George Washington Papers

From George Washington to Anthony White, 25 August 1775

To Anthony White

Camp at Cambridge Augt 25th 1775

Dear Sir,

Your favours of the 31st Ulto and 1st Instt I have had the honour to receive;1 and you may believe me sincere, when I assure you, that it will give me pleasure to shew any kind of Civility in my power to your Son, whose modest deportment richly entitles him to it. I am under some kind of Ingagement to a very worthy Gentleman of my acquaintance in Virginia to appoint him one of my Aid de Camps; or more properly, I had wrote to him on this subject—his answer not received—should he decline the offer, as I know he is much engaged in other business, I shall, with pleasure, take your Son into my Family in that Capacity.2 in the meanwhile, I shall be happy in making his time as agreeable as possible to him whilst he remains in the Camp.

In respect to Mr Dunham, I thought it but a piece of candour to inform him, that I saw but little prospect of his getting an Imployment in his profession here upon which I believe he has changed his Plan.3 As I am almost always in a hurry, myself, and as I do not doubt but your Son will give you an Acct of every remarkable Occurrance which happens In this Camp, I shall only add my best respects to your good Lady & family, & that I am with great esteem Dr Sir Yr Most Obedt Sert

Go: Washington

ALS, CSmH.

1Neither letter has been found, but Anthony White apparently solicited GW to find positions in the army for his son Anthony Walton White and Mr. Dunham. See note 3 and George Clinton to GW, 4 July 1775.

2For a discussion of GW’s offer to appoint Robert Hanson Harrison one of his aides-de-camp, see GW to George Clinton, 25 Aug. 1775, n.2.

3This may be Stephen Dunham, who joined the 3d New Jersey Battalion as a first lieutenant on 7 February 1776. He resigned in July of that year and later served in the New Jersey militia.

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