61Orders, 5 January 1756 (Washington Papers)
Ensign Polson being appointed in Colonel Gage’s Regiment, has Colonel Washington’s leave to resign his Commission in the Virginia Regiment. A Court of Enquiry to sit to-morrow at nine o’clock; to examine whether Thomas Norris, recruited by Sergeant Hughes, is duly enlisted. Lieutenant Colonel Stephen, President. All Evidences to attend. LB , DLC:GW . For John Polson’s subsequent military...
62Memorandum, 6 September 1755 (Washington Papers)
At the same time, the Instructions given to the other Subalterns were the same with these, differing only in this Respect; those who were ordered to Rendezvous at Fredericksburgh, were to apply to Mr Dick for orders, in case the Field Officer for that place was not arrived; and those who were ordered to Alexandria, were to apply to Mr Carlyle. After issuing the aforesaid Orders, I set out for...
63From George Washington to Andrew Lewis, 6 September 1755 (Washington Papers)
You are hereby ordered, to repair to Fredericksburgh immediately upon the arrival of Captain Hogg; who is to take the command of your Company: And upon applying to Mr Dick, you will meet with your Commission and Instructions—You must, before you quit your Company, be careful in collecting an exact Return of the Effectives, and non-effectives; the State of their Arms of all sorts; the...
64II. Instructions from Robert Dinwiddie, 14 August 1755 (Washington Papers)
Instructions for Colonel George Washington Commander in Chief of the Virginia Regiment. Whereas the French have unjustly invaded His Majesty’s Lands on the Ohio, and have sent flying Parties of French and Indians, to robb, and murder our back Settlers to the Westward, which the Legislature of this Dominion having seriously taken into their Consideration, and voted Money for the Protection of...
65To George Washington from Robert Hunter Morris, 31 October–1 November 1755 (Washington Papers)
Good Intelligences being of the utmost Consequences at this Juncture, and Mr Gist knowing more of Indians and of the Nature of the Country than any man here I have availd myself of his coming and desird him to go by Mr Weisers & consult with him in what manner to obtain true Accots of the Motions of the Enemy & to settle a Correspondance with You at Fort Cumberland. He will not be long detaind...
66From George Washington to Adam Stephen, 7 April 1756 (Washington Papers)
I am very much surprized to hear that the Officers with the Detachments from Fort Cumberland, are returned without meeting with the Enemy: as they were committing their depredations and cruelties in all parts at that time, even as low as Sleepy-Creek. It is determined here by Lord Fairfax and others of the militia, that a number of them shall be raised to march out and scour the Country—They...
67To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 22 January 1756 (Washington Papers)
Your two Letters of the 13th and 14th I shall answer Paragraphically. The Expedition against the Shawnesse I hope will be attended with Success, as two Women who were taken Prisoners made their Escape mention their being in their Towns & did not hear of their Intention of moving. You have done very right in ordering the Men to be train’d in the Indian Method of fighting but I can give You no...
68Memorandum, 19 September 1755 (Washington Papers)
The Officers Ordered yesterday to attend, Received their General Instructions, and the following Particular Ones. LB , DLC:GW . GW’s orders to Joshua Lewis , Hancock Eustace , and Thomas Cocke , and memoranda regarding Mordecai Buckner and William Stark , all dated 18 Sept. 1755, follow immediately after this document in the letter book, suggesting that they were not delivered until 19 Sept.
69George Mercer to Thomas Walker, 22 December 1755 (Washington Papers)
Deliver Captain Bells and Ensign Thompsons Recruits, four days provision; being in all, eighteen men. Deliver John Beard, five days, and John Campbell, of Captain Gist’s Company, four days provision. Deliver Francis Madden four days d[itt]o. LB , DLC:GW .
70To George Washington from Peter Hog, 23 September 1755 (Washington Papers)
I arrived here on the Sunday Evening which Majr Lewis can Inform you was using great dispatch for the badness of the Road. I send you Inclosed a return of the Men remaining at the fort, with a List of the Tentes tools Arms & Ammunition[.] You will observe the smal proportion of Each considering the great distance from Supplies. The fort is Inclosed on the four sides but the Bastions are yet to...
