To George Washington from Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 12 August 1796
From Charles Cotesworth Pinckney
Charleston [S.C.] August 12th 1796
Dear Sr
I am prepared to sail for New York or Philadelphia as soon as a good opportunity offers. None of the Philadelphia pacquets are now in our harbour. There is one for New York called the John; and I went this morning to take my passage in her, when I was credibly informed that she was a very bad sailer, did not obey her helm, always made tedious voyages, & therefore her last Commander (a very good one) left her, & that she has now a new one.1 This account has deterred me from going in her. Capn Garman is hourly expected from Philadelphia, and I will sail with him on his return, should not a speedier opportunity offer.2 I am sorry for the delay, but your Letters by the post were very long in coming;3 and when we depend on ships & winds, a rigid punctuality is out of the question. This City is at present sickly, but no contagious or malignant disorder rages here; for your satisfaction I enclose you a certificate of the medical society to this purpose.4 With the highest veneration, esteem & attachment, and the sincerest wishes for your happiness, I always am your affectionate & obliged Sert
Charles Cotesworth Pinckney
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. The City Gazette & Daily Advertiser (Charleston) for 14 March 1796 advertised John Webb as captain of the brig John, “a constant trader” between New York and Charleston. The Columbian Herald or, the New Daily Advertiser (Charleston) for 23 Aug. 1796 gave Bent as the name of her captain.
2. The Columbian Herald or, the New Daily Advertiser for 23 Aug. reported the arrival at Charleston from Philadelphia of the ship South-Carolina under the command of John Garman.
Pinckney wrote GW from Charleston on Friday, 26 Aug.: “I shall embark for Philadelphia on Wednesday next in the Ship south Carolina Captn Garman” (ALS, MHi: Pickering Papers). The City Gazette and Daily Advertiser for 3 Sept. reported Pinckney’s departure on Friday, 2 September.
3. See GW’s two letters to Pinckney on 8 July (letter 1, letter 2), and Pinckney to GW, 27 July.
4. Pinckney probably enclosed a medical society resolution dated 10 Aug. that appeared in the City Gazette and Daily Advertiser for 12 Aug.: “That in the opinion of the members of the society, the diseases usual in the present season of the year are neither more common, nor more mortal, than they have been for several of the preceding years: that, on the strictest investigation, there does not at present exist in Charleston any contagious malignant fever, known to them; in proof of which they observe, that no medical person, or other attendant on the sick, has caught any disease in the discharge of their respective functions: nor do they know of any case in which there is ground to believe, or even to suspect, that a fever has been communicated from one person to another.”