George Washington Papers

To George Washington from Brigadier General John Lacey, Jr., 11 February 1778

From Brigadier General John Lacey, Jr.

Camp Warwick Bucks [Pa.] Febry 11th 1778.

Dear General,

I must again trouble you with an account of my Inability, on account of my Numbers which is Redused to between Sixty and a hundred, I have informed the Presidend of the State of my Situation, but have not Yet Recd any Relief, or answer.1

I have in Conjunction with Major Jamosons party of Horse—Rendered the gratest part of the Mills Near the City intirely useless.

one John Dennis of Bucks County was taken up on his way from Philadelphia and is Now Confined in my Camp, it appears from information that he has been traiding, but no proof can be maid but I believe Sufficient proof Can be had, that he has Concealed a British prisoner, who maid his Escape from Some of our Guards, & afterwards Conducted him to Philadelphia, I would be glad to know what to do with him.2 I remain your Excellencys most obedient Humble Servt

John Lacey jur

ALS, DLC:GW. On the cover is the following pass signed by Lacey: “Permit Wm Gilmer the Barer to pass to Head Qrs Vali forge.”

1Lacey had written Pennsylvania supreme executive council president Thomas Wharton, Jr., on 2 Feb. that “My strength is reduced so low that I am under the Necessaty of Collecting the small remains into One Body, as it is impossable to do any service in the Weak and scattered Condition” (Pa. Archives description begins Samuel Hazard et al., eds. Pennsylvania Archives. 9 ser., 138 vols. Philadelphia and Harrisburg, 1852–1949. description ends , 1st ser., 6:226). Two drafts of replies from the Pennsylvania supreme executive council to Lacey, one dated 6 Feb. and the other dated 13 Feb., are in PHarH: Records of Pennsylvania’s Revolutionary Governments, 1775–1790 (see also ibid., 240, 255).

2On 15 June the Pennsylvania supreme executive council accused several dozen local inhabitants including John Dennis, a wheelwright from Solebury Township in Bucks County, of having “adhered to, and knowingly and willingly aided and assisted the enemies of this State, and of the United States of America, by having joined their armies at Philadelphia” (Pennsylvania Packet or the General Advertiser [Lancaster], 17 June 1778). Dennis’s property was attained and confiscated, and he fled the United States with his wife and four children, settling in New Brunswick after the war.

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