To George Washington from Captain Charles Craig, 18 November 1777
From Captain Charles Craig
Near Frankfort [Pa.]
½ past 3 OClock [P.M., 18 November 1777]
Sir
Since my last, I have had I beleve a True Accot of Lord Cornwalss rout Last night about 12 OClock his Lordship March’d from the City with Two thousand Granadiers & light Infantry, he intends his march for Willmington where he is to Cross the river and march Up the other side and Make an Attackt on red Banks Fort.1 I have the Honour to be your Excellencys Most Obt Servt
C. Craig
this is the only paper I cou’d get to write to your Excellency.
I expect the enemy will endeavour to Surprise my Guard to Night and plunder some of the inhabitants, the will endeavour to make a faint this way on Account of Cornwalless being Detatchd.2
ALS, DLC:GW. The cover indicates that Craig sent this letter “⅌ Dragoon.”
1. Craig, as he admitted in his first letter to GW of the following day, was misinformed about the place where Cornwallis’s troops would cross the Delaware. Craig was correct, however, that their ultimate objective was Red Bank, N.J. (see Craig’s second letter to GW of 18 Nov., and note 1).