To George Washington from Sarah Franklin Bache, 26 December 1780
From Sarah Franklin Bache
Philadelphia December 26. 1780
Dear Sir
Soon after Mrs Blair wrote, we packed the shirts in three boxes, and delivered them to Coll Miles, with a request that he would send them to Trenton immediately, lest the river should close; where they now wait Your Excellency’s orders; there are two thousand and five in number; they would have been at Camp long before this, had not the general Sickness, which has prevailed, prevented, we wish them to be worn with as much Pleasure as they were made.1
My Father in one of his last Letters says “If you happen to see Gen. Washington again, asure him of my very great and sincere Respect, and tell him that all the Old Generals here, amuse themselves in Studying the Account’s of his Operations, and approve highly of his Conduct.”2
Mr Bache desires me to join his best Compliments with mine to Mrs Washington, and Your Excell: with every wish for Your Health and Happiness.3 I remain Your Excellys Obedient Humble Servant
S. Bache
ALS, NIC: Jared Sparks Collection.
1. GW already had given instructions for the disposition of the shirts (see GW to Samuel Miles, 23 Dec., found at Susan Blair to GW, 8 Dec., n.2).
2. Benjamin Franklin had written Bache from Passy, France, on 3 June 1779 (see , 29:612–15, quote on 615).
3. GW praised “our Virtuous Country Women” when he replied to Sarah Bache on 15 Jan. 1781 (DLC:GW).