and Colonel fiaftly, which are \vell clothed ; most of the. 

 others are in a wretched condition. 



I am fom excellency's humble servant, 



Ant'y Wayne;, 



Fearful their deliberations might be interrupted, while 

 in sessionrtt Philadelphia, Congress resolved to remove 

 from Philadelphia. " On the 18th of September, 1777, 

 Congress sat as iisUal, and after having fulfilled the regu- 

 lar hours of daily service, adjourned to 10 o'clock tlie 

 next morning, but during the adjournment the president 

 received a letter from Colonel Hamilton, one of General 

 Washington's aids, which intimated the necessity of Con- 

 gress leaving their place of deliberation. The members 

 resolved at once to repair to Lancaster, where they 

 ^•rived on the 27th of September, the very day when 

 Sir William Howe entered Philadelphia, and took peace- 

 able possession of it. 



The treasury boolvs, papers, money, &c. were carried 

 from Philadelphia to Bristol, thence by Reading to Lan- 

 caster. This circuitous route was to avoid falling into 

 tile hands of the enemy, who were at that time still in 

 Chester county, where, a few days previous, the battle of 

 Brandy wine had been fought. 



Congress met, but fearful that Lancaster was too easily 

 accessible to the enemy, they determined the broad Sus- 

 quehanna should flow between them and the enemy. — 

 They adjourned the same day of their first meeting to 

 York. The first day of their session at York was the 

 30th September, 1777; here Congress remained till June 

 27, 1778, when they adjomiied to meet at the State House 

 in Philadelphia.* 



Though the conflict continued lona:, the ardor of the 

 citizens of Lancaster coun*y did not abate m opposm 



*His. York county. 



=1 



