Photo By Erin Thompson | George Washington by Charles Willson Peale (1776)... read more read more
Subscribe
by Michael E. Bigelow, INSCOM Command Historian
"& GAINING INTELLIGENCE"
On Jul. 21, 1775, General George Washington wrote a lengthy letter to John Hancock, the president of the Continental Congress. The letter was Washington’s second to Hancock since assuming command of the Continental Army, and it outlined his priorities, including the pressing need to gain intelligence on British forces around Boston.
After informing Hancock he expected reinforcements that would “compose an Army sufficiently strong, to oppose any Force which may be brought against us,” Washington “thought [it] proper to communicate my Sentiments as early as possible.” He then noted that, for the past eight days, “there have been no Movements in either Camp of any Consequence;” instead, both American and British forces worked to improve their defensive lines. His intelligence on the British suggested that “they expect the Attack from us, & are principally engaged in preparing themselves against it.”
To reach this conclusion, Washington relied on a variety of sources. He received information, including some London newspapers, from John Derby, a Massachusetts merchant who travelled to England after the battles of Lexington and Concord and returned by mid-July 1775. From New York, he received reports of ten British transport ships of reinforcements stopping for fresh water before continuing to Boston. Locally, he could rely on Massachusetts fishermen, who gained British permission to fish in the waters around Boston and then sell their catch in the city. While selling their fish, they would gather information on the conditions and report back to Washington. These sources pointed to British losses at the battle of Bunker Hill to “greater than at first supposed.” Yet, Washington noted, “the Increase of Tents & Men in the Town of Boston is very obvious.”
Although Washington had a reasonable certainty of the immediate tactical situation, he admitted, “I have not been able from any Intelligence I have received, to form any certain Judgment of the future Operations of the Enemy.” He noted, “Some Times I have suspected an Intention of detaching a Part of their Army to some Part of the Coast.” Consequently, Washington had his troops remain vigilant for such enemy movements.
Washington then informed Congress of his priorities. “Next to the more immediate & pressing Duties of putting our Lines in as secure a State as possible, attending to the Movements of the Enemy, & gaining Intelligence,” Washington wrote, “my great Concern is to establish Order, Regularity & Discipline.” In short, for the American commander, acquisition of the strength and intentions of the enemy forces ranked only under providing the security for his forces around Boston.
Throughout the war, Washington would keep congressional leadership informed of the army’s situation. In his frequent correspondence—almost three times a week—to Hancock, he never shied away from offering his best military advice. Moreover, he always maintained his priority on gaining intelligence on the British strength and intentions.
New issues of This Week in MI History are published each week. To report story errors, ask questions, request previous articles, or be added to our distribution list, please contact: TR-ICoE-Command-Historian@army.mil.
| Date Taken: | 07.21.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.21.2025 10:40 |
| Story ID: | 543332 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 22 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Washington to Hancock: "& Gaining Intelligence" (21 JUL 1775), must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
