From George Washington to Peter Hog, 8 September 1756
To Peter Hog
[Winchester, 8 September 1756]
To Captain Peter Hogg. of the Virginia Regiment, at Fort Dinwiddie.
Sir,
By Captain McNiel I received only a part of yours, dated the 31st July; what became of the remainder, you perhaps know best, and from what I received am little satisfied in point of your recruiting charge. The same objection prevails, that you charge subsistance for these men, from their enlisting until their arrival at Augusta Court-House, altho’ they were furnished here with provisions to carry them thither. As to your other accompts, I am favoured with no farther illustrations—so that you can expect no positive answer nor assurance on those heads.1 You will perceive by the copy enclosed, how you stand in accompt with the Paymaster, according to the receipts and pay-rolls you have sent me from time to time—Balance against you £31.3.7 beside the Surgeons fees, retained in your hands.2
I have herewith given Mr Jones for you, in absence of the paymaster, £150—for paying your company for the months of July & August—and according to the late orders of the Committee, you are to pay every private man 8d. per day, without any stoppages of any kind—also the Sergeants, Corporals and Drummers their full pay—clear of all deduction in future, either to Surgeon or for Clothes.3 And as Clothes are expected in the Fall, the Soldiers will then receive them gratis. So it is expected that this generous usage will encourage the men to discharge their duty with spirit & satisfaction. The Governor writes me, that he longs to know what measures you have taken with regard to fort building—you did not speak a word of that affair in your last.4 You will observe, Captain McNiel will be paid here; and Mr Bullet has left orders for two or three months pay to Greenfield &c. so that the money will go the farther:5 Besides, Ensign Fleming should leave that Balance of Captain Bells in your hands, that it may be remitted to him.6 I desire you will transmit me an account of your proceedings by every occasion—and likewise to the Governor. I would have you guard against the selfish views & discontents of the Augusta people; who prefer private to publick interest, by all accounts. I am &c.
G:W.
LB, DLC:GW.
1. Nothing from Hog to GW dated 31 July 1756 has been found. His weekly return of 29 July 1756 (DLC:GW) reported three officers, three sergeants, one drummer, and forty-seven men. John Kirkpatrick wrote GW on 25 Aug. 1756 that he was sending up from Williamsburg by Alexander Boyd, among other things “a Bundle of Accots Recets & Capt. Hogs papers.”
2. No enclosure has been found.
3. See report of the oversight committee, enclosed in John Robinson to GW, 19 Aug. 1756.
4. GW wrote Hog in Augusta County on 21 July about the plans to build forts on the Augusta frontier, and Dinwiddie wrote GW on 19 Aug. 1756 that he was still waiting to hear from Hog on this subject. Hog’s “last” letter was probably the missing one of 31 July. See note 1.
5. During the summer John McNeill, now captain lieutenant of GW’s own company, was replaced as lieutenant in Hog’s company by Thomas Bullitt. Capt. John Greenfield (d. 1769), “Merchant Taylor” of Winchester (Frederick County Deeds, Book 4, 293–94, Vi Microfilm), had probably emigrated from Scotland and by this time owned several lots in Winchester and land on Patterson Creek. On 13 May 1756 GW paid him £2 “for Buckskins to make Moccasins for the Nottoway Indians” (Va. Regimental Receipt Book, 1755–58, DLC:GW). Greenfield became a justice of Frederick County and captain of the militia.
6. For explanation and discussion of these accounts of David Bell and William Fleming, see GW to Hog, 27 Dec. 1755, 10 Jan. 1756, and GW to Fleming, 28 Oct. 1755, 21 July 1756.