351To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 14 November 1757 (Washington Papers)
Yr Letter of the 5th I duly recd & I am much surpriz’d at what You write that the Indn Affairs have been impeeded by a Train of Mismanagemt when I consider Mr Atkin’s Report that he had established every Thing in regard to those People in a most regular Manner I have wrote the Necessary to Ct. Gist on that Head, & order’d up a Quantity of Goods from Petersburg for that Service which I hope...
352To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 16 May 1757 (Washington Papers)
Whereas I have thought proper to discontinue the two pr ct Commissions (which the Country Committee have allowd you) for your trouble, Risk and loss; in receiving and Paying away the Publick Money; settling and adjusting of accounts &ca; I shall only lodge a fund of Money in your hands to answer Contingent Expences; as they shall arise from time to time in the Execution of your Command. The...
353To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 18 October 1755 (Washington Papers)
Yours of the 8th ⅌ Colo. Stephens I recd & am heartily sorry for the Acct he brings, but am in hopes from the Assistance of the Militia, & the Recruits You will be able to drive those Banditti from our Frontiers; I wish You may get a Troop of Horse from Fairfax County, as they will be of great Service in clearing the Woods, & I shall be glad if they can send down a Number of their Scalps. One...
354To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 26 January 1757 (Washington Papers)
Yrs of the 12th I recd—I am very sorry for the Mutiny You mention on the So. Branch, & I greatly approve the Steps You took to stop it; I hope the six Deserters have been apprehended & punish’d; the Persons under Sentence of Death, I hear some of them are Serjeants & Corporals, it’s a most aragant Affair in them to promote & countenance Mutiny for which they deserve the Sentence pass’d on...
355To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 19 August 1756 (Washington Papers)
Yr Letter of the 4th I recd & note it’s Contents —I observe You have been much engag’d in settling the proper Plans for the Chain of Forts propos’d to be built; & I doubt not the Places You have fix’d on are the most proper as You know the Situation of the Cotry You are the best Judge thereof. With Concern I see the Roll of Yr Companies & I am sorry they are so deficient in Numbers, the...
356To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 24 September 1757 (Washington Papers)
Yours of the 17th ⅌ Jenkins I recd—Ive wrote Colo. Read about the Lunenburg Draughts. I’m sorry to see the List of so many Deserters & I’m fully of Opinion that those that recd the Bounty, Cloaths & Arms ought to be outlaw’d & the Desertion of the Person that was condemn’d & afterwards pardon’d appears to me so villanous that I can’t prescribe any Rule to keep ’em together, but gt Severities,...
357To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 16 November 1756 (Washington Papers)
Yr Letter of the 9th I recd with a Report of Yr Journey along our Frontiers—The abuses mention’d in Yrs I have been made acquainted with from several Hands, but I expected You wou’d have been more particular in regard to the Officers neglecting their Duty, & the different Forts not being properly garrison’d with Men, nay witht their Officers: this vauge Report makes it impossible for me to...
358To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 2 February 1757 (Washington Papers)
I detain’d Jenkins here till my Express arrived from Ld Loudoun. His Lordship has desired all the So[uth]ern Governors to meet him at Philada the 17th of this Month, to consult what is proper to be done in these Parts; as this appears to me the Design of their Meeting I cannot conceive what Service You can be of in going there, as the Plan concerted will in course be communicated to You & the...
359To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 23 April 1756 (Washington Papers)
Your Letr of the 19th by Mr Rutherfurd came to my Hands Tuesday last, but Yours of the 16th by Express did not reach me till the day after. I am heartily sorry for the Death of Capt. Mercer, & the other poor Men that were killed with him, it appears to me that the Enemy drew them out after them, pretending to fly, in order to destroy them from their lurking Places; but it surprizes me that we...
360To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 30 September 1756 (Washington Papers)
Last Night I recd a Letter dated the 23d from Alexaa not sign’d, but by its purport I believe it from You—Jenkins’s delay prevents laying any Thing before the Assembly as they were prorogued the Morning he arriv’d —I am of Opinion You may enforce the Articles of War the same as in the British Establishmt that with tenderness as the Exigency of Affairs may require; & tho’ no Crimes but Mutiny &...
