31From George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie, 16 April 1756 (Washington Papers)
All my Ideal hopes, of raising a Number of Men, to scour the adjacent Mountains, have vanished into Nothing. Yesterday was the appointed Time, for a general Rendezvous of all who were willing to accompany Me, for that desirable End; and only 15 appeared: so that I find myself reduced, to the farther Necessity, of waiting at this Place a few Days longer, till the Arrival of a Party, which was...
32From George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie, 18 April 1756 (Washington Papers)
It gave me infinite concern to find in yours by Governour Innis, that any representations should inflame the Assembly against the Virginia Regiment; or give cause to suspect the morality and good Behaviour of the Officers. How far any of the individuals may have deserved such invidious reflections, I will not take upon me to determine; but this I am certain of; and can call my conscience, and...
33From George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie, 19 April 1756 (Washington Papers)
Since writing my Letter of Yesterday’s date the inclosd came to hand by which your honr will be informd of a very unlucky affair. I immediately consulted Colo. Innis and such Officers of my own Regiment as were at this place on the necessary steps to be taken: they unanimously advisd that I shoud remain here with the 50 Recruits that are in Town for the defence of the place till the Militia...
34From George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie, 22 April 1756 (Washington Papers)
This encloses several letters, and the minutes of a Council of War, which was held upon the receipt of them. Your Honor may see to what unhappy straits the distressed Inhabitants as well as I, am reduced. I am too little acquainted, Sir, with pathetic language, to attempt a description of the peoples distresses; though I have a generous soul, sensible of wrongs, and swelling for redress—But...
35From George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie, 24 April 1756 (Washington Papers)
Not an hour, nay, scarcely a minute passes, that does not produce fresh alarms and melancholy accounts. So that I am distracted what to do! nor is it possible for me to give the people the necessary assistance for their defence; upon account of the small number of men we have, or is likely to be here, for sometime. The Inhabitants are removing daily; and in a short time will leave this County...
36From George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie, 27 April 1756 (Washington Papers)
I sent an Express to Fort Cumberland on Tuesday last, who is just returned with the enclosed Letters; which I send, to prevent the trouble of extracting a part. In my letter to Colonel Stephen, I did, among other things, inform him of the accusations laid to his charge; and that he must expect to have the matter enquired into: your Honor will see what he says upon the subject. Desolation and...
37From George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie, 3 May 1756 (Washington Papers)
I received your two Letters of the 23d and 26th ultimo. I have sent down an indian scalp which was taken off at the place where Captain Mercer had his Engagement. He was found thrust under some rocks, and stones piled up against them. They have reason to believe there were more killed, from the quantity of blood found on the ground, where the Indians fired from; and from other discoveries of...
38From George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie, 23 May 1756 (Washington Papers)
The method I shall use to inform your Honour of the proceedings of the Militia, is to enclose a Transcript of my Journal that relates to that Affair; and to send a copy of a Council of War held here by the Field Officers of these Counties you were pleased to order to our assistance —These, I hope, will be sufficient to discover the springs that actuated my Conduct. The spirit of Desertion was...
39From George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie, 23 May 1756 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Robert Dinwiddie, 23 May 1756. On 27 May 1756 Dinwiddie wrote to GW : “Your two Letters of the 23rd I recd last Night.” Only one of the two has been found.
40From George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie, 25 June 1756 (Washington Papers)
I doubt not but your Honour will be as much surprized, as I have been concerned and vexed at my stay here. When I left Williamsburgh, I did it with a design to proceed with the utmost expedition to Fort Cumberland. In order thereto, I arrived at Fredericksburgh to Dinner, the day after I left your Honour, at one o’clock; and gave the officer, posted at that place, a list of such tools as were...
41From George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie, 25 June 1756 (Washington Papers)
I was in hope that by Garrisoning the Forts with part of the Militia, we should have been able to have mustered a greater number of Soldiers to work upon the Forts that are to be built: But I am under the greatest apprehensions, that all who are now up will desert: They go off in twenties—and all threaten to return, if they are not relieved in a very short time, or discharged. Many...
42From George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie, 4 August 1756 (Washington Papers)
Giving the necessary Orders and Directions about the chain of Forts to be built on the Frontiers, has kept me so closely employed, that I could not write fully to your Honor until this . But I have got that trouble now pretty well off my hands, as I have dispatched orders, plans and tools to all the officers appointed to that Duty. By the enclosed Council held at Fort Cumberland, your Honor...
43From George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie, 14 August 1756 (Washington Papers)
The return of the Express that came with La Force’s escape (for which accident I am extremely concerned; and fear its productions if he is not retaken) affords me an opportunity to inform your Honor, of some occurrences which have happened since my last. Repeated complaints and applications from all quarters for men; but more especially from the Garrisons which secure the communication with...
44From George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie, 8 September 1756 (Washington Papers)
I received your favours of the 19th 20th and 21st ultimo; and wrote immediately to the commanding officers of the Counties of Prince-William, Culpeper and Fairfax, to march their Drafts to this place. There are none of them yet arrived; nor do I know whether they are made. Your Honors letter of the 19th mentions, that I may enlist Servants agreable to the act of Parliament; but as I have not...
45From George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie, 23 September 1756 (Washington Papers)
Under your kind indulgence I came to this place a few days ago, expecting to meet the Executors of my deceased Brother; in order to make a final settlement of his affairs: I was disappointed tho’ in this design, by the Assembly having called away the principal persons concerned; which I was unacquainted with until Jenkins’s return, near about the same time that I got down. I shall remark, in...
