Fort Mifflin

25th. Wind fresh at N. N. East. The whole marched in 2 columns and arrived at Germantown, being Eleven miles, marched through a great deal of wood land and some stony ground. All the afternoon and night heavy rain and hard wind. Towards the Town by the Frankford road. Our Light Horse took a Colonel, a principal Commissary, a captain of a Frigate, and a Captain of Light Horse, and 2 or 3 of his men.

24th. Weather delightful. Four or 5 shot exchanged between our foraging parties and the rebels about 9 this morning. Early this morning our pickets in the rear fired at some straggling rebels. This Township of Norrington is very rebellious. All the manufactures about this country seem to consist of Powder, Ball, Shot and Cannon, firearms, and swords. The Army halted this day.

23rd. Just after 12 o'clock this night the whole army moved to the opposite side, on North Side of the River Schuylkill by the way of the Fatland Ford, and by 10 A. M. the whole Baggage and all had happily passed it. After the principal body had got on the North Side of the Schuylkill about I mile the Army halted to dry themselves and rest. At 7 A. M. they moved forward the Egypt road and continued to Norrington where Head Quarters was fixed and the whole of the Army came to their Ground by 3 o'clock P. M. Major General — - covered the rear with 10 Battalions and the Chasseurs. The Front of the Army extending within i mile of Swedes Ford on one Philadelphia Road and 2i miles on the other one called the Manitawney road. During this day only a few scattering shot. We took 4 rebels Light Horse, some prisoners, waggons and 3 loads of Ammunition and some stores of Liquors. Our couriers affirm that the Rebel army principally retreated to Reading. On leaving the ground of our last Encampment we set fire to the Valley Forge and destroyed it. The Enemy abandoned the Swedes Ford and left two 18 Pounders on the works then loaded but not spiked. An Excellent day for marching, cool and pleasant. About 9 this night our pickets in the rear fired a few shot at some skulking rebels.

22nd. Near 2 hours before daybreak, the enemy began to make some movement to their right. At 7 Sir Wm. Erskine with the mounted and dismounted Chasseurs, one Squadron of i6th Dragoons and part of the 2nd Light Infantry patrolled up the Pottsgrove Road which leads to Reading. Weather fine, rather cold wind, frost at North West, sun crosses the line. This country abounds with forage. Inhabitants, many about Moorehall fled, being disaffected. At 5 this morning the Hessian Grenadiers passed the Schuylkill at Gordon's Ford under fire of their artillery and small arms, and returned back being intended as a feint. At the same time the Light Infantry and Grenadiers passed over the Schuylkill at Fat Land Ford without a single shot and there took post.

21st Sunday. At 5 this morning the Army moved, marched 3 miles to the Valley Forge and 2 more to Moor Hall making 5 miles and there encamped, the weather very fine, but some few slight showers. No firing during this march. We found the houses full of military stores. This country abounds with Forage, but the cattle drove off. Fevers and agues still prevail. A bridge was ordered to be made across the Schuylkill at this place where the River is 120 yards, and got in great forwardness, intending to deceive the enemy. Almost every day, one or two deserters come in.

20th. Weather extremely fine. At 2 this morning the guards moved and posted themselves with the Light Infantry at the Valley Forge. Waggons employed in carrying off from the magazine there, the rebel stores. This morning 5 rebel Gentries fired on the Guards who took the whole. They slightly wounded one of our officers. This night Major Genl. Gray was detached with the 2nd Battalion of Light Infantry, 42d and 44th Regts. and Sergeant and 12 of 16th dragoons to surprise 2 Brigades of near 2000 men under the command of General Wayne. Between 10 and 12 they fell in on the Rebel picket, between the Admiral Warren and the Paoli, which fired on them; they rushed in and put the whole of the picket to the Bayonet and then huzza'd which further alarmed the main body, however our troops rapidly advanced on their left, which were chiefly in their wigwams, and put between 4 or 500 of them to the Bayonet and the rest fled except about 100 that were taken prisoners, amongst which was a Major and a French officer and also 9 loaded waggons with 4 horses each, and brought off their cattle. Their General escaped and 4 pieces of Cannon through the woods. Our loss was a Captain of Light Infantry, one Sergeant, and one Private killed, and 2 dragoons and 2 Light Infantry, and 3 Battalion men wounded. This capital service, was effected without our firing a shot.

