George Washington Papers

To George Washington from Brigadier General Caesar Rodney, 3 September 1777

From Brigadier General Caesar Rodney

[Noxonton Sepr 3d 1777]

Yesterday morning I took Post at this place between two and three miles from Middleton. I have kept my Light-Horse, about seventeen or eighteen in number, out beating up the Enemy’s Quarters ever since and gaining what intelligence I could of the Enemy’s movements. Last night a little after dark they were close in with the Enemy at Carson’s Tavern where they encamped exchanged some shott and allarmed their whole camp.1

From the best information I can get, they are moving up toward Christiana Creek. A person was with me this day who went to the Manor-Church2 and below it, on purpose to make discoveries, and say, they have all left that place. I have one prisoner and two deserters brought this day. They also confirm this Acct. I should have sent them to head Quarters, . . .3 I have now three hundred and seventy of the Militia all from Kent and with them am determined to maintain the Post as long as I can and continue to give the enemy all the trouble in my power in hopes still of being reinforced [from] some Quarter. I am just now informed the Enemy’s ships have all fell down, as if returning, except two ships of War that lay near the Ferry.

Ryden, Rodney Letters, 216. The bracketed dateline and bracketed word in the second paragraph appear in the printed text.

1Knyphausen’s corps was camped at William Carson’s Buck Tavern on the night of 2 September.

2Rodney is referring to Bohemia Church in Cecil County, Md., which is about five miles west of Middletown, Delaware.

3A footnote to this place in the printed text says: “Last line of page 1 is missing” (ibid., 216 n.5).

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