On this day 250 years ago in the Revolution in White Plains, New York, Gen. George Washington wrote to the President of the Continental Congress John Hancock about the withdrawal of the British Army south from White Plains back towards Manhattan and speculated about the next moves of the British:

I cannot indulge an Idea, that General Howe, supposing he is going to New York, means to close the Campaign and to sit down without attempting something more. I think it highly probable and almost certain, that he will make a descent with a part of his Troops into Jersey, and as soon as I am satisfied that the present manuvre is real and not a feint, I shall use every means in my power to forward a part of our force to counteract his designs. . . . from the information I have received, there is now a number of Transports at Red Hook with about three thousand Troops on board. their destination as given out, is, to Rhode Island, but this seems altogether improbable for various reasons, among others, the Season is much against it. . . . .

. . .

I expect the Enemy will bend their force against Fort Washington and invest It immediately. from some advices it is an Object that will attract their earliest attention.

Washington was correct in predicting the British would attack Fort Washington on Manhattan and cross the Hudson to New Jersey, but guessed wrong in speculating that would not also occupy Rhode Island.

Source: “George Washington towwJohn Hancock, 6 November 1776,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-07-02-0067. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 7, 21 October 1776–5 January 1777, ed. Philander D. Chase. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1997, pp. 96–100.]