July 25, 1776

A letter extracted in the Philadelphia press detailed a meeting between General George Washington and Vice-Admiral Richard Howe’s adjutant general. They held a “private conference” at Henry Knox’s lodgings on Broadway “for near half an hour.” The main reason for this meeting was a communications quagmire. The King’s Commissioners for Restoring Peace, Howe and his brother General William Howe, had been trying to communicate with Washington, but they refused to acknowledge him as the commander of the American forces. At this meeting, the British adjutant general, Patterson, urged Washington to accept a letter from Howe which was “of a private nature,” and Washington responded that it was “not proper for him to receive it.”

The Pennsylvania Evening Post
Printed by Benjamin Towne

Extract of a letter from New-York, dated July 22.

“Saturday came up from Lord Howe, a flag of truce, Adjutant General Patterson of the British army. He landed near our battery, and passed through the life-guards of Gen. Washington, and had a private conference with him, at Col. Knox’s, for near half an hour, the particulars of which I am just informed of by a person of distinction—One piece of his business was, that he urged the General to accept of the letter; and that Lord Howe was extremely sorry it could not be received, as it was of a private nature. General Washington told the Adjutant, as for himself he did not mind the title, but the General Officers did not think proper for him to receive it without, and that he could not on any account receive it. The Adjutant behaved with great politeness, and made use of the forms necessary to a person in the General’s situation, as may it please your Excellency, &c. &c. Another thing was, that Lord Howe was very much averse to barbarity*; but as the army in the northern department did not come under his jurisdiction, he could do nothing in it, the command being devolved to the Generals Carlton and Burgoyne. He then mentioned an exchange of Master Lovell for Major Skeen, which General Washington wanted done when at Cambridge, but they would not then do it, and our General told him it could not be done till he wrote to the Continental Congress concerning it.

“Yesterday afternoon six ships and a brig came into the Narrows.

“A servant man of Mr. Charles McEvers was taken up yesterday at Long-island ferry, dressed in woman’s clothes. He had a letter directed to Mr. Alexander Wallace. He was carried before the Gen. and has since been ordered to jail under a strong guard.

“Our army has left Crown-Point and come to Ticonderoga. Gen. Sullivan is come to town. It is said the British army are fortifying St. John’s, and building some vessels.”

* This was in answer to a message sent by Gen. Washington, respecting the barbarity of the Indians to some of our people in Canada.