1From George Washington to Henry Lee, Jr., 4 February 1787 (Washington Papers)
I thank you for asking my commands to Fredericksburg. It is not my wish to be your competitor in the purchase of any of Mr Hunters tradesmen: especially as I am in a great degree principled against increasing my number of Slaves by purchase and suppose moreover that Negros sold on creadit will go high. yet if you are not disposed to buy the Bricklayer which is advertized for Sale, for your own...
2From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 5 August 1780 (Washington Papers)
I received your letter from Eastown of the 31st ulto. Before this the Quarter Master General will have transmitted you orders. I have to request after their execution, that you will immediately repair to the main army at Dobbs’ ferry—by way of the Two bridges. I am Dr Sir Your obt & hble sert LS , in James McHenry’s writing, ViHi ; Df , DLC:GW ; Varick transcript , DLC:GW . On 31 July, Lee...
3From George Washington to Henry Lee, Jr., 31 October 1786 (Washington Papers)
I am indebted to you for your several favors of the 1st 11th & 17th instt, and shall reply to them in the order of their dates:But first let me thank you for the interesting communications imparted in them. The picture which you have drawn, & the accts which are published, of the commotions & temper of numerous bodies in the Eastern States, are equally to be lamented and deprecated. They...
4From George Washington to Henry Lee, Jr., 2 April 1797 (Washington Papers)
If this letter should happen to find you in Philadelphia, the intention of it is to bring you acquainted with the situation of Messrs Reed & Ford’s engagement to transfer (after the 28th of March) seventy shares in the Bank of Columbia on your account for my benefit. On my way home, I placed their obligation in the hands of a Gentleman within the District of Columbia, for the purpose of having...
5From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 20 October 1780 (Washington Papers)
The plan proposed for taking A——d (the out lines of which are communicated in your letter whh was this moment put into my hands without a date—has every mark o⟨f⟩ a good one—I therefore agree to the promised rewards, and have such entire confidence in your management of the business as to give it my fullest approbation; and leave the whole to the guidance of your own judgment, with this...
6From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 5 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of yesterday I recd this day—& have only to thank you for it and its inclosure —except that I wish you to pay the strictest attentn to the movements of the enemy below, lest they may undertake an excursion into the Jersey—by the way of ta[p]pan or elswhere; of this should it take place, I must request the earliest information—it may be well in order to accomplish this knowledge to...
7From George Washington to Captain Henry Lee, Jr., 25 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have your favors of the 21st and 22d from Dover and am much obliged for the Steps you have took and are taking for procuring Supplies for the Army. All the Cattle that are tolerably fit for slaughter must be immediately consumed on account of our present necessity, and therefore should be drove towards Camp as fast as they can be collected. I do not think that Kent in Maryland or any part of...
8From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 25 October 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have your favr of the 21st: No occurrence has happened since I wrote to you last, except the evacuation of Stoney and Verplanks Points, which took place on the 22d. I have not heard from Rhode Island since the 15th when Genl Gates wrote me that the enemy were seemingly making every preparation for evacuating that place also —Should Count D’Estaing reach the Hook without touching at the...
9From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 12 August 1779 (Washington Papers)
You will see by the inclosed letter to Lord Stirling, which you will be pleased to deliver him, the footing upon which the affair is placed. If upon confering with him, the enterprise is judged elegible, it will be carried into execution. I am Dr Sir Your most hble servt. Df , in James McHenry’s writing, DLC:GW ; Varick transcript , DLC:GW . See GW’s first letter to Stirling of this date . GW...
10From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 26 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
Your favor by Capt. Rudulph I received yesterday —He has my directions respecting Cloathing for your Officers. As you think the two serjts named in your list officers worthy of promotion, I approve the appointments—the remove of your Qr Mr into McLanes company I also consent to—but, the appointment of an extra capt. in the Corps & 3 subs under McLane I cannot conceive necessary, the former you...
11From George Washington to Henry Lee, Jr., 5 April 1786 (Washington Papers)
Ascribe my silence to any cause rather than the want of friendship, or to a disinclination to keep up a friendly intercourse with you by letter. Absences from home, hurry of business, company, &ca, however justly they might be offered, are too stale & commonplace, to be admitted. I therefore discard them. Throwing myself upon your lenity, and depending more upon your goodness than on any...
12From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 30 June 1779 (Washington Papers)
Yr favor dated 27th inst. was handed to me to day by Capt. McLane, inclosing your proposals for the incorporation of his company with your Corps —The measure is desireable, & I should be happy were it in my power at once to authorise you to proceed on the business, but not being vested with sufficient powers to change the establishment of a Corps —the plan must be referred to Congress In doing...
