The Battle of White Plains took place near White Plains, New York, on October 28, and timestamped letters from that day appeared in the Pennsylvania Ledger just a few days later. An extract from one letter, hastily written at two o’clock in the afternoon, described “several successful skirmishes with the enemy, in which the latter have lost several hundred men, in killed and prisoners” since the soldier had arrived at the American camp. On October 28 around ten o’clock in the morning, “the enemy advanced towards our lines, in full view of head quarters.” This soldier reported that skirmishes continued “with great fury,” and he expected that the next day, there would be “a general battle.” He added that Colonel William Smallwood was “wounded in the arm and hip, but not dangerously.”
“The post being detained by desire of the General” meant that another letter, dated later in the evening, could be added to the mail. The soldier wrote hastily once again “with a wooden pen on a drum head” to describe the battle which had taken place, where the brigades commanded by Colonel Smallwood and Colonel Rudolphus Ritzema had “suffered most,” “sustaining with great patience and coolness, and long and heavy fire.” The letter writer anticipated another attack the next morning, as the British forces were encamped about one mile away and made a “formidable appearance.” However, the weather intervened, and Washington was able to move the Continental Army further north on October 31.
The Pennsylvania Ledger: Or the Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New-Jersey Weekly Advertiser
Printed by James Humphreys, Jr.
Extract of a letter from White Plains, dated Oct. 28, 1776. at two o’clock, P. M.
“I have only time to acquaint you, that since my arrival at the American camp, we have had several very successful skirmishes with the enemy, in which the latter have lost several hundred men, in killed and prisoners. Thirteen Waldeckers, seven Britons, and two Tories were yesterday taken prisoners, and brought into head quarters.
“This day, about ten o’clock, the enemy advanced towards our lines, in full view of head quarters, while a large body approached to the right. The first were soon dispersed by our artillery. The latter attacked several of our regiments on the right when a warm engagement began, and now continues with great fury. Tomorrow, it is probable, will produce a general battle.
“Colonel Smallwood is just come in, wounded in the arm and hip, but not dangerously.
“I must not omit mentioning that the enemy made an unsuccessful attempt against our lines at Harlem yesterday.”
Extract of another letter, dated in the evening of the above day.
“The post being detained by desire of the General gives me an opportunity (with a wooden pen on a drum head) to acquaint you that the part of our army which was engaged to day was a brigade commanded by General M’Dougal, composed of Webb’s, Ritzma’s, Smallwood’s Haslet’s and Brook’s, regiments—Ritzma’s and Smallwood’s suffered most, on this occasion, sustaining with great patience and coolness, a long and heavy fire—and finally retreated, with great sullenness, being obliged to give way to a superior force, The British army and auxiliaries are now encamped about one mile off our lines, and make a formidable appearance—but from the spirit and temper of our troops, I augur well of the event of another attack, which it is expected will commence to morrow morning.”
