George Washington Papers

To George Washington from Charles Carter, 27 April 1756

From Charles Carter

Wmburgh Aprl 27 1756

Dr Sr

I recd yr Second and third of the 22d of this instant1 since which I have not had leisure to answer it I am now in the Country Com[mitt]ee.2 and have just Stole a moment to tell you all I can learn is that a few of the youths in the service have been at times imprudent and drank too Freely and in their cups have said what none of them in their sober moments would willingly own I think as you have never in the least been reflectd on you are too much affectd I hope you will have a better opinion of yr Country and not condemn us upon a misrepresentation.3 I hope the reinforcement now orderd will enable you to extricate yr Bleeding Country from the threatd danger. I am Dr Sr yr affe hume Servt

Ch. Carter

ALS, DLC:GW.

1None of GW’s letters for 22 April has been found.

2The “Country” committee of sixteen men was that named in the act passed in August 1755 for raising £40,000 for defense and charged with supervising expenditures under the act (6 Hening description begins William Waller Hening, ed. The Statutes at Large; Being a Collection of All the Laws of Virginia, from the First Session of the Legislature, in the Year 1619. 13 vols. 1819–23. Reprint. Charlottesville, Va., 1969. description ends 521–30). The act raising £25,000 passed in the March–May 1756 session named the same committee (with Robert Carter Nicholas added) for the same purpose (7 Hening description begins William Waller Hening, ed. The Statutes at Large; Being a Collection of All the Laws of Virginia, from the First Session of the Legislature, in the Year 1619. 13 vols. 1819–23. Reprint. Charlottesville, Va., 1969. description ends 9–25).

3For GW’s defense of his conduct to Carter, see Carter to GW, 22 April 1756, especially note 1.

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