From George Washington to Lieutenant Colonel William Washington, 8 July 1779
To Lieutenant Colonel William Washington
Head Qrs New Windsor July the 8 1779
Dr Sir
On saturday I received Your Letter of the 30th of June.1 I am much concerned to find that your Regiment was in so low a condition as not to admit a larger Detachment’s going to the Southward.2 As the Remainder of the Horses with you—and those you are to procure from Mr Mitchell are unfit to take the field yet, You may as well remain at Wilmington3 as any where else for the purpose of recruiting & training them. At the same time I must request your greatest attention to those points—and that you will inform the Board of War of your progress and transmit them returns of your strength—that they may know how to direct your future conduct. The enormous expence attending the Horse and your own disposition will, I am persuaded, lead you to every exertion to fit Yours for service as soon as possible.
I received the Stockings, which Mrs Logan has been so polite as to send me. I am Dr sir Yr Most Obedt sert
G. Washington
Df, in Robert Hanson Harrison’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
GW had written Washington from New Windsor on 28 June: “That you may be the more effectually enabled to prosecute your march without impediment you will in future address yourself to General Scot for assistance & direction to whom I have written on the subject” (Df, in Alexander Hamilton’s writing, DLC: GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW). GW is referring to his letter to Charles Scott of the same date.
1. Washington’s letter to GW of 30 June, which arrived on 3 July, has not been found.
2. Washington commanded the 3d Continental Dragoon Regiment, which had been ordered to the southern department (see GW to Washington, 21 May; see also GW to Theodorick Bland, same date, and 14:559–60).
3. GW is referring to Wilmington, Del., whose town clerk published a notice, addressed to Washington and dated 19 Aug., in the Pennsylvania Packet or the General Advertiser (Philadelphia) for 24 Aug. that reads: “I am directed by the Burgesses of this borough to acknowledge their sincere and unfeigned thanks to you, and the Officers of the regiment of Light Dragoons under your command, who are now leaving this borough, for their discreet, orderly and genteel behaviour, during the time of their continuance in this town. It affords us, Sir, a great degree of pleasure to reflect on your regularity and decorum, and we consider ourselves bound in a singular degree to express our warmest wishes for your prosperity and success over our common enemy.”