361To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 1 August 1754 (Washington Papers)
The Council met Yesterday & considering the present State of our Forces, & reason to think the French will be strongly reinforc’d next Spring—It was resolv’d that the Forces shou’d immediately march over the Allegany Mountains, either to dispossess the French of their Fort, or build a Fort in a proper Place that may be fix’d on by a Council of War—Colo. Innes has my Orders for the executing...
362To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 24 October 1757 (Washington Papers)
I wrote You by Jenkins to which be refer’d. As I have contracted with Mr Ramsay to supply the Forces in the Pay of this Country, that are in the Counties of Frederick & Hampshire, I enclose You a Copy of the Contract, that You may see the several Articles thereof properly perform’d, & I am convinc’d this Contract will be a great Saving to the Country—& if Mr Ramsay shou’d at any Time have...
363To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 19 October 1757 (Washington Papers)
Yours of the 3d by Jenkins I rec’d as Capt. Hogg is to be here Soon I Shall talk with him Abt the ranging Co[mpan]ys tho’ I fear he will not be able to raise the men, If they Should be rais’d they are to have 12d. ⅌ day no recruiting money or Cloaths & are to be rais’d protempore, So they are rais’d in Augusta, write me if you think it absolutely necessarie to have Such a compay if rais’d they...
364To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 1 June 1757 (Washington Papers)
Yours of the 24th May I received, Serjt Fent has given a pretty good Accott of his remarks at Fort Du Quesne &ca & appears to be a well behav’d Man—I’m sorry to acquaint You that the Bill for Supplies was rejected by the Councill but the Ho: of Burgesses are prepairing another which I hope will have a better Fate, they propose augmenting the forces, but ’till they vote Suplies nothing can be...
365To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 16 June 1757 (Washington Papers)
I am to acknowledge the Receipt of Yrs of the 10th but I am so much hurried that I cannot answer it, but as Mr Boyd is daily expected by him I shall write You more fully. Otassity of Ostenaker, conducts thirty Cherokees to You with Intention to go out against the Enemy; I think he is a brave Indian, & talks much of Majr Lewis; I believe he may be prevail’d on to stay with his People all the...
366To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 1 July 1756 (Washington Papers)
Last Night I recd Yrs of the 25th Ulto —I am sorry for the Delay of the Waggon with the Tools, probably occasion’d by the badness of the Horses, but I hope e’er this they are with You. I approve of Your consulting at a Council of War in regard to building of Forts, which I fear will be attended with very great Delays from the small number of Men You have, & I think it will not be proper to...
367To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 26 April 1756 (Washington Papers)
I recd Yr Letter by this Express last Night, & this Morning laid all the Letters before the House of Burgesses & really it gives me very great uneasiness & Concern to observe the dismal Situation our back Settlers are in—And when I consider the Slowness of the House in raising Men—I have sent Expresses to the Counties of Frederick Fairfax, Prince Wm Culpeper, Orange Stafford Spotsylvania,...
368To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 5 April 1757 (Washington Papers)
I hope by the Time this reaches Your Hands that Govr Sharpe has relieved Fort Cumberland by sending into it a Garison from his Maryland Forces, if so, this is to order You immediately to send down to Fredericksburg two hundred Men Officers included to be transported to South Carolina, under the Command of Lieut. Colo. Stephens, Captain Waggoner, Capt. Joshua Lewis, Lieuts. John Blag, John...
369To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 2 September 1757 (Washington Papers)
Yours of the 27th Ulto I recd last Night. Colo. Read from Lunenburg says he had sent You up twenty nine Soldiers, probably in two Parties, the last I suppose were not arrived when You wrote me. I am sorry so many have deserted since Yr last, or do I know what to do unless they will Out-law all those that do desert, & I wish You wou’d send the Names of those that deserted after receiving the...
370To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 17 September 1755 (Washington Papers)
I recd yrs of the 11th with Acct of the Clothg & Provis[ion]s I suppose You will find some more Clothg at Winchester for the Acct at Alexaa belong. to me comes short of my Acct—I have had 500 Shirts made here & 100 Tents—I think you may engage from Mr Carlyle the white Shirts, Shoes, Hatts & the white Yearn Hose. Mr Dick has 84 Doz. of Soldiers Stock[ings] come in wch if he will sell...
