From George Washington to Henry Bouquet, 3 July 1758
To Henry Bouquet
[Camp near Fort Cumberland] 3d July 1758
Sir
Since closing mine of this date a dispute has arose between an Assistant Commissary of Mr Hoops (namely Mr Joseph Gailbraith) and I, abt Salt1—Our Stock of Meat is mostly Fresh and he refuses to provide Salt for it—whether it is his duty or not to do it, I can’t say—but unless it is done, the Men must inevitably be visited with fluxes and other Disorders that may render them incapable of immediate Service. There is some Salt at this place belonging to Virginia, which I shall make use of till I receive your Orders on this head.
There is one Jno. McCullough here, who woud make an exceeding good Waggon Master; and we shall certainly want one or two, if all the Waggons that I have, together with those which Colo. Byrd may bring shoud be detaind in the Service.2
I shoud be glad to know if such Person are allowd—and if they are, how many Waggons each takes charge of, and their Pay pr Day. I am Sir, with very gt regard Yr Most Obedt Hble Servt
Go: Washington
ALS, British Museum: Add. MSS 21641 (Bouquet Papers); LB (original), DLC:GW; LB (recopied), DLC:GW.
1. The clearer and more precise wording of this first sentence of the letter in the original letter book—“Since closing mine of this date, a dispute has arisen between Mr Joseph Gailbraith (an Assistant Victualler of Mr Hoops) and myself concerning Salt”—suggests that GW made his letter-book copy from the letter that he sent rather than the reverse, which was perhaps more usual. Joseph Galbraith was with GW at Pearsal’s fort on his march to Fort Cumberland, for on 29 June Galbraith attested that he as deputy commissary had inspected the “provisions in Store in Fort pearsal” (DLC:GW).
2. John McCollough apparently accompanied GW from Pearsal’s to Fort Cumberland, perhaps as a wagon master. See GW to Thomas Waggener, 26 June 1758, n.1. There was a John McColloch (McCullough) living on the South Branch in Hampshire County at this time.