Spy System 1777 
Page IV
Clark sent another letter the following day, November 18, describing his recruitment of a new young spy:
A Young fellow of Character has been recommended to me (by a Gentleman of my acquaintance in whom I can entirely confide) as a suitable person to give information of the Enemy's designs-He is now in the City-& will be with you so soon as he makes the discoveries I have ordered-If they attempt Redbank, by throwing our Troops from the City-he is to wait on you with an immediate account of their numbers or any other movements that are about to take place-I have ordered him to mingle with the British Officers as he is acquainted with several of them & very intimately, 'twill be easily effected
Clark then suggests to Washington a policy of striking at the enemy by destroying their supply of food and other provisions:
The Enemy were also taking over a great number of Horses on the Island & bringing up Hay-there are several Stacks on Boones Island that may be burnt without any danger, if they are left, the Enemy will certainly get the Hay, as they are bringing their spare Cattle there to Fodder-great numbers of Cattle are along the shore which they will undoubtedly take in a few Days, if not speedily removed. . . . the Hessian Butchers steal all the Cows they can get at Night, kill 'em & sell them to the Inhabitants
Later the same day (November 18, 1777) Clark sent a follow-up letter with urgent news of British troop movements:
A few Minutes ago one of my Friends came to me & informs me about 5000 of the Enemy crossed from Philadelphia at the Middle Ferry; they are on the Chester Road encamped a few Miles from Chester-they have a great many Baggage Waggons & a number of Field pieces, one of the Officers waiters assured my Friend the whole Army were moving on-others of the Privates say they are going to cross the Delaware.
The Marquess Cornwallis
John Singleton Copley,
Clark wrote again the next day, November 19, informing General Washington:
Lord Cornwallis commands the party that came down from Philadelphia they compleated their embarkation about Sunset Yesterday the following Regiments are with his Lordship Vizt the 5th 15th 17th 33d 77th & 56th exclusive of the Hessians & Light Infantry with 12 pieces of Cannon & several Howitz
This heavy detachment from the enemy forces in Philadelphia induced Clark to write hurriedly to Washington on November 22nd that
. . . one of my Spies has this moment come to me from Philadelphia, he delivered the Dispatches to Sr Wm & has been through his Army says those remaining at Philadelphia do not exceed 5000, the Soldiers much fatigued & grumble at the severe duty they are obliged to do & are exceedingly averse to the service their Redoubts have from two to three Field pieces in each, in front at the distance of seventy Yards, they have abattis from the Schuylkill to Delaware, made of the Apple Trees collected from the different Orchards near the City, the Hessians are encamped on the right, the Grenadiers, on the left, light Infantry & Scotch in the Centre, a few Hessians & one Battalion of the seventy first ly near the Middle Ferry, they are exceeding watchful of the Inhabitants; if they discover three or four of them talking together, they order them to disperse, & converse very little with them-they Troops have plenty of salt provisions & are badly cloathed.
In an express sent to Washington on the same day, Clark again suggested that British forces defending Philadelphia were weak, and that the time might be ripe for the Americans to attack:
I am well informed there is not above 4 or 5000, Troops at most, remaining with General Howe, that the Soldiers say if an Attack is made, they must inevitably be defeated-& am fearful 'twill be attempted, this is also the talk of the Citizens
But Washington had denuded his own army of many troops by ordering a column commanded by Christopher Greene (a cousin of Nathaneal Greene) across the Delaware to oppose Cornwallis's forces attacking Fort Mercer in New Jersey. These troops too had not yet returned, thereby precluding the American Army from initiating any offensive maneuvers. By the time Greene rejoined Washington at Whitemarsh, Cornwallis was back in Philadelphia, which was no longer such an easy target for Washington.
