To George Washington from Henry Lee, 12 February 1797
From Henry Lee
Sunday evg [Philadelphia, 12 Feb. 1797]1
My dear sir
I find myself fatigued with my journey or should wait on you this evening.
While in Newyork I mentioned to a friend of mine there your pair of horses & price—He has authorized me to buy them, money to be paid (1000 Ds) on delivery.2
I promised to write to him by tomorrows mail, & consequently must ask your decision this evening.3
please to present my best respects to Mrs Washington & tell her that I left her grandson in good health & very happy in his academic pursuits.4 Most truely & respy Yours
H. Lee
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. The date is taken from GW’s docket, which reads “12th Feb. 1797.” Lee’s reference in the letter to his contemplated meeting with GW indicates that he wrote from Philadelphia.
2. GW’s ledgers and cash accounts in this period show no transaction with Lee or a New Yorker involving the sale of horses. However, GW recently accepted an offer of $1,000 from Elizabeth Willing Powel for his coach horses (see GW to Powel, 6 Feb., and n.1 to that document). Also, on 26 Jan. 1797, GW had received $150 “of Mr [John Bill] Ricket[t]s for the white horse Jack” ().
3. The letter from Lee has not been identified.
4. Martha Washington’s grandson, George Washington Parke Custis, was pursuing his studies at the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) (see GW to Custis, 15 Nov. 1796).
No reply to Lee from GW has been found. However, the two men continued to have dealings throughout the month. GW’s accounts for February 1797 reflect payments made by Lee on the Dismal Swamp Company shares that GW had sold to him in November 1795 (see , 27, 37).