[New York] Saturday 23 March 1776
A new Alarm upon which the Inhabitants flew out of Town with the utmost Precipitation ー General Washington by a Letter of the 19th advises General Lee of Mr. Howe's abandoning Boston on Sunday 17th Inst. & then laying in King Road & Nantusket ー The conjecture that they were destined to N Y was countenanced by Intelligence the next Day from the East End of Long Island & Montauk Point the Eastern Extremity of Long Island. I imagined that the British Army was sailed for Hallifax but to give Ease to my Family & because the Provincials were moving to this Place from Boston & other Places I resolved to move the greater Part of my Moveables to Haverstraw where I had last Fall lodged my Library & some Household Goods.
1. Sabine, ed., Memoirs of William Smith, 270.
