United States War Office

War-Office, November 14th, 1776. To the Associators of Pennsylvania. Gentlemen, Congress have received Intelligence that a Fleet of the Enemy, consisting of several hundred Sail, were yesterday discovered near Sandy-Hook, steering to the Southward. It is highly probable that their Destination is for Delaware and the City of Philadelphia. It is needless to observe that the utmost Vigour and Dispatch are necessary to counteract the Designs of the Enemy, and defend this City, the Preservation of which is of very great Importance to the general Cause. … Every Thing dear to Freemen is now at Stake. The Freemen of Pennsylvania will undoubtedly discover the Spirit and Zeal, which their Country expects and their critical Situation demands.… [Philadelphia:] Printed by John Dunlap, [14 December 1776]

Broadside half-sheet (11 3/4 x 7 1/8 in.; 298 x 181 mm). 39 lines + 3 headlines, issued above the names of Benjamin Harrison, James Wilson, Edward Rutledge, and Francis Lightfoot Lee; short tear at top margin.

Laird U. Park, Jr. (sale, Sotheby's New York, 29 November 2000, lot 362)

Evans 15192; not in Worthington C. Ford, Bibliographical Notes on the Issues of the Continental Congress. Cf. Journals of Continental Congress VI 950; Letters of Delegates, ed. Paul H. Smith, V 482; Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary Series, ed. Dorothy Twohig, VII 153.

Rumors of a British attack on Philadelphia. A rare and unusual official broadside from the nascent War Office, which is at the same time an urgent news-sheet. Congress had received this day a letter from James Searle in Long Beach, New Jersey, warning that the British fleet had been spotted off Sandy Hook and seemed to preparing to sail towards Philadelphia. The War Office, or Board of War, was ordered to confer immediately with the Pennsylvania Council of Safety, to take measures of defense, as outlined in this broadside: all militias were urged to come immediately to the defense of Philadelphia. A similar message from the War Office was sent the same day to General Washington at Fort Lee, and John Hancock forwarded the report to the assemblies of Delaware, Virginia, and other southern colonies. By the next day, it became clear that the rumor was false, and the War Office rescinded its call to arms.

Rare: This is the only copy of this broadside to appear at auction since the Philip D. Sang copy was sold in our rooms 20 June 1979, lot 803.