George Washington Papers
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https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-13-02-0314

To George Washington from Major John Taylor, 26 January 1778

From Major John Taylor

Wilmington [Del.] Jan: 26 1778

Sir

I have the honor to inclose to your Excellency a Letter from Colo. Hazen to myself, by which you will see his anxiety to have his regiment with him on the canadian expedition, with which our own wishes warmly correspond. The greater part of our men are Canadians & New England-men, to whom this step would give new life, and who would act with redoubled vigor, besides their presence in canada might be productive of many good consequences. If your Excellency should see no other reason for our being sent, I hope the anxiety with which we wish it may prove matter of inducement; especially as from our weak state, we cannot be very serviceable here, and by going may bring to birth numbers yet in Embryo. I beg pardon for reasoning to your Excellency on matters, which you so much better comprehend, and hope I may be favored with your orders by the return of the Express, as it is an object of my ambition to lead the van. If your Excellency should not permit the whole Regt to go, I would ask leave for myself, and also for such officers and men as are described in the inclosed Letter.1 I have the Honor to be Yr Excelly’s mo: hble Sert

John Taylor

ALS, DLC:GW.

1The enclosed letter has not been identified. GW replied to Taylor on 28 Jan. that Col. Moses Hazen’s 2d Canadian Regiment already had been designated a part of Lafayette’s Canadian expeditionary force. GW was nevertheless reluctant to part with the regiment; see his letter to Gates of 27 January. For more on the Canadian expedition, see Horatio Gates to GW, 24 Jan., n.1.

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