To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel John Connolly, 9 March 1780
From Lieutenant Colonel John Connolly
Germantown 9th March 1780.
May it please Your Excellency
I did myself the Honour of addressing Your Excellency some time ago, requesting permission to go into New York for thirty days in order to arrange my own personal affairs1—The Board of War to which I applied for this indulgence was disposed to acquiesce with my request, had it not been esteemed the peculiar prerogative of your Excellency2—I hope therefore that your Excellency will be disposed to believe Nothing but pressing necessity could urge me to repeat my solicitation so hastily; & that I shall be favored with thirty days absense on Parole, agreeable to my former petition.3 I am with the greatest respect your Excellency’s most Obedit & most humble servant.
Jno. Connolly
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. This letter has not been found.
2. In February, GW had corresponded with the Board of War regarding Connolly’s parole (see the Board of War to GW, 22 Feb., and GW to the Board of War, 27 Feb.).
3. No reply from GW has been found. After receiving a request from the governor of Maryland, GW authorized a proposal for Connolly’s exchange (see Thomas Sim Lee to GW, 8 April; GW to Abraham Skinner, 3 May; and GW to the Board of War, 4 May, all in DLC:GW; see also the Board of War to GW, 25 April, DLC:GW, and GW to Lee, 4 May, MdAA). Connolly was exchanged in October.