46From George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie, 28 September 1756 (Washington Papers)
I arrived here last night, and find things in the peaceable state I left them on this Quarter; and therefore set out tomorrow for Augusta. As Mr Walker has declined, it is absolutely necessary to have a Commissary immediately appointed, who should have express orders where, and for what number of men, to lay in Provisions; and should be furnished with cash before he sets out, as every thing...
47From George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie, 10 October 1756 (Washington Papers)
This day, within five miles of the Carolina line, as I was proceeding to the southermost Fort in Halifax; I met Major Lewis on his return from the Cherokees, with seven men, and three women only of that nation. The causes of this unhappy disappointment, I have desired him to communicate, that your Honor may take measures accordingly. This account is sent by Express, to give the earliest...
48From George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie, 9 November 1756 (Washington Papers)
In mine from Hallifax I promised your Honour a particular detail of my remarks and observations, upon the situation of our Frontiers, when I arrived at this place. Altho’ I was pretty explicit in my former, I can not avoid recapitulating part of the subject now : as my duty, and its importance for redress, are strong motives. From Fort-Trial, on Smith’s river, I returned to Fort-William, on...
49From George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie, 24 November 1756 (Washington Papers)
At this place, on my way to Williamsburgh, I received your Honor’s letter of the 18th instant: and shall take care to pay the strictest obedience to your orders and the opinion so far as I can. The Detachment ordered from Winchester, exceeds, I believe, the number of enlisted we have there; and the Drafts, which made our strength at that place to consist of about 160 men, will leave us in 7...
50From George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie, 2 December 1756 (Washington Papers)
When I wrote your Honor from Alexandria, I expected to have been at or near Fort Cumberland by this; but upon coming here, and expecting waggons & provisions in readiness to go up with this escort, I received the enclosed from the commissary—which I send to evince that no delays or protracting of orders proceeds from me. The returns of our Strength, which I called in so soon as I arrived, is...
51From George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie, 4 December 1756 (Washington Papers)
Since writing to your Honor yesterday, a very base and villainous scheme has been discovered; which has been I believe, the sole cause of 18 Soldiers deserting from us last night. The Gentleman concerned is our (late Ensign) Denis McCarty; of whose Character and practises, the enclosed Depositions will afford your Honor a specimen: and with whom all ties of honor and morality are of no force....
52From George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie, 9 December 1756 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Robert Dinwiddie, 9 December 1756. On 15 Dec. 1756 Dinwiddie wrote to GW : “Yours of the 9th I have recd.”
53From George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie, 10 December 1756 (Washington Papers)
Capt. Mercer returned the 7th with sixteen of the Deserters; the other two escaped his diligence. They confirm the suspicion of Mr McCarty’s villany, by confessing, he had inveigled them with promises of protection, rewards, and good usage! and a deep-laid plan was concerted for accomplishing his base designs, binding each individual with an oath to follow him; to stand true to each other in...
54From George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie, 19 December 1756 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 10th came to hand the 15th. In consequence whereof I dispatched orders immediately to all the Garrisons on the Branch to evacuate their Forts, and repair to Pearsalls, where they wou’d meet the Flour &c. from this place; & to escort it to Fort Cumberland. I expect the provisions purchased for the support of these Forts, and now laying in bulk, will be wasted and destroyed,...
55From George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie, 12 January 1757 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 27th ultimo came to hand the 9th instant—I wrote to your Honor by Capt. Spotswood (who was charged with the care of the Cuttawba Indians as far as Williamsburgh) that I had sent Colo. Stephen with a Detachment, to bring the mutineers on the Branch to this place in irons. They were secured before he got there; and he has brought all but six, who deserted from Capt. Joshua...
56From George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie, 14 January 1757 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Robert Dinwiddie, 14 Jan. 1757. On 26 Jan. 1757 Dinwiddie wrote to GW : “Yr Letter of the 14th I shall answer by Jenkins.”
57From George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie, 10 March 1757 (Washington Papers)
We may I think with great Propriety and Justice represent. That—The Virginia Regiment was the first in arms of any Troops upon the Continent, in the prest War. That—The three Years which they have Servd has been one continued Scene of Action. That—whilst other Troops have an agreeable recess in Winter Quarters, the Nature of the Service in which we are engagd, and the smallness of Our Numbers...
58From George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie, 2 April 1757 (Washington Papers)
A letter which I received from Capt. Mercer, upon my return to Alexandria, informs me, that 95 Cutawba’s, beside 25 that are gone to Williamsburgh, are now in Winchester, waiting orders how to conduct themselves —That, according to custom they are in want of matchcoats, shirts, leggings, and all other necessaries. I shou’d be glad to receive your Honors particular directions with respect to...
59From George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie, 16 April 1757 (Washington Papers)
Your letter by Express, of the 8th Instant I fear has fallen into the hands of the common Enemy, for I never have seen it—The other of the 7th I this day received: and being exceedingly embarrassed to come at your Honors intentions, and really at a loss to know in what manner to act, in such perplexed and difficult circumstances—I called a council of Officers to my aid; the result of their...
60From George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie, 29 April 1757 (Washington Papers)
I make use of this as a less troublesome, the most effectual, and (I think) most expeditious method of recommending certain matters relative to the Regiment, &c. to your Honors notice—and to begin: The act of Assembly which subjected the Virginia troops to Martial Law, is now expired: and when in force, was altogether ineffectual for the purpose. It is I think quite obvious, that we can...