To George Washington from Charles Smith, 2 December 1758
From Charles Smith
Fort Loudoun, Decembr 2d 1758
Dr Colo.,
As You wrote to me in Yr Last Concerning Deischargeing Different People’s Accots that had Money Due by the Contry for Servises Done at this Place, Every Person that brought there Accots in to Me I Sent Down to Williamsburgh Which they past and is Now Discharg’d.1
Your Acots of Smith’s Worke & Waggonage is Past & the Money is Now in My hands, for Smiths Worke Amounts upwards of £50, Waggonage upwards of £10, I have Drawn the Whole Accot between You & I & Shall be Ready to Settle with You at any time by Writeing or Self present.2
there is a Number of the 2d Virga Regiment come Down to Me but by Whose Orders I know knot, there in Great need of a Doctor but to Imploy one, I am afraid to do as I have no Orders but at the same time has Receivd them in to the fort & Draws provision as they Others untill further Orders of Your’s or Some Other Commanding Officer.3
I have no News Worth Notice but as all Your friends in this place is Well & Daily Wishing to heare of the Reduction of Fort Dequzne & Your Safe Returne at this place as they Immagin there Greatly Imposd upon in this County as there is Orders come up to Draughf the Milisa of the Above Sd County,4 I am Dr Sir, Your Most Obedient & Very Humbe Servt
Chs Smith
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. GW’s letter to Smith has not been found.
2. For references to Smith’s hiring out GW’s blacksmith and wagon from Bullskin plantation in public works at Winchester, see Smith to GW, 12 Oct. 1758.
3. James Craik, surgeon in the 1st Virginia Regiment, arrived back in Winchester on 16 Dec. and immediately took steps to alleviate the bad situation there. See Craik to GW, 20 Dec., and also Robert Stewart to GW, 12 December.
4. “An Act for the defence of the Frontiers of this Colony . . .” (7 171–79), which was passed October 1758, confirmed that the governor could keep militiamen in the frontier forts, and draft other militiamen to relieve those then serving, until the 1st Virginia Regiment returned to the colony from Pennsylvania. Fauquier wrote John Buchanan on 14 Nov. that he would not “make alteration in the Plan agreed on here by the Burgesses, for the Frontier Counties . . . till the Return of the first Regiment . . . when I propose to disband every Man of the Militia” ( , 1:105).