To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel Loammi Baldwin, 19 December 1775
From Lieutenant Colonel Loammi Baldwin
Chelsea [Mass.]
Decem. 19th 1775
May it Please your Excellency
this Evening came to my Quarters under a guard one Weber Sent from Point Shirley by the Committee as you will See by the Enclosed letter1 Sd Weber has a great mind to go back into Boston he brought a Man out of Boston with 20 Joes in Cash that could not git a Pass to come out & intended to return himselfe (as he says) to help more out, he goes under the Pretence of Fowling being a noted Gunner he has never had the Small Pox he Intended to run away himself as soon as he could git his Famaly out who all had passes.
I beg your Excellen[c]y would signify your Pleasure by the bearer as the Man is now under guard.2
I have nothing extrordinary to Remark but enclose the observations.3 From your Excellencys Humble Servnt
L. Baldwin
ADfS, MH: Baldwin Papers.
1. This enclosure has not been identified. The committee was the one appointed by the Massachusetts General Court to care for the refugees leaving Boston. See GW to James Warren, 9 Nov. 1775, n.1.
2. Robert Hanson Harrison wrote to Baldwin the next day: “I am commanded by his Excellency to Inform you that from the Letter & proceedings of the Committee at point Shirley respecting Mr Weber, he stands in a suspicious & unfriendly light—However as he would not wish to put any person under rigorous Confinement who does not deserve It, you & the Committee may consult together and If It shall appear that he is a friend & can be trusted you may permit his return to bring out his family & others” (DLC:GW).
3. These observations have not been identified.