19th. Wind N. W. very fine weather, which comes very seasonably to refresh the troops and dry the roads which are very sloughy about this place. The halting this day very necessary for the men and particularly for our horses. A Dragoon deserter came in. Abundance of Forage upon every plantation. The Commander-in-Chief's dispatches sent this day to Lt. Genl. Burgoyne. At 2 this afternoon Lord Cornwallis's column marched and encamped within 2 miles of French Creek at the Bull's Head and Mouth, all upon the neighboring Height. This morning between 2 & 3 the Rebel congress precipitately abandoned Philadelphia, owing to a false alarm and proceeded to Reading. As many men have lately fallen sick, empty waggons are ordered to each of the Corps. Lt. Col. Harcourt with a party of dragoons and Light Infantry made an excursion on the Philadelphia road and brought in 150 horses which were much wanted, got from New Town square 6 miles from hence. They took likewise one Captain and 8 rebel prisoners. Heavy dews. Couriers constantly going towards and returning from the Enemy's Camp.

18th. Between 3 and 4 this morning (the Equinoxial Gale still continuing at N. East, with small rain) the Army marched from the Boot 3 miles to the White Horse, where we joined Lord Cornwallis's column, halted an hour, and the whole army moved on towards Philadelphia, until we arrived at Randel Malins, being 2\ miles further. There we struck off (the roads forking) the road to the Swedes Ford to Treduffrin, one mile beyond Howell's Tavern, being 4^ to that Tavern and encamped one mile further, making 5^ miles more, in all this day, Eleven miles. Lord Cornwallis's column continuing the Philadelphia Main Road from the Forks at Randel Malins (which was Washington's Headquarters the night before last) which road runs nearly parallel with the Swedes Ford Road, running only one Mile from this Camp, where his Lordship formed a junction and encamped. Several shot fired during the course of this day and some prisoners taken from the rebels. Some deserters and a Light Horse. The Army passed over the rebels late encampment where they had a most favourable position being a prevailing gradual height in the valley. This night, our out Gentries took a Virginia Lt. Colonel, who mistook this Camp for the rebel one. Observed 2 reconnoitring parties of the Army at a distance during the march. Near the £ of my artificers, labourers and waggoners as well as the Engineers are fallen sick with the prevailing distemper of the Fever and Ague. We found the Inhabitants in general at their Homes. Several small hills in getting to this Encampment, which made the rear long and Baggage late. The rebel dragoons took a servant and a driver at an Inhabitant's house in the rear. A man sent out discovered upwards of 3800 Barrels of Flour, Soap and Candles, 25 Barrels of Horse Shoes, several thousand tomahawks and kettles, and Intrenching Tools and 20 Hogsheads of Resin in a Barn, 3 miles from hence at the Valley Forge. A detachment of 3 Companies Light Infantry went this night to possess it, the Commanding Officer of the Light Infantry had his horse shot.

17th. The rain and wind continued at- N. E. but not so incessant, the roads became very heavy, and the lowlands overflowed. There being but few houses and barns our troops suffered much from the weather. Several people returned from the rebels with various accounts, but in general agree that Washington with the gros of the Rebel army is now on the Lancaster Road between the White Horse and Downing Town, a homely Tavern on the road to Swedesford with 13 others, say 37 pieces of Cannon. Excellent intelligence from the rebel camp. The Commander-in-Chief received a letter this evening from our Ships of war, and three victuallers, one at anchor in the Delaware off Chester. Rebel Camp moved from Howell's ferry in order to proceed to the Swedesford but their Express returned, not passable. So they returned and took their strong ground from the White Horse to Malins.

6th. At half past ( ) this morning the army marched towards Lancaster by the way of the Turk's head. Goshen meeting and the sign of the Boot on the Downing Town road. At 11 o'clock we made a junction with Lord Cornwallis's Column, which immediately marched to the White Horse on Lancaster road and this column with Lt.-Genl. Kniphuysen Continued to the sign of the Boot (being Commander in Chiet's Head Quarters) when they encamped owing to an Equinoxial gale at N. E. accompanied with incessant heavy rains. We fired a few shot at their Patrols of Light Horse. About 2 this afternoon we were attacked on our right Flank by a body of the Rebel army under General Wayne together with a large body of militia previous to which we heard several cannon and small arms fired in Lord Cornwallis's column. We soon drove them. The Yagers behaved admirably. The Enemy left 9 dead on the Field and a Captain wounded with a 3 pounder and since dead and we took 13 Prisoners. Our loss was only 3 wounded—with Lord Cornwallis's column the Rebel left 12 dead and 30 prisoners amongst which a Colonel and a Brigade Major. The rebels on the firing decamped and in all the rain it marched to Hasel's Ferry. This Head Quarters is at the sign of the Boot in the Township of Goshen and within ^ mile of the Township of W. Whiteland. The Boot is within 5 miles of Downing Town.