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To George Washington from Joseph Digges, 1 November 1779

From Joseph Digges

Teneriffe Port Orotava1 Novr 1st 1779

Dr Sir

I beg leave, by this favorable Oppty to Drop your Excell’y these few Lines & coud wish I was at Liberty, to write you the Occurrences on this side the Atlantic; But not having yet heard of my being exchanged, my Parole of Honor forbids me. Upon my being made a Prisoner, I wrote Coll Harrison a few Lines from N: York with a Copy of Parole, & desired him to inform your Excell’y of it;2 Not Doubting your kind Offices in geting me exchanged, as soon as an Oppty offerd. I have never recieved the least Intelligence or Line since, from any of my Friends in America; from whence I conclude, that the Family at Warburton either believes Me Dead, or have neglected writing me;3 This, together with a relapse I experienced 3 months ago & which is dayly gaining ground, have reduced me very low, & must eer long prove fatal, unless I quit this wretched Island, wh. I propose doing & retire to the South of France Where I am in Hopes, that the Air of Montpellier, will restore my Health & in a few years to return to my Native Land; When I flatter myself of seeing you Sir once more return to Mt Vernon, to enjoy amidst the Applauses of a gratefull people, the blessings of Peace & Independence. I beg leave to have the Honor of presenting your Excellency by this favourable Oppty a pipe of old Wine, wh. comes to the Care of Mr Morris of Philada to whom the Vessell is consigned.4 My best respects to Mrs Washington & have the honor to be with great Esteem Yr Excellencys most obedt humble St

Joseph Digges

ALS, DLC:GW, enclosed in Hewes, Smith, & Allen to GW, 4 Jan. 1780, Sprague transcript, DLC:GW.

Joseph Digges (1746/7–1780) was one of twelve children born in a Maryland Catholic family (see n.3 below). He studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh from 1764 to 1767 and served as a surgeon in the Maryland militia during 1777 and 1778. Digges developed consumption, and the Maryland Council granted him permission on 23 Oct. 1778 to sail to Bermuda for health reasons (see Md. Archives, description begins Archives of Maryland. 72 vols. Baltimore, 1883–1972. description ends 21:222). Apparently captured during this voyage, he remained a prisoner until his death.

1. Port Orotava is a roadstead on the northern coast of Teneriffe, the largest of the Canary Islands. Port Orotava is distinct from the town of Orotava, which lies three miles to the south and over one thousand feet above sea level.

2. Neither the letter from Digges to GW’s secretary Robert Hanson Harrison nor the parole has been identified.

3. Warburton Manor was the home of the Digges family in Prince Georges County, Md., across the Potomac River from Mount Vernon. GW maintained relationships with members of the family for many years (see William Digges to GW, 4 June 1760, in Papers, Colonial Series, description begins W. W. Abbot et al., eds. The Papers of George Washington, Colonial Series. 10 vols. Charlottesville, Va., 1983–95. description ends 6:433–34, and Thomas Attwood Digges to GW, 12 Nov. 1791, in Papers, Presidential Series, description begins W. W. Abbot et al., eds. The Papers of George Washington, Presidential Series. 19 vols. to date. Charlottesville, Va., 1987–. description ends 9:182–84; see also Diaries, description begins Donald Jackson and Dorothy Twohig, eds. The Diaries of George Washington. 6 vols. Charlottesville, Va., 1976–79. description ends vol. 3; Elias and Finch, Digges Letters description begins Robert H. Elias and Eugene D. Finch, eds. Letters of Thomas Attwood Digges (1742–1821). Columbia, S.C., 1982. description ends ; and Anna Coxe Toogood, Warburton Manor and The Digges Family of Maryland: Historic Structures Report [Washington, D.C., 1970]).

4. For the delivery of this wine, see Robert Morris to GW, 1 Feb. 1780, and Robert Smith to GW, 3 March 1780, both in DLC:GW; see also GW to Morris, 4 Feb. 1780, DLC:GW.

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    Washington Papers
    Title
    To George Washington from Joseph Digges, 1 November 1779
    Author
    Digges, Joseph
    Recipient
    Washington, George
    Date
    1 November 1779

    Reference

    Cite as
    “To George Washington from Joseph Digges, 1 November 1779,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-23-02-0107. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 23, 22 October–31 December 1779, ed. William M. Ferraro. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2015, pp. 112–113.]