371To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 15 April 1756 (Washington Papers)
Your Letter by Jenkins I recd & it’s now before the House of Burgesses. I have reason to expect they will pass a Law for a Draught from the Militia to augment the Forces to 2000 tho’ they are very slow in their Proceedings. I am very sorry for the Acct You give of those Miscreant barbarous Murders; I hope You have sent a proper Reinforcemt to Conegachege, & for the present, with the assistance...
372To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 12 June 1756 (Washington Papers)
I have read over Yr Memo. & observe thereon; I cannot advise how the Virga Regiment will be compleated if the Draughts from the Militia do not answer that End; but must here observe, if the Officers had perform’d their Engagements the Regiment wou’d have been in good Order, their Neglect & Breach of Promise is a great Loss to the Country. The Scheme of forming the Regiment into two Battallions...
373To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 1 September 1757 (Washington Papers)
My Friend Colo. Fairfax earnestly desires his Son Wm Henry may have a Lieutt’s Commission in the Regiment, if any Vacancy I desire You may give him a Commission accordingly, & as You have Blank Commissions fill one up for him if any Vacancy, which will be agreeable to Sir Your mo. humble Servant LS , DLC:GW . Dinwiddie enclosed this note in a letter to William Fairfax (see Dinwiddie to GW, 2...
374To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 2 June 1754 (Washington Papers)
I heartily wish that YrSelf & Officers had not at this Time discover’d an Uneasiness on Acct of Yr Pay especially as the long Delay of Colo. Fry’s Detachmt in not yet joining Yrs gives me too much Concern. You must all be sensible that if Yr present Establishmt is less than the first Estimate made; it was from a Calculatn of the 10,000 only granted to support the Expedition which if it had...
375Commission as adjutant for southern district, 13 December 1752 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Document not found: commission as adjutant for southern district, Williamsburg, 13 Dec. 1752. For background to this document, see GW to Dinwiddie, 10 June 1752, n.2 . On 6 Nov. 1752, some months after Lawrence Washington’s death, the governor and council “finding by Experience the Insufficiency of one [adjutant], fully to discharge a Business of so much Importance,” created four military...
376To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 1 June 1754 (Washington Papers)
Mr Gist brot Yr Letter & the very agreeable Acct of Yr Killing & taking Monsr Le Force & his whole Party of 35 Men on which Success I heartily congratulate You, as it may give a Testimony to the Inds. that the French are not invincible wn fairly engagd with the English; but hope the good Spirits of Yr Soldiers will not tempt You to make any hazardous Attempts agst a too numerous Enemy. When...
377To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 4 June 1754 (Washington Papers)
On the Death of Colo. Fry I have thot it proper to send You the enclos’d Como. to Comd the Virga regimt, & another for Majr Muse to be Lieut. Colo. The eldest Capt. to be Majr & the eldest Lieut. to be Capt. the eldest Ensign to be Lieut. unless You shd have Objectn to them. I think You will want two Ensigns, if so, I recommend Mr Perroney if he has behav’d so as to merit it, the other I leave...
378Passport from Robert Dinwiddie, 30 October 1753 (Washington Papers)
Virginia [Williamsburg, 30 October 1753 ] To All to whom these Presents may come or concern Greeting Whereas I have appointed George Washington Esqr. by Commission under the Great Seal, My express Messenger to the Comandant of the French Forces on the River Ohio, & as he is charg’d with Business of great Importance to His Majesty & this Dominion. I do hereby Command all His Majesty’s Subjects,...
379To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 12 July 1756 (Washington Papers)
At the Desire & Request of Colo. Wm Byrd I recommend the Bearer Mr Henry Timberlake to Your Favour & Countenance he has great Inclinations to serve in Your Regiment & I hope his Spirit & Behavior may recommend him to Preferment, in proper Course upon any Vacancy. I have Acct that a number of French & Indians have invaded Augusta & committed horrid Murders &ca as usual I have order’d out Part...
380To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 11 September 1754 (Washington Papers)
No doubt You have heard that our Assembly is prorogu’d without granting any Supplies; Under this unexpected Disappointment, I fear we are not Numbers sufficient to attack the Fort taken from Us by the French: Therefore I order You to give a Detachment of Forty or Fifty Men to Capt. Lewis, with them he is to march immediately for Augusta County, in order to protect our Frontiers from the...
