Details
[REVOLUTIONARY WAR.] [WHARTON, Thomas, Jr.] Manuscript document signed (secretarial signature), “To the Public,” Philadelphia, 1 January 1777. 1 page, folio, expertly repaired along the folds (staining and repairs obscuring portions of a few words); a Work and Be Rich watermark.
INSTRUCTIONS TO KINDLY TREAT THE HESSIAN PRISONERS CAPTURED BY WASHINGTON AFTER HIS FAMOUS CROSSING OF THE DELAWARE
“Yesterday there arrived in this City near one thousand Hessian prisoners, taken by his Excellency Genl. Washington in his late fortunate and successful expedition to New Jersey.” This was Washington’s famous attack on the garrison at Trenton on 26 December 1776, after crossing the icy waters of the Delaware the night before. Coming after a series of defeats and retreats from Long Island to White Plains in the preceding months, Washington’s bold stroke was a tremendous boost to American morale. In this address the citizens of Philadelphia, Wharton strikes a magnanimous and upbeat tone, and reports it is Washington’s explicit instruction that the Hessians are to be “well treated,” and are to be pitied instead of vilified. “These miserable creatures now justly excite our compassion. They have no enmity to us. According to the arbitrary customs of the tyrannical petty princes of Germany, they were dragged from their native country and sold like cattle to a foreign monarch…Tis the British alone that are our enemy…The most favourable opportunity now offers to weaken the force of our Enemies by making their auxiliaries our Friends…”
INSTRUCTIONS TO KINDLY TREAT THE HESSIAN PRISONERS CAPTURED BY WASHINGTON AFTER HIS FAMOUS CROSSING OF THE DELAWARE
“Yesterday there arrived in this City near one thousand Hessian prisoners, taken by his Excellency Genl. Washington in his late fortunate and successful expedition to New Jersey.” This was Washington’s famous attack on the garrison at Trenton on 26 December 1776, after crossing the icy waters of the Delaware the night before. Coming after a series of defeats and retreats from Long Island to White Plains in the preceding months, Washington’s bold stroke was a tremendous boost to American morale. In this address the citizens of Philadelphia, Wharton strikes a magnanimous and upbeat tone, and reports it is Washington’s explicit instruction that the Hessians are to be “well treated,” and are to be pitied instead of vilified. “These miserable creatures now justly excite our compassion. They have no enmity to us. According to the arbitrary customs of the tyrannical petty princes of Germany, they were dragged from their native country and sold like cattle to a foreign monarch…Tis the British alone that are our enemy…The most favourable opportunity now offers to weaken the force of our Enemies by making their auxiliaries our Friends…”