To George Washington from Brigadier General William Maxwell, 23 July 1780
From Brigadier General William Maxwell
Pracaness 23d July 1780
Sir
I took the liberty to write to Your Excellency on the 20th Inst. stating certain circumstances respecting my self and requesting my resignation through you from Congress, but upon the most mature consideration, I am persuaded the measure was premature as by it I eventually subscribe to the Justice of the allegations of my accusers—I therefore entreat that if Your Excellency has not forwarded my request to Congress that You would be pleased to permit me to withdraw it, and I shall consider myself amenable to a Court Martial for any misdemeanors that may be imputed to me—If Your Excellency has transmited it to Congress I beg permission to go to Philadelphia.1 I am with much respect Your Excellencys Most Obedient Humble Servant
Wm Maxwell
ALS, DLC:GW.
GW replied to Maxwell from headquarters at Theunis Dey’s house on this date: “A few hours after the receipt of your letter of the 20th I found an opportunity of transmitting a Copy of it to Congress—This being the case I can have no objection to your going to Philada—as you request” (Df, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW).
1. For GW’s transmission of the letter to Congress, see GW to Samuel Huntington, 20 July (second letter).