(Letter written to GW 1 month 17th 1793 from Daniel Byrnes, GW Papers, UVA) “”…

in the year 1777 I was owner of and Lived at them Mills in the State of Dallaware on the side of White Clay Creek abought two Miles north of Christiana Bridge at the time the English Army Lay between my Mills and the head of Elk and the American Army Some of them on the Hill by White Clay Creek Bridge in Sight of my House & Mills and Some of them nearer to Newport. Thus was I with my Famely Situated between the two Contending Armies and on the 7th Day of the week Clement Biddle, an officer as I Supose in thy Army Came to my House and informed me that General Woshington had Sent him to let me know that the wheat & Flour in my Mills must be Removed and told me that thou Said the English Army wod be quite likely to Come that way and wod Distroy what I had but that thou wod take it and I Should be paid for it. I Did then belive thou intended it as a favour to me as I was not Looked on as an Enemy to my Countery and therefore I could Do no other thing but Submit to thy orders accordingly he Sent that Day twenty Wagons and Loaded with Wheat and Flour and next Day being first Day of the week came twenty more Wagons and Loaded (while I was at Meeting) with wheat and flour the also that Day took Eight Large Cheese away which was put in the Mill to be out of the way of the Flies they Laft with Some of my young men Recipts for the Wheat & Flour but not for the Cheese they ware to come again the Next Day being the Second Day of the week for more wheat & Flour as there was Some Still Lafft but that Day the English Army Crossed white Clay Creek 2 0r 3 miles above my Mills and thy Army moved away. I saw Clement Biddle that Day on Horseback he told me he wod pay me but the Army was moving and all Seemed in a hurry. I Supose he had not time and want away without paying after that time there was Much Difucalties with the Army I knew not whare to apply for pay….”

[GW Papers UVA][Christine S. Patrick and John C. Pinheiro, eds., The Papers of George Washington: Presidential Series volume 12, January – May 1793. Charlottesville and London: University Press of Virginia, 2005, pages 14-18.

You can also access this document online in our digital edition. A free trial version can be accessed by visiting http://rotunda.upress.virginia.edu/. Once there, you can search by contents to locate volume 12.]