381I. Commission, 14 August 1755 (Washington Papers)
By Virtue of H: Majesty’s Royal Com[missi]o[n] & Instructs. appointg me Lt Gr & Commander in Chief in & over this his Colony & Dominion of Virga with full Power & Authority to appoint all Officers both Civil & Military within the same—I reposg especial Trust in Yr Loyalty Courage & good Conduct, do by these Presents appoint You Colonel of the Virga Regimt & Commander in Chief of all the Forces...
382Commission from Robert Dinwiddie, 30 October 1753 (Washington Papers)
E ditorial N ote The commission from Governor Dinwiddie to GW to investigate reports that French forces were encroaching on frontier territory claimed by Great Britain marks the beginning of GW’s military career. Although both France and Britain had long entertained vague ambitions in the Ohio country, it was not until the middle years of the eighteenth century that the two powers met...
383III. Memorandum from Robert Dinwiddie, 14 August 1755 (Washington Papers)
Take a particular Acct of the Clothing at Majr Carlyles & those at Winchester & send me an acct of the Whole. The Provisions that remain at Alexa[ndri]a belonging to this Colony, is to be shipt for New York, desire Mr Carlyle to hire a small Sloop for that Purpose, & have the Pork & Beef Trimd & pickled. Consign the same to Robinson Esqr. & desire Remittans. in Flour—speak to the Treasurer for...
384Commission, 7 April 1756 (Washington Papers)
Robert Dinwiddie Esqr His Majesty’s Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief of the Colony and Dominion of Virginia. To George Washington Esqr: By Virtue of the Power and Authority to me given and granted by His Majesty I do hereby authorize and impower You to hold and appoint Courts Martial for the Tryal of Non-commissioned Officers and Soldiers as Colonel and Commander in Chief of the...
385To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 25 June 1754 (Washington Papers)
This will (I hope) be deliver’d You by Colo. James Innes, who has my Commission to command in chief on the Expedition, which I dare say will be very agreeable to You, & am in Hopes when all the Forces are collected in a Body You will be able to turn the Tables on the French and dislodge them from the Fort, & in Time to take full Possession of the Ohio river. As I am afraid of Disputes from the...
386To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 16 May 1757 (Washington Papers)
You are, so soon as you arrive at Fort Loudoun, to inform the Officers that the Assembly having consider’d the great expence the Virginia Regiment has cost The Country from the Number of Companies it consisted of, And those Companies not half compleat in proportion to the vast Charge of Officers—It is resolved, for the better Saving of expences, and establishing a proper Regulation, that The...
387To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 27 May 1756 (Washington Papers)
Your two Letters of the 23d I recd last Night & note their Contents. I recd Your Journal relating to the Militia which gives me some surprize to observe their dastardly Behavior, in deserting & returning Home, I am sorry their Officers had no better Command over them, & indeed I always was of Opinion they wd not answer my Intentions in sending them to Winchester. I observe the Council of War...
388To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 8 April 1756 (Washington Papers)
You formerly had a Commission to appoint Courts Martial, as that was not explicit enough, but rather a Repetition of the Act of Assembly. I therefore send You enclos’d an Order to appoint such Courts when You shall see proper, & it’s agreeable to Colo. Innes’s Order from General Braddock. I hope the Affairs of the Regimt are not in so bad a Condition as represented here. The Assembly were...
389To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 18 June 1754 (Washington Papers)
I rec’d Yr Letter of June 3d & I am very glad to know by it that the Half Kg with 80 Persons is arriv’d at Yr Camp. I have given all necessary Orders for a proper Supply for Yr R[egimen]t and Yr[self] not doubting but by this Time Muse has joined You—The barbarous Intents. of the French surprizes me & their Speech to the Wayandotts Twightwees &ca & it gives me Pleasure that those Nat[ion]s...
390To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 23–27 May 1757 (Washington Papers)
This probably may be deliver’d to You by the Hon. Edmd Atkin Esqr. who has his Majesty’s Commission to transact & superintend all the Affairs with the different Tribes of Indians the back of Georgia, South & No. Ca⟨r⟩olina & this Dominion; I desire You will receive him in a genteel Manner, & on his meeting with the Indians now at Fort Cumberland, give a Grace to his Operations by having a...
