General Washington Praises Lydia Darrah to Congress December 11, 1777

When the British army held possession of Philadelphia, September 26, 1777, to June 19, 1778, General Howe’s headquarters were in Second Street, the fourth door below Spruce, in a house which was before occupied by General John Cadwallader. Directly opposite resided William and Lydia Darrah, members of the Society of Friends.

A superior officer of the British Army, believed to be the adjutant general, fixed upon one of the chambers in the Darrah home, a back room, for holding private conferences, and two or more officers, frequently met there, by candle light, and remained long in consultation.

869On December 2, 1777, the adjutant general told Lydia Darrah that they would be in the room at seven o’clock that evening; they would remain late, and that he wished the family to retire early to bed, adding that when they were going away they would call her to let them out and to extinguish their candles and fire.

She accordingly sent all the family to bed, but as the high officer had been so particular, her womanly curiosity was excited. She removed her shoes, and walked quietly to the door, when she placed her ear to the keyhole and listened to the conversation of the officers, which was held in subdued tones. She overheard the reading of an order which was to call out all the British troops on the evening of the 4th to attack General Washington’s army, then encamped at White Marsh.

On hearing this news she returned in her chamber and lay down. Soon after the officer knocked at the door, but she rose only at the third summons, having feigned herself asleep. Her mind was so much agitated that she could neither eat nor sleep, supposing it to be in her power to save the lives of thousands of her fellow-countrymen, but not knowing how she was to convey the information to General Washington, not even daring to communicate it to her husband.

The time left, however, was short. She must act promptly. She determined to make her way quickly as possible to the American outposts. In the early morning she informed her family that, as she was in need of flour, she would go to Frankford for some. Her husband insisted that she take her maid servant with her, but to his surprise she politely refused.

She got access to General Howe and solicited a pass through the British line, which was readily granted. Leaving her bag at the mill, she hastened toward the American lines and encountered on her way an American lieutenant colonel by the name of Craig, of the Light Horse, who, with some of his men, was on the lookout for information.

The officer recognized Mrs. Darrah as an acquaintance, and inquired where she was going. She answered, in quest of her son, an officer in the American Army, and prayed that the colonel might alight and walk with her. He did so, ordering his troops to keep in sight.

To Colonel Craig she disclosed her secret after having obtained from him a solemn promise never to betray her individually, as her life might be at stake with the British.

The colonel conducted her to a house near at hand, directed something be given her to eat, and he then hastened with all possible speed to headquarters, where he immediately acquainted General Washington with what he had heard.

Washington put in motion every possible preparation to baffle the meditated surprise.

Mrs. Darrah obtained her flour and returned home; sat up alone to watch the movement of the British troops, heard their footsteps as they 870silently marched away; but when they returned a few days after, she did not dare to ask a question, though solicitous to learn of the event.

The following evening the adjutant general came to the house and requested Mrs. Darrah to walk up to his room, as he wished to put some questions to her.

She followed him in terror; and when he locked the door and begged her, with an air of mystery, to be seated, she was sure that she was either suspected or betrayed.

He inquired earnestly whether any of her family was up the last night when he and the other officers met. She assured him that they all retired at 8 o’clock. He then observed:

“I know you were asleep, for I knocked at your chamber door three times before you heard me. I am entirely at a loss to imagine who gave General Washington information of our intended attack, unless the walls of the house could speak. When we arrived near White Marsh we found all their cannon mounted and the troops prepared to receive us, and we have marched back like a parcel of fools.”

Among the published correspondence of General Washington is a letter written by him, addressed Headquarters, Whitemarsh, 10 December, 1777, which is as follows:

“Sir—I have the honor to inform you that in the course of last week, from a variety of intelligence, I had reason to expect that General Howe was preparing to give us a general action. Accordingly, on Thursday night he moved from the city with all his force, except a very inconsiderable part left in his lines and redoubts, and appeared the next morning on Chestnut Hill, in front of, and about three miles distant from, our right wing.

“As soon as our position was discovered, the Pennsylvania militia were ordered from our right, to skirmish with their light advanced parties; and I am sorry to mention, that Brigadier General Irvine, who led them on, had the misfortune to be wounded and to be taken prisoner. Nothing more occurred on that day.

“On Friday night the enemy changed their ground, and moved to our left within a mile of our line, where they remained quiet and advantageously posted the whole of the next day.

“On Sunday they inclined still further to our left; and, from every appearance there was reason to apprehend they were determined on an action. In this movement their advanced and flanking parties were warmly attacked by Colonel Morgan and his corps and also by the Maryland militia under Colonel Gist. Their loss I cannot ascertain; but I am informed it was considerable.

“On Monday afternoon they began to move again, and instead of advancing, filed off from their right; and the first certain account that I could obtain of their intentions was, that they were in full march toward Philadelphia.

871“The enemy’s loss, as I have observed, I cannot ascertain. One account from the city is that 500 wounded had been sent in; another is that eighty-two wagons had gone in with men in this situation. These, I fear, are both exaggerated, and not to be depended upon. We lost twenty-seven men in Morgan’s corps, killed and wounded, besides Major Morris, a brave and gallant officer, who is among the latter.”

In a second letter to Congress, dated Headquarters near the Guelph, 11, December, 1777, General Washington referred to the bravery of a Pennsylvanian as being the means of saving the army. There is hardly a doubt but that he had in mind the brave action of Lydia Darrah, one of the heroines of our country.