13From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 10 October 1779 (Washington Papers)
I yesterday recd the inclosed intelligence which I have transmitted to Lewis town at the Capes of Delaware, in hopes it may meet Count D’Estaing there. But should he have left Delaware before my dispatches reach him, you will, upon his arrival off the Hook, communicate the inclosed with such other occurrences as may have come to your knowledge. I am Dear Sir Yr most obt. Df , in Tench...
14From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 25 September 1779 (Washington Papers)
I was yesterday favd with yours of the 21st which came to me open under cover with other dispatches from Lord Stirling. I would wish you in future, to send your dispatches to me sealed, and communicate any thing, necessary for my Lord to know, to him separately. When an enterprise of any kind is in agitation the fewer to whom it is intrusted the better, and as to the particular business upon...
15From George Washington to Henry Lee, Jr., 8 September 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your favour of the 27th Ult. with its enclosures, came safe to hand. When the negociable note for $1000 is paid, and the 30 barrels of Corn are received, the amount of both will be carried to your credit. I am told that the present price of Wheat in Alexandria is 8/ but I can fix no price now for what may be delivered 2, 3, 4 or even 6 months hence, or, perhaps, not at all (if you depend upon...
16From George Washington to Henry Lee, Jr., 24 November 1784 (Washington Papers)
Accompanied by the Marquis de la Fayette, Captn Grancheau & the Chevr Caraman, I am just arrived at this place. The Marquis joins me in wishes to see you—come then to Dinner tomorrow, or as soon as you can make it convenient. I have heard since I came home, indeed at Dumfries, of some dispatches which went down for me from the Commee; but none have yet got to hand. I should be glad to receive...
17From George Washington to Capt. Henry Lee, 8 November 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Capt. Henry Lee, Jr., 8 Nov. 1777. Lee’s letter to GW of 8 Nov. is docketed in part “ansd 8.”
18From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 6 June 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have received your favour of yesterday. You will proceed with your corps with as much expedition as you can without injuring your horses, to the vicinity of Suffrans. Baron De Kalb is directed to have two companies of light infantry formed to join you there and act with your corps. He is to endeavour to have a junior officer to you to command it, that the whole may be under your direction....
19From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 16 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
We have received advice from New York of the arrival of Admiral Greaves at the hook with six sail of the line the 13th —We think it very extraordinary if the fleet has arrived that we should have heard nothing of it from you. Should you not have sent off an account before this comes to hand, immediately dispatch a dragoon to confirm or contradict the report, for it may be very injurious to us...
20From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 9 March 1779 (Washington Papers)
I recd yours respecting Mr Archer a few days ago, but I have been so exceedingly engaged that I have not had leisure to answer it before this time —It would give me great pleasure to make provision for a Gentleman of Mr Archers merit in a way that should be perfectly satisfactory to him, and could your request in his behalf be granted without infringing the establishmt of your Corps, I should...
21From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 23 August 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have received your report of the attack of Powles Hook transmitted by Capt. Rudulph which I have forwarded to Congress by Lieutenant McCalester. I shall be sorry if this should be contrary to your wish or Capt. Rudulph’s expectation, as I have the best opinion of this Gentleman’s merit. My motives for sending Mr McCalester with the dispatches were that he commanded one of the forlorn hopes...
22From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 7 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
I was yesterday favd with yours of the 5th I take it for granted that the measures you mean to pursue for cutting off the intercourse between the Country and the enemy will be such as will [be] justified by circumstances, and not incompetent with the laws which the state of Jersey have passed for that purpose. It will be well to inform yourself particularly of the laws which are in force on...
23From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 2 November 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have an account from New York that a fleet with two Regiments and a detachmt of Artillery was to sail on the 29th ulto for Hallifax accompanied by all the heavy ships of War except the Europa—The Daphne Frigate for England was to sail at the same time. I mention these matters to you, that you may compare them with your accounts from the shore—I have reason to beleive that part of the Hulks...
24From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 19 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have received your letter of the 16th. You mistook the point of giving me intelligence as by recurring to your instructions you will find. I now depend on you for information of every occurrence, which will save General Foreman the trouble of a business which I could only with propriety request the favor of him to discharge till another could be sent to undertake it. For the future you will...
