George Washington Papers
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To George Washington from Charles Smith, 16 November 1758

From Charles Smith

Fort Loudoun Novembr 16th 1758

Dr Sir

I Receivd Yours the 30th of Octr Likewise one of the 5th Inst. that of the 30th Mentions Supplying Expresses with money[.] that I have Done Allways Allso I have Convinced the Governer that what Davis told him was Intirely falce.1

Your Letters I allways Distributeed Likewise Yr Trunk with 20 Bushles of havie, I have sent to Colo. Carlyle which I have Receivd his Answer.2

According to yr Orders of the 5th Inst. I have mad out my Pay Rolls for Subsistance & Workeing Pay Ready to Settle with Mr Turner when comes from Wmsburg.3

I am not able to give You a full Accot of the Sum Yr Blacksmiths has Earnt Yet but with Great Care & Driving I am Preety Sure I Shall make them Earn one Hundred Pounds Cleare in a Year.4

Your Waggoner John is come to me with a Sad Complaint against hardwick he says hardwick beats him & Abusees him at Shutch a Rate he Cant Stay with him & hinders him from Takeing Care of Yr horses by the Reason of his takeing inn Sundry horses belonging to Sundry People to Winter, I have sent John home again to his buisness & Declaird, I would Informe You of the Matter, John has Applyd to me for Money to Get him Clothes for the Winter I let him have Twenty Shillings & Did not Care to let him have a Greater Sum untill I new yr Pleasure.5

Sergt Wilper Sends his Returnes to me & Desires to know in what Manner himself & Detachmt under him is to be Paid or who to Apply to, as there Chiefly naked for Shoes & Stockings,6 I have sent an Axact Returne of this Garrison Inclosd7 Yr Man Peter is takeen very ill with the flucks, but I hope no Danger—I am in hast & no More to add, but Dr Sir I wish You Safe Returne at this Place again, & believe I am Yr Frieind & Very Humble Servt

Chs Smith

N.B. Colo. Wood & Colo. Hite & all Yr Friends about Town Desires to be Remembered to you, C.S.

ALS, DLC:GW.

1GW’s letters to Smith of 30 Oct. and 5 Nov. have not been found, but GW informed Fauquier in a letter of 30 Oct. what he had written to Smith on that day. For Fauquier’s complaint about Smith’s treatment of the messenger Davis when Davis was bringing to Williamsburg GW’s letter of 25 Sept., see Fauquier to GW, 7 Oct. 1758.

2“Havie” may be a misspelling of haver, meaning oats. The overseer Christopher Hardwick on 3 Sept. reported a yield of twenty bushels of oats at GW’s Bullskin plantation. Or “havie” may be a misreading of haire, a misspelling of hair (see Smith to GW, 12 Oct. 1758).

4GW’s cash account, 20 May 1758, shows £17.0.3 income from the work of his smith (General Ledger A description begins General Ledger A, 1750–1772. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers. description ends , folio 39), probably at Bullskin plantation. See Smith to GW, 12 Oct., n.4.

5Waggoner John probably is John Adams, GW’s wagon driver at Bullskin. Under Adams’s name (General Ledger A description begins General Ledger A, 1750–1772. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers. description ends , folio 50) is the notation, “To Cash advancd you 18th Augt last by Liut. Smith [£]1.” GW also advanced him £2 “at my Quarter” on 10 Dec. and gave him a “Dutch Blanket.”

6See Sgt. John David Wilper’s letter to GW, 9 Sept. 1758, in which he complains that he and the men posted at Pearsal’s fort have not been paid in three months.

7Smith’s return for the garrison at Fort Loudoun dated 27 Oct. (DLC:GW) reports a total of 36 men (14 sick) for the 1st Virginia Regiment, 11 men (11 sick) from the 2d Virginia Regiment, and 7 men (5 sick) from the North Carolina detachment.

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