Meanwhile it had become known in Philadelphia
that the King of France had concluded an alliance
with the rebellious colonies, and that a French fleet
might soon threaten the entrance of Delaware Bay,
and cut off the communication by water with New
York. In other words, as the good Germans put it to
themselves, “a strong French fleet, with many thousand
land troops and cavalry, had run out of Brest,
and was coming to North America, under pretence of
being allies to Congress, but really with the intention
of acquiring a firm footing on that continent.”[1]
It was the approach of the French fleet, together with orders received from England, that induced Sir Henry Clinton to abandon Philadelphia and retreat to New York. A part of the baggage of the army was put on board the English ships, and about three thousand of the Tory inhabitants prepared to follow their protectors and abandon their native land. The streets, which had been like those of a German town in fair time, were now deserted. In front of many houses stood piles of furniture, to be sold at auction. The inhabitants went about with sad faces, but some of them rejoiced in secret.[2]
During the month of November the Anspach regiments had been brought from New York to Philadelphia. They were now shipped again to New York, instead of sharing in the march across New Jersey. It was said among the Americans that the British commander could not trust these two regiments. By the Germans it was said that they had shown their in-