25From George Washington to Captain Henry Lee, Jr., 20 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
Altho I have given you my thanks in the general Orders of this day for the late instance of your gallant behaviour I cannot resist the Inclination I feel to repeat them again in this manner. I needed no fresh proof of your merit, to bear you in remembrance—I waited only for the proper time and season to shew it—these I hope are not far off. I shall also think of & will reward the merit of...
26From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 27 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
You may remain in your present position till further orders. In the mean while and without delay I request you to reconnoitre the country well about Totawa and between that and Pompton by the routs of Col. Deys & Prekenis; and report to me the kind of roads—passes—and quantity of green forage, with other circumstances that come under a military view. I am Dr Your ob. ser. P.S. There is a...
27From George Washington to Capt. Henry Lee, 31 October 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Capt. Henry Lee, Jr., c.31 Oct. 1777. Lee’s letter to GW of 31 Oct. is docketed in part “Ansd.”
28From George Washington to Captain Henry Lee, Jr., 12 April 1778 (Washington Papers)
I do myself the pleasure to inclose you a letter from the president of Congress, advising you of the promotion of yourself, Lieut. Lindsay and Cornet Peyton, I shall be glad to see you as soon as possible, that we may fix upon the other Officers for your Corps, and devise ways and means of procuring the additional Men, Horses, Arms and Accoutrements If Capt: Lindsay has not rejoined you it...
29From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 28 June 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have rec’d your letter dated yesterday & thank you for the information it contained I have now to request that you will endeavour to employ some person, in whom you can confide, & at the same time that is intelligent, to go into the works at stoney point, or if admittance is not to be gained, otherwise to obtain the best knowledge of them he can, so as to desc⟨r⟩ibe the particular kind of...
30From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 30 September 1779 (Washington Papers)
I herewith inclose you an extract of my latest intelligence from New-York, so far as it respects the particular business in which you are now engaged. I am of opinion that the numbers are over-rated—But the Count d’Estaign should he come this way, will determine for himself. We have advice by a private letter from Philadelphia that on the 9th inst. the Count was to have attacked the British...
31From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 20 August 1780 (Washington Papers)
This day Mr Joshua Anderson of Monmouth County presented a petition to me in consequence of Capt. Rudulph’s seizing a stone horse, which he urges was at any rate, unfit for present use —His petition is supported by many well effected Inhabitants of that County who place him clearly in the character of a friend to his Country—Therefore as the seizure must have been made by the Capt., in...
32From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 30 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have received your favor of the 26th incloseing one from Capn McLane to you of th[e] 15th. However Capn McLanes services may entitle him to consideration yet he is neither singular in his sacrifices nor situation. There are numbers in the line, who have been as long Captains—and without promotion as himself. This is one of those circumstances incidental to all services. But with regard to...
33From George Washington to Captain Henry Lee, Jr., 16 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
You are immediately to proceed, with a party of Horse to Dover and the Head of Elk, and in conjunction with the commissaries there, exert your utmost endeavours, to hasten to this Army all the flesh-prov[is]ions, deposited in the Magazines, at those places. In order to this, you are empowerd to impress th[r]oughout the Country any number of Waggons you may stand in need of. I have also written...
34From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 2 September 1780 (Washington Papers)
Yours of the 31st Ulto was delivered to me yesterday—I never hear of the intended resignation of a good Officer without feeling pain—& shall be sorry for that of Captn McLean’s; but if he is resolved on the measure It is not in my power to prevt it. The same principle that actuates Captn McLean would occasion the resignation of half the Captains of the line, if it was to pervade the whole—for...
35From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 24 August 1780 (Washington Papers)
You will be pleased immediately upon the receipt of this to commence the Forage of Barbadoes Neck and as far up as Polifly —The necessities of the Army require that it should be executed as extensively as possible in the Articles of Cattle Hogs and Sheep fit for slaughter—You will endeavour to gain a knowledge of the well and ill affected inhabitants and make distinctions accordingly, but your...
36From George Washington to Captain Henry Lee, Jr., 1 April 1778 (Washington Papers)
By your favor of yesterday I am made acquainted with the feelings of your mind on the subject of my proposal communicated to you by Col. Hamilton; the undisguised manner in which you express yourself cannot but strengthen my good opinion of you—as the offer on my part was purely the result of a high Sense of your merit, and as I would by no means divert you from a Career in which you promise...
37From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 25 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have recd yours of the 23d Inst. by which it appears as if the British Fleet were plying off and on —The dispatches which were lodged in Monmouth for Count Rochambeau and Monsieur Ternay are no longer of use there —You will therefore be pleased to take them up from Genl Forman, if they are in his hands, and either send them to me by an Officer, if one is coming this way, or keep them with...
