To George Washington from Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons, 8 September 1780
From Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons
8th Sepr 1780
Dr General
I had the Honor of your Letter of 5th Inst: previous to which I had orderd the March of the Troops from Horseneck agreable to the Order of the 2nd Inst. & had gone to take a Command there.1 on Receit of your Last Letter I shall join the Army as soon as possible. I should set out to Morrow but the Return of my Son last Night from a Cruize necessitates me to continue one or Two Days longer in the Country, but it shall not be longer than Sunday or Monday before I set out for the Army.2
Col. Meigs was a few Days since with me to be dischargd from the Army His Motives were chiefly from the State of his Family & a Fear lest his Absence should give Your Excellency Displeasure I assurd him when that was the Case he should be acquainted with it—I am very unwilling he should leave us and am convincd the State of his Family is such that he cannot with any Degree of Propriety leave them unless some Active Operations are soon to commence I only wish he may be notified before his Absence incurs your Displeasure.3
A Vessel just arriv’d left Twelve Sail of the Line of French Ships in Lat: 26 Steering a Course for this Continent Ten Days ago.4 I am Dr General yr Obedt Servt
Saml H. Parsons
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. For GW to Parsons, 5 Sept., see Parsons to GW, 4 Sept., n.1.
2. William Walter Parsons caused his father’s delay. The elder Parsons wrote GW from camp on Saturday, 16 Sept. (see Council of War, 6 Sept., n.14).
4. The intelligence refers to Rear Admiral Guichen’s fleet (see William Heath to GW, 6 Sept., n.3).