71George Mercer to Thomas Walker, 24 December 1755 (Washington Papers)
Deliver five men, two days provision; Captain Bronaugh’s Recruits—Deliver the Detachment of Light Horse, being thirteen men, two days provision. LB , DLC:GW .
72From George Washington to Joshua Lewis, 3 December 1755 (Washington Papers)
You are hereby ordered, to continue Recruiting until the 25th Instant; at which time you are with your Recruits, to be at Winchester without fail. You are to proceed to all Elections and other public meetings that you can possibly attend, between this and the said 25th of December; and use your utmost endeavours, to enlist such able-bodied men as are fit for his Majesty’s Service. You are to...
73From George Washington to Roger Morris, 17 October 1755 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Roger Morris, 17 Oct. 1755. On 3 Nov. 1755 Morris wrote to GW : “Yours of the 17th Octr from Winchester I recievd.”
74From George Washington to Christopher Gist, 18 October 1755 (Washington Papers)
1. You are hereby ordered to Repair to Harris’s Ferry, and other places where the Indians are upon the Susquehanna, and to use your utmost endeavours to engage them to come and lodge their Wives and Families in our Forts, and assist us in fighting their own Battles. 2ly You are, so soon as you arrive at the first of those Towns or Parties, to hire an Indian to go Express to Captain Andrew...
75To George Washington from Charles Lewis, 25 January 1756 (Washington Papers)
The inclos’d is a Letter from Colo. Stephen, with which I should have waited on You, had I not have heard You were gone to Williamsburg; I am now a recruiting much discourag’d by the Gentlemen’s Success, who have lately been, but no Pains shall be wanting on my Side to compleat my Company, but I fear it will be without Effect, Colo. Stephen’s Orders to repair to Winchester by the first of...
76Memorandum, 10 October 1755 (Washington Papers)
At this place I pressed Horses, and Rode immediately to Lord Fairfax’s and Winchester; and finding every thing in the utmost confusion, and no certain accounts of the Enemy; I hired two Scouts to go to the Branch, and Endeavour to procure Intelligence: by them I wrote as followeth. LB , DLC:GW . GW was in Fredericksburg. They were probably James Sands and Power Hazel. See GW to William Cocks...
77Memorandum, 6 January 1756 (Washington Papers)
Wrote to Ensign Buckner at Alexandria, to take John Berry, a Servant of Mr William West, who is willing to enlist; and to give up Jacob Funkhouser in his place. LB , DLC:GW . William West operated an ordinary in Fairfax County (now Loudoun County), and Mordecai Buckner was the quartermaster for the Virginia Regiment. GW noted in a Memorandum of 11–14 Jan. that the exchange of Funkhouser for...
78Orders, 10 October 1755 (Washington Papers)
Orders for the Recruits of the two Companies of Rangers. Winchester: October 10th 1755. One Corporal and Seven men to Mount a Guard, which is to be Relieved at Sun-set to-morrow. A Centry is to be placed over the Magazine and Gun powder. Lieutenants Limon and Rutherford, are to take it by turns, to examine the State of the Recruits, and see that they commit no Irregularities. An Orderly man is...
79From George Washington to Charles Dick, 6 September 1755 (Washington Papers)
I called at your Store last night, in order to converse farther with you, concerning the Commission of Commissary; but not meeting with you there, I have taken this method of desiring to be better informed of your Sentiments; I have enclosed you a Copy of that article of my Instructions, which empowers me to appoint another , in case you do not act; that you may see by what authority I am...
80From George Washington to Alexander Boyd, 1 November 1755 (Washington Papers)
As Colonel Stephen has brought £1000 which I wrote for to pay off the Troops, it will save you a journey to Williamsburg at this time: but I think it absolutely necessary that you should, after paying the Troops in Garrison, go into Augusta, to pay off Captain Hoggs Company, which is now complete; unless you can send the money by Mr McClenachan, or some safe hand from hence. The Recruits at...
