George Washington Papers
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Enclosure II: Robert Dinwiddie to Robert Stewart, 15 November 1757

Enclosure II

Robert Dinwiddie to Robert Stewart

Williamsburg Novr 15th 1757

Sir

I recd Your Letter by Jenkins last Night—The violent Complaint Colo: Washington labors under gives me great Concern, it was unknown to me or he shou’d have had Leave of Absence sooner, & I am very glad he did not delay following the Doctr’s Advice, to try a change of Air, I sincerely wish him a speedy Recovery.

I observe what You write in regard to the Contractor, & Instructions given to Capt. Waggoner all which I approve of—I desire You will in Your next give me a List of Deserters recd & to whom the Money was paid, as I have been much troubled with Applications for the Reward; it is wrong to pay the Constables, for they are not the People that apprehend them.

I wrote You lately about Yr waiting on Lord Loudoun, & if You obtain Colo. Washington’s Consent I shall not object to Your going to the No[rth]wd as You propose, & heartily wish You Success.1 I am Respectfully Sir Your most humble Servant

Robt Dinwiddie

LS, DLC:GW. There is no copy of this letter in Dinwiddie’s letter book.

1Dinwiddie wrote to Stewart on 9 Dec. in response to Stewart’s missing letter of 2 Dec. 1757: “Yo. can’t possibly think it proper to go to the No. wd unless yr Station at Fort Loudoun be duely suppli’d, Majr Lewis can’t leave his Command in Augusta, & unless Waggoner’s Fort be supplied with a proper Person, I can’t advise his leaving of it, and as I’m a Stranger to that Part of the Country I must again referr it to Colo. Washington & what he does will meet with my Approbation” (ViHi: Dinwiddie Papers). Apparently Stewart got GW’s permission to go north (see John Stanwix to GW, 13 Jan. 1758); John St. Clair sent an undated letter to John Forbes in New York by Stewart before Christmas 1757 (Scottish Record Office: Dalhousie Muniments).

Gen. John Forbes in Philadelphia wrote Gen. James Abercromby in New York on 20 April 1758: “You will see that Capt Steuart wants very much to have the Commission given him, that Sir john [St. Clair] tells me he had spoke off to you, and had recommended it with great sincerity. He says it was a Lieutcy in order that he might not be left without bread, upon a peace” (James, Writings of Forbes description begins Alfred Procter James, ed. Writings of General John Forbes Relating to His Service in North America. Menasha, Wis., 1938. description ends , 65–66).

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