To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 25 October 1755
From Robert Dinwiddie
Williamsburg Octr 25th 1755
Sir
Your Letter of the 17th I recd the Contents duly considered, but I refer answering it till I see You, which I hope will be soon.
Our Assembly sitts To-morrow when I hope they will do some necessary Things for the Service. If you find the Militia are not absolutely wanted and necessary, I hope You will order them back to their Counties, as this will be very expensive.
The Commissaries cannot pass their Accts I therefore think You shou’d appoint one to oversee the Killing & Curing of the Beef &ca—& as, I am inform’d, Mr McClain1 that’s at the Fort shou’d be engaged in the Service as a very useful Man, You may settle his Pay & when You come here we will endeavour to get his Arrears due to him for former Services.
The enclos’d to Mr McManus please deliver & give him leave of absence to go to No. Carolina; as they propose raising three Companies, the Command of one of them the Governor proposes that Gentleman.2
I am much hurried therefore refer saying any Thing more till Meeting. I am Sir Your humble Servant
Robt Dinwiddie
LS, owned by Gary M. Milan (1990); LB, ViHi: Dinwiddie Papers. The receiver’s copy is dated 25 Oct., but the letter-book copy is dated the twenty-sixth.
1. As his letter to Allan McLean of this date indicates, GW was employing McLean as a commissary at Fort Cumberland. On 29 Oct. he ordered Commissary Charles Dick to go up to Fort Cumberland himself, or to send Thomas Walker, to see that the cattle were “killed and properly salted.” McLean had left Fort Cumberland by 22 Nov. and was supervising the butchering of cattle at Winchester (Adams Stephen to GW, 22 Nov. 1755).
2. Gov. Arthur Dobbs convened the North Carolina legislature on 25 Sept., and before adjourning on 15 Oct. the assembly provided for raising 3 of the 4 companies of 50 men each that were being sent to New York. Thomas McManus left Virginia for North Carolina in November.