81Orders, 8 April 1756 (Washington Papers)
The Officers now in Town, to give in a Return immediately of the Recruits they brought to Rendezvous, since they were last sent out: and are to have them drawn up, in order to be passed by Colonel Washington. Captain Peachy to see this done, and wait upon the Colonel, to let him know when they are ready. Sergeant Hughes is to march to Conongochieg immediately, with fifteen men from this Town....
82To George Washington from Roger Morris, 3 November 1755 (Washington Papers)
Yours of the 17th Octr from Winchester I receivd from Gist, when I was down at Newcastle with Governor Morris. I own, I am at a loss what to say in answer to some particulars in your Letter; & shall only appeal to your Judgment, from what I say. I have not since we parted at Fort Cumberland, recievd a single Line from you; Orme indeed, had a Letter wherein you desird I would send you a Copy of...
83From George Washington to David Bell, 8 April 1756 (Washington Papers)
To Captain David Bell. of the Virginia Regiment. You are Hereby Ordered to proceed immediately to Conogochege; and are there to take upon you the Command of the Troops now stationed there, for defence of the Stores, &c.—You are to endeavour with all possible expedition, to procure a sufficient number of Batteaus and Canoes (assisted by those which are already gone up with Captain Gist) to...
84From George Washington to Charles Dick, 20 September 1755 (Washington Papers)
You are hereby desir’d, to give in an exact return of all the cloathing of every kind, Arms of all sorts, Ammunition Provision’s Tents, Pack saddles &ca &ca that are at Winchester: and to be very particular in distinguishing the quantity and quality of each sort. I must also desire that you will provide Barracks, Provision’s, and other absolute necessarys for the Recruits as they arrive at...
85George Mercer to Thomas Walker, 23 December 1755 (Washington Papers)
Deliver Sergeant Campbell and his Party (eleven in number) three days provision. LB , DLC:GW . This was almost certainly Sgt. Henry Campbell, whom George Mercer ordered on 11 Dec. to conduct wagons up from Alexandria and who deserted at Winchester on 24 Dec. after being accused of stealing from the wagons. It is unlikely that he is Hugh Campbell, a sergeant in Capt. William Bronaugh’s company.
86From George Washington to Peter Hog, 24 September 1755 (Washington Papers)
Instructions for Captain Hogg of the Virginia Regiment. You are Hereby Ordered, to add Bastions to, and Build Barracks in the Fort, immediately: and to Fall all the Wood within Musket-Shot, that you may be Guarded against Surprizes. You are to provide Coopers, and have Casks to put your Provisions in; and See that Some of them are made of such convenient Sizes, that they may be easily...
87George Mercer to Thomas Walker, 25 December 1755 (Washington Papers)
It is Colonel Washingtons Orders, that you provide the Sick with all necessaries the Surgeons shall apply to you for; of which you are to make a charge. LB , DLC:GW .
88Enclosure: Invoice, 6 December 1755 (Washington Papers)
Invoice of Sundry Goods to be Shipd for the use of Geo: Washington at Mount Vernon. Potomack River Virginia— ✻2 Compleat Livery Suits for Servants. The Cloath @ 10/ pr Yard—Spare Cloath, and all other necessary trimmi⟨ng⟩s for two Suits more. 1 Sett horse Fur⟨n⟩iture, with livery Lace, and the Washington Crest on the housing &ca. The Cloath to be of the same colour & price of the clothes 1...
89From George Washington to William Bronaugh, 3 December 1755 (Washington Papers)
You are hereby ordered to proceed immediately to Winchester, with the money entrusted to your care, which is to be delivered to Mr Boyd, Paymaster; taking his Receipt for the same. If it should happen that Mr Boyd is returned to Fort Cumberland, you are to follow him to that place. After delivering this money, you are to employ your time diligently until the 25th of December, in recruiting; at...
90To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 18 October 1755 (Washington Papers)
Yours of the 8th ⅌ Colo. Stephens I recd & am heartily sorry for the Acct he brings, but am in hopes from the Assistance of the Militia, & the Recruits You will be able to drive those Banditti from our Frontiers; I wish You may get a Troop of Horse from Fairfax County, as they will be of great Service in clearing the Woods, & I shall be glad if they can send down a Number of their Scalps. One...