38From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 3 September 1780 (Washington Papers)
Several days ago I received a Letter from the Honble Mr Brearly, Chief Justice of Jersey in which he mentions that “Complaint has been made to me by a Member of the Legislature of Somerset County, together with other respectable Inhabitants, that a Detachment of Major Lee’s light Dragoons have quartered themselves upon the Inhabitants of that County near Rockey Hill, without any order of Law,...
39From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 2 August 1779 (Washington Papers)
This morning your letter dated at Paramus came to hand—I thank you for the intelligence it contains —I have received similar accounts from the other side of the river transmitted by different persons. In the present situation of affairs it is important to discover if possible the views as well as movements of the enemy—for this purpose I should think you might fix on some inhabitant of...
40From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 25 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have received your two letters of the 21st and 22d—The intelligence you communicate is interesting and I am anxious to have the movements it mentions more clearly and certainly unfolded—You will spare no pains nor cost for this purpose. It is of great importance we should ascertain as early as possible the reality of the supposed embarkation—its extent and the course it takes in the first...
41From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 13 September 1779 (Washington Papers)
From several circumstances there is reason to beleive that a French Squadron may be expected upon this Coast. As it is of the utmost consequence that Count D’Estaing or the Officer commanding this Squadron (should such an one arrive) should as soon as possible receive some necessary information from me, I desire that you will immediately move with the remainder of your Corps to the County of...
42From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 9 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
You will not forget that you owe me a horse or something in the shape of one—for the bay I turned into your Corps twelve Months ago. I am not in immediate want. but in some cases it is necessary to remind a man of his debt lest he should forget his creditor. I do not apply this to you because I am sincerely & Affectly Yrs ADfS , DLC:GW ; Varick transcript , DLC:GW . See GW to Lee , and Lee to...
43From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 28 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have recd your favr of the 24th by Capt. Rudulph. I should have been glad had it been possible for your Corps and Colonel Armands to have found a position in Monmouth County capable of supplying the Cavalry of both with Hay forage, as it would, in my opinion, have best answered the object which I have principally in view, that of covering the Country and preventing the intercourse with the...
44From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 20 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have been favd with yours of the 30th November and 16th Inst. The practice of trading under the cover of procuring intelligence has grown to such a height that there is an absolute necessity of putting a stop to it. To avoid giving any umbrage to the Government of the State, I would have you confine your observations to the sailing of the fleets from New York, and whenever any capital...
45From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 11 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have rec’d your favor of this date—& The spirit which has been exhibited by your co[r]ps on the present occasion, gives me pleasure, & be assured meets with my thanks & approbation. As your rapid progress must have fatigued the Cavalry in some degree, I wish you for the present to take Post somewhere in our rear—perhaps chatham or its vicinity, is as well calculated to afford you forage as...
46From George Washington to Henry Lee, Jr., 18 April 1799 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 28th of Feby came duly to hand. On the subject of which I shall say nothing until I have the pleasure of seeing you in May, as promised. The intention of this letter is to enquire—as you have frequently offered it—whether you have, at this time, any Corn for Sale. I want more than my Nephew of Westmoreland can furnish me with, and will allow for what you can spare the same...
47From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 3 September 1779 (Washington Papers)
In answer to your letter of this date which I have this minute received. As you request my concurrence to the step you propose, I do not find myself at liberty to give it, because it appears to me to be premature and unnecessary. From the time your report was dispatched to Congress, there is no reason to suppose delay. I am firmly persuaded the event will shew you they cannot possibly intend...
48From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 29 November 1778 (Washington Papers)
I just now received a Letter from His Excellency—the Governor of this State, transmitting a general complaint from Major Strang & Mr Hyat against your Corps, and a particular one against Lt Carnes for an irregular seizure of forrage—and against yourself for refusing to suffer the sheriff to arrest him for it—and demanding him to be delivered to the Civil Magistrate as you will perceive by the...
49From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 9 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have received your letter of yesterday & thank you for the intelligence you communicated —I would caution you not to place too much confidence in Mr Smith. I suppose he is the son of Mr Thomas Smith, whose attachment to us is very generally & I beleive Justly suspected—The presumption is that the son holds similar sentiments to his father though the contrary is possible enough—The...
50From George Washington to Major General Henry Lee, Jr., 8 June 1780 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found : to Maj. Henry Lee, Jr., 8 June 1780. On 11 June , Lee wrote GW: “Your lettr of the 8th inst. reached us on the 9th in the afternoon.”