[Extract]

2^d December, 1777.—My distance from Philad^a the present seat of war, causes me to hear news very late, & passing thro’ the hands of military men, we get but partial accounts of bad news. However I was so lucky the night before last to receive a very particular account of the transactions in the City from M^rs Craig who left it last Thursday morning. Last Saturday 22^d exactly a week after the evacuation of Fort Mifflin, the Garrison of Fort Mercer blew up the Fort with all the stores &c. The explosion was prodigious. The great naval force of y^e continent in the river shared a wretched fate, being all burnt except the Gondolas & 2 Xebecks, which escaped up the River in the night & now lie in Neshaminy & Ancocus Creeks. It is amazing why our people should burn the shipping as there was no force to prevent their passing up the River but the Delaware Frigate. The next day and ever since the shipping below, have been coming up to the City; so that M^rs Craig saw 300 sail, consisting of a large reinforcement from Europe, men of War & merchant ships. She says the army were at allowance of flour & they must have left the City in a week, if the passage of the River had not been free.

Women are sufferred to come out of Philada without enquiry. The want of fuel obliged the army to burn all the Woods and fences about the City. Gen^l Howe's outpost is at M^r Dickenson's & their lines, which are pretty strong extend from Franckfort road bridge to Schuylkill. Great rejoicing in the City on coming up of the ships. Gen^l Howe must exert himself to provide fuel & provisions before the winter obliges his ships to retire, which will be about 20th of this month. His situation will be critical unless he extends his lines much further. . . .