William Smallwood autograph letter signed ("W Smallwood"). One page, 8.25" x 13.25", "James Mechlans [Machlin's] Tavern", [Pennsylvania]; September 19, 1777. Coded letter sent by Brigadier General Smallwood to General Washington the day before the Paoli Massacre. Letter, with free frank, from Brigadier General William Smallwood (1732-1792) to George Washington, partially written in code, concerning Smallwood's movement to join forces with Brigadier General Anthony Wayne (1745-1796) in Paoli, Pennsylvania. It reads, in full: "Last Night Colo. Gist joined me he has * Troops—our united Force amounts to S. I am now on my March and rest assured every Effort shall be exerted to SS—as expeditiously as possible which I hope to effect Tomorrow—the Shameful neglect in the Commissarys Department throws many Obstacles in my way and retards my March. I am reduced to the Necessity of sending Officers forward to provide for the Troops which has been the case ever since I set out notwithstanding I have acquainted Mr. Buchannan with this Defect I cannot obtain any Remedy—once more allow me to assure you that my utmost endeavours shall be exerted to comply with your Requisitions of yesterday—I have—† this County Lieut. and others of Integrity with me but cannot ascertain my Route so precisely as to point it out. my Baggage I shall send by S—but believe I shall fall more down to the Right with the troops." Signed, "W. Smallwood". After recovering from wounds received at the Battle of White Plains on October 28, 1776, Brigadier General Smallwood was assigned to recruit a new force and bring it into the field. His new brigade of Marylanders moved into Pennsylvania after the Battle of Brandywine on September 11, 1777, in which British forces defeated Washington's army as part of the British Army's Philadelphia campaign. Smallwood's force was to cooperate with those of Brigadier General Anthony Wayne (1745-1796) in harassing the British Army in its move toward Philadelphia. In this letter to Washington, Smallwood informs Washington that he is marching toward Paoli, where Wayne's forces were located, hoping to reach his destination the next day, despite obstacles slowing down his march. He mentions that he has been joined by Colonel Mordecai Gist (1743-1792). Smallwood's letter includes symbols or simple codes as a precaution if the letter was captured or intercepted by the British. It turned out that Smallwood's militia force arrived too late to prevent the British from routing Wayne's troops in a middle of the night bayonet attack on September 20-21. In the wake of the Paoli disaster, Smallwood and Wayne reorganized their forces and moved on to join Washington's army. Written on the day before the Paoli massacre, Smallwood's letter to Washington, written from the field using a symbols or code, highlights Americans' precautions against the interception of military communications by the British. An extraordinary letter from a major general whose material appears infrequently. It is accompanied by a typed transcription and an engraved vignette portrait of Washington. Condition: Small area of paper loss at bottom margin from seal removal upon opening. Thin strip of tape attachment along left edge verso, with four minor areas of paper attachment to bottom recto, both presumably indicating prior mounting. Light scattered soiling. HID03101062020 © 2022 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved

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