391To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 24 June 1757 (Washington Papers)
I cd not answer yr several Letters till now, I’ve wrote to Mr Atkin abt the Indians, & he must know better than I can how to manage ’em—Capt. Pearis having accepted a Comisso. from Govr Sharpe any Expectations from this Colony, his Conduct has been bad, so I think it’s a good riddance of him. As to Bat-Men I presume My Ld overlook’d that Article, but on return from me he’ll be more particular,...
392To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 18 July 1757 (Washington Papers)
Your two Letters of 10th & 11th I recd by Jenkins & observe their Contents—I wrote You the 13th which sent up by Serjt Fent—There will soon be Publicats. for any Persons inclineable to contract for Provisions for the Forces at Winchester, & those in Augusta; they are to give in their Proposals in Writing, & by this Method I hope they will be properly supplied. The Money remaining of the 2000£...
393To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 20 August 1756 (Washington Papers)
Since writing You Yesterday The Express I sent to the Cherokees arrived & they have engag’d to send us 150 Warriors, who I expect with Major Lewis in about a Fortnight; I shall order the Majr to march them to Winchester to be under Your direction. The Cherokees & Catawbas are at prest strongly attach’d to our Interest; the Catawba King is gone to Chas Town So. Carolina & on his return he...
394To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 13 July 1757 (Washington Papers)
I recd Yrs of 27th Ulto—As to Mr Gun, if he rejects Lieutt’s Pay, I shall not give him more, & I hear he is come down the Country. I wrote You pretty fully by Jenkins to which be refer’d. I now send You 400 Arms, which with those You have will be sufficient to Arm the Draughts &ca. they come under the Care of Serjeant Fent, who appears to me to be a deserving Young Man, I therefore desire You...
395To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 24 September 1757 (Washington Papers)
After closing my Letter to You of this Date I recd Yours of the 20th by Brinker giving Acct of the miserable Distress our Frontier Inhabitants are in, which gives me the greatest Concern & Uneasiness —Really it is not in my Power to do more for defence against the Incursions of our barbarous Enemies, than to recommend Your speedy executing my Orders to You, for raising a Company of Rangers to...
396To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 15 March 1754 (Washington Papers)
Yr two Letters of the 3d & 7th Currt I recd & the enclos’d from Messrs Trent & Cresap. I am surpriz’d from their Letters that the French are so early expected down the Ohio; which I think makes it necessary for You to march what Soldiers You have enlisted immediately to the Ohio, & escort some Waggons, with the necessary Provisions; Colo. Fry to march with the others as soon as possible. I...
397To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 3 May 1756 (Washington Papers)
I am sincerely concern’d for Your Situation from the many flying Parties of French & Indians, but I hope before this reaches You a large body of Militia are at Winchester to reinforce You, & if possible to drive the Enemy over the Allegany Mountains; besides the Militia there are to be Drafts from each County to compleat Your Regiment to 1500 or 2000 Men, but I fear it will be a Month before...
398To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 13 August 1757 (Washington Papers)
Yr Letter of the 3d I received from Mr Boyd, I don’t want the Vouchers from the People to whom Money is due for the Indns, but surely yo. may get the particular Summs to qualify me to grant a Warrant on the Treasurer, by this loose Method of writing, I know not whether they amt to 100£ or 1000£—Yo. will before this have some more Draughts from Lunenburg, & some other Counties which I hope will...
399To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 21 August 1756 (Washington Papers)
Yours of the 14th Inst. I just now recd. La Force was taken two Days after he made his escape & is properly secur’d—No doubt Your Men will be fully employ’d in garrisons &ca. I have in my former given You my Opinion in regard to Fort Cumberland, & now I am of Opinion that You shou’d send for some of the Stores from thence to Winchester for fear of Accidents or an Attack of the Enemy against...
400To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 8 August 1757 (Washington Papers)
the Bearer hereof Sam. Akerling has desir’d my Leave to go to see his Brothers, near the Monongahely proposing to give Security with You of his return to be here in the Octr Court; as I am a Stranger to the Evidence against him on Suspicion of being a Spy, which he sincerely denies & begs to be tried, but that cannot be ’till Octr—wherefore I refer him to You, & if You have any favorable...