The river was swollen, there were incessant snowstorms, and ice formed heavily, so that it took twenty days of toil and cold before Denny reached Wheeling and got horses.

For ten days more he rode over the bad winter roads, reaching Philadelphia with the evil tidings on the evening of December 19th.

It was thus six weeks after the defeat of the army before the news was brought to the anxious Federal authorities.
The young officer called first on the Secretary of War; but as soon as the Secretary realized the importance of the information he had it conveyed to the President.

Washington was at dinner, with some guests, and was called from the table to listen to the tidings of ill fortune.
He returned with unmoved face, and at the dinner, and at the reception which followed, he behaved with his usual stately courtesy to those whom he was entertaining, not so much as hinting at what he had heard.
Washington's Wrath.
But when the last guest had gone, his pent-up wrath broke forth in one of those fits of volcanic fury which sometimes shattered his iron outward calm.

Walking up and down the room he burst out in wild regret for the rout and disaster, and bitter invective against St.Clair, reciting how, in that very room, he had wished the unfortunate commander success and honor and had bidden him above all things beware of a surprise.