To George Washington from Major Henry Lee, Jr., 26 January 1780
From Major Henry Lee, Jr.
philada Jany 26th 80
sir.
I do myself the honor to enclose a letter from Captain McLane.1 The transmission of his request throws me into an awkward situation. I beg your Excellency will be pleased to favor me with your answer as I wish to set out directly for Virginia.
I have never yet thanked your Excellency for the affectionate remind of a debt due:2 I have got a mare for you which I mean to deliver to Mr Lunn Washington in Virginia. I have the honor to be with the most inviolable regard & respect your most ob. servt
Henry Lee Junr
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. The enclosed letter from Capt. Allen McLane to Lee, dated at Philadelphia on 15 Jan., reads: “I have suffered so Extremely during the present War in point of property Which I have chearfully sacrificed, But I Cannot think of resigning my professional claims as they not only consern me as a soldier but as a man—Half pay here after is the only chance I have of reparation for what is lost—this compensation is proportionate to rank.
“I have served with fedelity the United States as a military man from the Commencement of the war, & three last years as Captain—I have recruited upwards of one hundred men my self in which service I have Expended money which has been repaid me nomunally only—many offisors who have served under me now Command me—I have mentioned these matters to several Gentlemen in power here, they wi⟨sh⟩ to serve [me] by an augmentation [of] my present command to three troops—but inform that nothing of this nature Can be done without previ⟨ous⟩ application to his Excey Gen. Washington I request you will please to write the Genl on the subject; & know his Decision, the sooner it is known the better for me as it will Enable ⟨me to⟩ take the necssary measures in Either case with out loss of time” (DLC:GW). McLane commanded the infantry troop (company) assigned to Lee’s Partisan Corps. Expansion of McLane’s command to three troops would make it a battalion-sized formation, normally commanded by a major or other field officer.
2. See GW to Lee, 9 January.