George Washington Papers
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https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-01-02-0070

To George Washington from Patrick Henry, 17 July 1775

From Patrick Henry

Philadelphia, 17 July 1775

Introduces Benjamin Ellery of Rhode Island, who “wishes to visit your Camp.”1

ALS, MiU-C: Thomas Gage Papers. The document’s location indicates that the British intercepted it before it reached GW.

Patrick Henry (1736–1799) of Hanover County, Va., served with GW in the First Continental Congress and was a member of the Second Continental Congress until early August 1775, at which time he was appointed colonel of the newly authorized 1st Virginia Regiment and commander in chief of the colony’s regular forces, positions which he held until February 1776. Henry was governor of Virginia from 1776 to 1779 and 1784 to 1786.

1Benjamin Ellery (1726–1797), a merchant in Newport, was a son of William Ellery (d. 1764), who served as deputy governor of Rhode Island from 1748 to 1750, and the brother of William Ellery (1727–1820), who was a member of the Continental Congress from 1776 to 1781 and 1782 to 1786.

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