of North-Bast.
" Sir—Observing from the bay side, yesterday,
that the troops were landing in Elk River, I
posted over, in order to be of what service I
could; and upon my arrival to-day at the head
of North-East, where there is an advanced
guard, two men (Wirtenbergers) came in. They
say they deserted from the enemy, and were
originally pressed into the service; that they
have been at Rhode Island about six weeks;
that no more than the regiment of Anspach and
two English regiments were left at Rhode Island, and three Hessian regiments at New York;
that the fleet is composed of twenty ships-of-
war, ten or twelve double-deckers, and two
hundred and eighty transports. Another deserter informs me, that Generals Howe, Cornwallis and Grant are with this body, and Lord
Howe with the fleet.
"They are, at present, stationed from Elk
Perry towards the head of Elk on this side the
river, and take up about two miles in extent,
and no more when they march three deep in
battle array. They have taken all the Cecil
records and destroyed them; they plundered the
country within a mile of this place; have not
as yet injured anyone's person. There is about
one hundred men under arms; not above sixty-
two men at this place and Charlestown. If
your Excellency will forward arms to this place,
three hundred men more in this battalion would
immediately turn out. As matters are, if they
move this way, the men are too weak to resist
them, and must fall back towards Susque-
hannah. I imagine all the battalions are as
defective in point of arms. They say the English will march by the way of the head of the
Elk, and that Philadelphia is their object. I am
your Excellency's most humble servant,
" Benjamin Rumsey.
" P.S.—They receive all negroes and servants,
and promise them fine clothes, etc-, as an inducement."
| Title | History of Maryland - 2 |
| Creator | Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas) |
| Publisher | J. B. Piet |
| Place of Publication | Baltimore |
| Date | 1879 |
| Language | eng |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Title | 00000353 |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Transcript | 318 HISTORY OF MARYLAND. GENERAL HOWE. General Howe, with about seventeen thousand men, had effected his landing by the 26th of August, and formed it into two divisions. One, under Sir William Howe, was stationed at Elkton with its advanced guard at Gray's Hill, about two miles off. The other division, under Genera] Knyphausen, was on the opposite side of the ferry, at Cecil Court House. The inhabitants were in the greatest alarm, and intent on hurrying off their most valuable property, so that it was difficult to procure cattle and vehicles to remove the public stores. The want of horses, and the annoyances given by the Cecil and Harford County riflemen under William Paca and other patriots, kept Howe from advancing promptly, and gave time for the greater part of the stores to be saved. The militia also hovered around his flanks and rear and captured many stragglers and prowlers who were plundering the farmers in their line of march. To allay public alarm, and to insure immunity for his stragglers, General Howe issued, oji the 27th of August, the following " Declaration to the inhabitants of Pennsylvania, the lower counties oh the Delaware, and the counties on the Eastern Shore of Maryland : " Sir William Howe, regretting the calamities to which many of his Majesty's faithful subjects are still exposed by the continuance of the rebellion; and no less desirous of protecting the innocent, than determined to pursue with the rigors of war all those whom his majesty's forces, in the course of their progress, may find in arms against the king: Doth' hereby assure the peaceable inhabitants of the province of Pennsylvania, the lower counties on the Delaware, and the counties of Maryland on the eastern shore of Chesapeake Bay, that in order to remove any groundless apprehensions which may have been raised of their sufferings by depredations of the army under his command, he hath issued the strictest orders to the troops for the preservation of.regularity and good discipline; and "Mr. Russell's, Head of North-Bast. " Sir—Observing from the bay side, yesterday, that the troops were landing in Elk River, I posted over, in order to be of what service I could; and upon my arrival to-day at the head of North-East, where there is an advanced guard, two men (Wirtenbergers) came in. They say they deserted from the enemy, and were originally pressed into the service; that they have been at Rhode Island about six weeks; that no more than the regiment of Anspach and two English regiments were left at Rhode Island, and three Hessian regiments at New York; that the fleet is composed of twenty ships-of- war, ten or twelve double-deckers, and two hundred and eighty transports. Another deserter informs me, that Generals Howe, Cornwallis and Grant are with this body, and Lord Howe with the fleet. "They are, at present, stationed from Elk Perry towards the head of Elk on this side the river, and take up about two miles in extent, and no more when they march three deep in battle array. They have taken all the Cecil records and destroyed them; they plundered the country within a mile of this place; have not as yet injured anyone's person. There is about one hundred men under arms; not above sixty- two men at this place and Charlestown. If your Excellency will forward arms to this place, three hundred men more in this battalion would immediately turn out. As matters are, if they move this way, the men are too weak to resist them, and must fall back towards Susque- hannah. I imagine all the battalions are as defective in point of arms. They say the English will march by the way of the head of the Elk, and that Philadelphia is their object. I am your Excellency's most humble servant, " Benjamin Rumsey. " P.S.—They receive all negroes and servants, and promise them fine clothes, etc-, as an inducement." |
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