George Washington Papers

From George Washington to Adam Stephen, 22 March 1754

To Adam Stephen

Alexandria [March] 22d 1754

Dr Sir,

I wrote to you in Frederick1 not knowing your Intention of going to Stafford, desiring that all your Men &ca might be in readiness to March by the middle or last of next Week at furthest for Ohio: I have just receiv’d the Governers Orders (which was sent upon the Arri⟨val⟩ of Captn Trents express) to dispatch with all expedition thither, with the Men that are already raiz’d, and such Officer’s as I see proper:2 therefore, I shall do myself the Honour of calling upon you for one, I expect several other’s up this Day, together with three Sloops from York, James River and Eastern Shore with Recruits[.] Those which cannot be in readiness to go are to stay and March with Colo. Frye who is to bring out the remainder of the Men, Artillery &ca I shou’d be glad you wou’d repair to Alexandria imediately upon the receipt of this in your way to Winchester that we may consult on proper Mean’s. I am Dr Sir Yr Affe Hble Servt

Go: Washington

P.S. I suppose you have read or heard of the Governor’s command requiring all officers to be and appear at Alexandria the 20th inst.3

ALS, NN: Emmet Collection. This letter is unaddressed, but GW’s letter to Dinwiddie on 20 Mar. 1754 suggests that Adam Stephen was probably the recipient: “I have given Captn Stephen’s orders to be in readiness to Join us at Winchester [in Frederick County] with his Company as they were already in that Neighbourhood.” John C. Fitzpatrick identifies the addressee as William Fairfax, which is clearly an error, but the letter may have been addressed to one of the recently commissioned officers other than Stephen.

1This letter has not been found.

3The part of “Arrival” in angle brackets and the postscript are taken from Fitzpatrick, Writings of Washington description begins John C. Fitzpatrick, ed. The Writings of George Washington from the Original Manuscript Sources, 1745–1799. 39 vols. Washington, D.C., 1931–44. description ends , 1:33–34.

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