1From George Washington to John Augustine Washington, 20 June 1775 (Washington Papers)
I am now to bid adieu to you, & to every kind of domestick ease, for a while. I am Imbarked on a wide Ocean, boundless in its prospect & from whence, perhaps, no safe harbour is to be found[.] I have been called upon by the unanimous Voice of the Colonies to take the Command of the Continental Army—an honour I neither sought after, nor desired, as I am thoroughly convinced; that it requires...
2From George Washington to John Augustine Washington, 27 July 1775 (Washington Papers)
On the 2d Instt I arrived at this place after passing through a great deal of delightful Country, covered with grass (although the Season has been dry) in a very different manner to what our Lands in Virginia are. I found a mixed multitude of People here, under very little discipline, order, or Government—I found the Enemy in Possession of a place called Bunkers Hill, on Charles Town Neck,...
3From George Washington to John Augustine Washington, 10 September 1775 (Washington Papers)
So little has happend since the date of my last that I should scarce have given you the trouble of reading this Letter, did I not immagine that it might be some satisfaction to you to know that we are well and in no fear or dread of the Enemy. Being, in our own opinion at least, very securely Intrenched, and wishing for nothing more than to see the Enemy out of their strong holds, that the...
4From George Washington to John Augustine Washington, 13 October 1775 (Washington Papers)
Your favour of the 12th Ulto came safe to hand a few days ago; by it I gladly learnt that your Family were recover’d of the two complaints which had siezed many of them; and confind my Sister—I am very glad to hear also, that the Convention had come to resolutions of Arming the People, and preparing vigorously for the defence of the Colony; which, by the latest Accts from England will prove a...
5From George Washington to John Augustine Washington, 31 March 1776 (Washington Papers)
Your Letter of the 24th Ulto was duely forwarded to this Camp by Colo. Lee. and gave me the pleasure of hearing that you, my Sister and family were well. after your Post is established to Fredericksburg the Intercourse by Letter may become regular and certain (& when ever time, little of which God knows I have for friendly corrispondances, will permit, I shall be happy in writing to you)—I...
6From George Washington to John Augustine Washington, 29 April 1776 (Washington Papers)
Since my arrival at this place I have been favour’d with two or three of your Letters, and thank you for your kind and frequent remembrance of me —If I shd not write to you, as often as you do to me, you must attribute it to its true cause, and that is the hurry, and multiplicity of business in which I am constantly engaged from the time I rise out of my Bed till I go into it again. I wrote...
7From George Washington to John Augustine Washington, 31 May–4 June 1776 (Washington Papers)
Since my arrival at this place, where I came at the request of Congress, to settle some matters relative to the ensuing Campaign I have received your Letter of the 18th from Williamsburg, & think I stand indebted to you for another, which came to hand sometime ago, in New York. I am very glad to find that the Virginia Convention have passed so noble a vote, with so much unanimity —things have...
8From George Washington to John Augustine Washington, 22 July 1776 (Washington Papers)
Whether you wrote to me or I to you last, I cannot undertake to say; but as it is sometime since a Letter has past, and as I expect every hour to be engaged in two busy a Scene to allow time for writing private Letters, I will take an oppertunity by this days post to address you a few Lines, giving a brief acct of the Situation of Affairs in this Quarter. To begin then—we have a powerful Fleet...
9From George Washington to John Augustine Washington, 22 September 1776 (Washington Papers)
My extreame hurry for some time past has rendered it utterly impossible for me to pay that attention to the Letters of my Friends which Inclination, and natural Affection always Inclines me to. I have no doubt therefore of meeting with their excuse, tho’ with respect to yourself, I have had no Letter from you since the date of my last saving the one of Septr the 1st. With respect to the Attack...
10From George Washington to John Augustine Washington, 6–19 November 1776 (Washington Papers)
I have had the pleasure to receive your Letter of the 6th Ulto. We have, I think, by one Manouvre and another, and with a parcel of—but it is best to say nothing more about them—Mixed, & ungovernable Troops, spun the Campaign out to this time without coming to any decisive Action, or without letting Genl How obtain any advantage which, in my opinion, can contribute much to the completion of...