54501From George Washington to Alexander White, 8 December 1799 (Washington Papers)
Your favour of yesterday I received this morning. Altho’ the Legislature of Maryland has taken up the business of the Potomack Company upon different ground, than on that which was adopted at the last General meeting of the Stockholders, and less advantageous for them if they could have carried their mode into effect; yet, as my primary wish, is to see the work completed, I rejoice that the...
54502[Diary entry: 9 December 1799] (Washington Papers)
9. Morning clear & pleasant, with a light Wind from No. W. Mer. at 33. Pleasant all day—afternoon Calm. Mer. 39 at Night. Mr. Howell Lewis & wife set off on their return home after breakfast and Mr. Lawe. Lewis and Washington Custis on a journy. to N. Kent.
54503To George Washington from Robert Boggess, 9 December 1799 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Robert Boggess, 9 Dec. 1799. GW wrote Boggess on 10 Dec. : “In answer to your letter of yesterday’s date. . . .”
54504To George Washington from Gouverneur Morris, 9 December 1799 (Washington Papers)
During a late Visit to New York, I learnt that the leading federal Characters (even in Massachusetts) consider Mr Adams as unfit for the Office he now holds. Without pretending to decide on the Merits of that Opinion, which will operate alike whether well or illfounded, it appeared necessary to name some other Person. You will easily conceive that his Predecessor was wished for and regretted,...
54505[Diary entry: 10 December 1799] (Washington Papers)
10. Morning clear & calm. Mer. at 31. Afternoon lowering. Mer. at 42 and wind brisk from the Southward. A very large hoar frost this morng.
54506From George Washington to Robert Boggess, 10 December 1799 (Washington Papers)
In answer to your letter of yesterday’s date, I have to observe that you, as well as others, have mistaken my real situation very much when it is supposed that I have it in my power to lend money. The truth is, that my receipts of this article, for some years back, have fallen so far short of my expenditures—without having made any purchases to increase my property (excepting a lot or two in...
54507Enclosure: Washington’s Plans for His River, Union, and Muddy Hole Farms, 10 December 1799 (Washington Papers)
River-Farm Crops for, & operations thereon, for the year 1800 Field No. 1—Is now partly in Wheat. Part thereof is to be sown with Oats. another part may be sown with Pease, broadcast. Part is in meadow, and will remain so. and the most broken, washed, & indifferent part, is to remain uncultivated; but to be harrowed & smoothed in the Spring, and the worst parts thereof (if practicable) to be...
54508[Diary entry: 11 December 1799] (Washington Papers)
11. But little wind and Raining. Mer. 44 in the Morning and 38 at Night. About 9 oclock the Wind shifted to No. Wt. & it ceased raining but contd. Cloudy. Lord Fairfax, his Son Thos. and daughter—Mrs. Warner Washington & son Whiting—and Mr. Jno. Herbert dined here & returned after dinner.
54509To Alexander Hamilton from George Washington, 12 December 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I have duly received your letter of the 28th ultimo, enclosing a Copy of what you had written to the Secretary of War, on the subject of a Military Academy. The Establishment of an Institution of this kind, upon a respectable and extensive basis, has ever been considered by me as an Object of primary importance to this Country; and while I was in the Chair of Government, I omitted no proper...
54510[Diary entry: 12 December 1799] (Washington Papers)
12. Morning Cloudy—Wind at No. Et. & Mer. 33. A large circle round the Moon last Night. About 1 oclock it began to snow—soon after to Hail and then turned to a settled cold Rain. Mer. 28 at Night.
54511From George Washington to Alexander Hamilton, 12 December 1799 (Washington Papers)
I have duly received your letter of the 28th ultimo, enclosing a Copy of what you had written to the Secretary of War, on the subject of a Military Academy. The Establishment of an Institution of this kind, upon a respectable and extensive basis, has ever been considered by me as an Object of primary importance to this Country; and while I was in the Chair of Government, I omitted no proper...
54512[Diary entry: 13 December 1799] (Washington Papers)
13. Morning Snowing & abt. 3 Inches deep. Wind at No. Et. & Mer. at 30. Contg. Snowing till 1 Oclock and abt. 4 it became perfectly clear. Wind in the same place but not hard. Mer. 28 at Night. On 12 Dec. in the midst of the day’s severe weather GW rode out to supervise winter activities at the various farms, becoming wet and chilled in the course of his ride. On the 13th, in spite of a...
54513From George Washington to James Anderson, 13 December 1799 (Washington Papers)
I did not know that you were here yesterday morning until I had mounted my horse, otherwise I should have given you what I now send. As Mr Rawlins was going to the Union Farm, to lay off the Clover lots, I sent by him the Duplicate for that Farm to his brother—and as I was going to River Farm myself, I carried a copy for that Farm to Dowdal—Both of them have been directed to consider them...
54514School Exercises (Washington Papers)
[ Ferry Farm, 1744–1748 ]. The earliest manuscripts among GW’s surviving papers are the schoolwork of his boyhood, amounting to 218 pages of exercises, mostly in mathematics and surveying. Because of the special character of these documents and because with appropriate annotation they will fill a volume in themselves, the exercises have been set aside for separate publication. At his death GW...
54515George Washington’s Professional Surveys (Washington Papers)
Between the ages of 17 and 20 GW was a practicing professional land surveyor. During that time he made more than 190 surveys, nearly all of them for grants of new lands on the frontiers of Lord Fairfax’s Northern Neck Proprietary. Frontier surveying was a lucrative business in Virginia at the middle of the eighteenth century, as swarms of settlers and speculators laid claim to the colony’s...
54516The Letter Book for the Braddock Campaign (Washington Papers)
The Preface to this volume includes an extended discussion of the problems relating to the letter books that GW kept during the French and Indian War, all of which are in the Washington Papers at the Library of Congress. There are two manuscript copies of the letter book for the Braddock campaign in the library. One is the original letter book kept by GW during the campaign and revised by him....