To George Washington from Robert Stewart, 4 August 1758
From Robert Stewart
Cresap’s [Md.] August 4th 1758
Dear Sir
Last night 37 Waggons with Muskett Ball came here from Fort Frederick 18 of which were unloaded here and returns to Fort Frederick for more the other 19 proceeds to Fort Cumberland, Govr Sharpe desir’d Captain Ware Commandg the Escort to apply to me for a small Reinforcement to the Convoy now going to Fort Cumberland I have added a Serjeant & 12 to it which makes it near 50 Effectives. Lieut. Pretter remains here with 7 Men & no Provisions, he applied to me for a supply and as he has so few and these quite in want I have agreed to supply him till I receive your orders he informs me that the 19 Waggons that’s now going up to Fort Cumberland is to return to morrow for the Ball left here and that he by Govr Sharpe’s orders has applied to you for an Escort for them1—If you think proper I imagine it would be a good way to Releive the Grass Guard to morrow in place of next day, the Waggons to come down with new Guard & to return Loaded with the old, which would save a Command for that purpose.2
Many of the Boxes are in very bad order and some of the Ball lost by their own acknowledgement.
I wrote by almost every opportunity that’s gone to Winchester for these 3 weeks past for hair to Stuff our Saddles but could get none, by which many of the horses backs are almost ruin’d, our Jaunt to Rays Town added no less than six to that Number,3 the whole wou’d soon be hurt without I can remove the cause therefore sent off Serjeant Boltimore and Hencock last night to Winchester for hair and new Scabbards for the Swords which they are in great want off, this I hope you’ll approve off as it’s absolutely necessary.4
If anything new or interesting has occurr’d will be vastly oblig’d by your droping me a line—I beg you will offer my Complemts to Colo. Byrd & the rest of the Gentn and beleive me ever to be With the highest Esteem & greatest Deference My Dear Colonel Your most Affecte & mos. Obt hble Servt
Robert Stewart
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. Francis Ware was captain of one of the companies in the Maryland force. For the request that Lt. Henry Prather (spelled Pretter here) made to GW, see his letter of this date. See also GW to Bouquet, 6 August.
2. The guard for the horses of Stewart’s troop and for the cattle belonging to the Virginia Regiment grazing in the vicinity of Cresap’s Old Town came down from GW’s camp at Fort Cumberland and was relieved periodically.
3. In his return of the horse troop on 1 Aug. Stewart wrote, “N.B. one of the Horses that went on Command to Pensylvania are lost, one lame & two sore Back the rest in extreme bad order” (DLC:GW). Stewart’s returns indicate that ten of his men were “on command” as early as 13 July and only seven on 1 August. See Stewart to GW, 25 July, n.2. Bouquet wrote Forbes on 8 Aug. that “three hundred saddles have been repaired, but we have no more wadding or hair to fill the rest” (, 2:335–39).
4. Hencock may be Joseph Handcock who in 1757 was listed in GW’s company (Roll of George Washington’s Company, 28 Aug. 1757). “Serjeant Boltimore” is probably Christopher Baltimore, a soldier in Capt. Thomas Fleming’s company of the 2d Virginia Regiment.