21I. Commission, 14 August 1755 (Washington Papers)
By Virtue of H: Majesty’s Royal Com[missi]o[n] & Instructs. appointg me Lt Gr & Commander in Chief in & over this his Colony & Dominion of Virga with full Power & Authority to appoint all Officers both Civil & Military within the same—I reposg especial Trust in Yr Loyalty Courage & good Conduct, do by these Presents appoint You Colonel of the Virga Regimt & Commander in Chief of all the Forces...
22II. Instructions from Robert Dinwiddie, 14 August 1755 (Washington Papers)
Instructions for Colonel George Washington Commander in Chief of the Virginia Regiment. Whereas the French have unjustly invaded His Majesty’s Lands on the Ohio, and have sent flying Parties of French and Indians, to robb, and murder our back Settlers to the Westward, which the Legislature of this Dominion having seriously taken into their Consideration, and voted Money for the Protection of...
23III. Memorandum from Robert Dinwiddie, 14 August 1755 (Washington Papers)
Take a particular Acct of the Clothing at Majr Carlyles & those at Winchester & send me an acct of the Whole. The Provisions that remain at Alexa[ndri]a belonging to this Colony, is to be shipt for New York, desire Mr Carlyle to hire a small Sloop for that Purpose, & have the Pork & Beef Trimd & pickled. Consign the same to Robinson Esqr. & desire Remittans. in Flour—speak to the Treasurer for...
24To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 17 September 1755 (Washington Papers)
I recd yrs of the 11th with Acct of the Clothg & Provis[ion]s I suppose You will find some more Clothg at Winchester for the Acct at Alexaa belong. to me comes short of my Acct—I have had 500 Shirts made here & 100 Tents—I think you may engage from Mr Carlyle the white Shirts, Shoes, Hatts & the white Yearn Hose. Mr Dick has 84 Doz. of Soldiers Stock[ings] come in wch if he will sell...
25To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 18 October 1755 (Washington Papers)
Yours of the 8th ⅌ Colo. Stephens I recd & am heartily sorry for the Acct he brings, but am in hopes from the Assistance of the Militia, & the Recruits You will be able to drive those Banditti from our Frontiers; I wish You may get a Troop of Horse from Fairfax County, as they will be of great Service in clearing the Woods, & I shall be glad if they can send down a Number of their Scalps. One...
26To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 25 October 1755 (Washington Papers)
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...
27To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 14 December 1755 (Washington Papers)
Your Letter by Capt. Mercer I receiv’d. I hope the Treasurer will send You the Money to make up 10,000 which I have desired him. If You find it for the good of the Service to remain below I have no Objection to it; but I hope the Men are duly exercised & taught the Indian Method of fighting, that they may be prepard for Action in the Spring. I am surpriz’d the Vessell with Arms &ca is not...
28To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 22 January 1756 (Washington Papers)
Your two Letters of the 13th and 14th I shall answer Paragraphically. The Expedition against the Shawnesse I hope will be attended with Success, as two Women who were taken Prisoners made their Escape mention their being in their Towns & did not hear of their Intention of moving. You have done very right in ordering the Men to be train’d in the Indian Method of fighting but I can give You no...
29Commission, 7 April 1756 (Washington Papers)
Robert Dinwiddie Esqr His Majesty’s Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief of the Colony and Dominion of Virginia. To George Washington Esqr: By Virtue of the Power and Authority to me given and granted by His Majesty I do hereby authorize and impower You to hold and appoint Courts Martial for the Tryal of Non-commissioned Officers and Soldiers as Colonel and Commander in Chief of the...
30To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 8 April 1756 (Washington Papers)
You formerly had a Commission to appoint Courts Martial, as that was not explicit enough, but rather a Repetition of the Act of Assembly. I therefore send You enclos’d an Order to appoint such Courts when You shall see proper, & it’s agreeable to Colo. Innes’s Order from General Braddock. I hope the Affairs of the Regimt are not in so bad a Condition as represented here. The Assembly were...
31To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 15 April 1756 (Washington Papers)
Your Letter by Jenkins I recd & it’s now before the House of Burgesses. I have reason to expect they will pass a Law for a Draught from the Militia to augment the Forces to 2000 tho’ they are very slow in their Proceedings. I am very sorry for the Acct You give of those Miscreant barbarous Murders; I hope You have sent a proper Reinforcemt to Conegachege, & for the present, with the assistance...
32To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 23 April 1756 (Washington Papers)
Your Letr of the 19th by Mr Rutherfurd came to my Hands Tuesday last, but Yours of the 16th by Express did not reach me till the day after. I am heartily sorry for the Death of Capt. Mercer, & the other poor Men that were killed with him, it appears to me that the Enemy drew them out after them, pretending to fly, in order to destroy them from their lurking Places; but it surprizes me that we...
33To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 26 April 1756 (Washington Papers)
I recd Yr Letter by this Express last Night, & this Morning laid all the Letters before the House of Burgesses & really it gives me very great uneasiness & Concern to observe the dismal Situation our back Settlers are in—And when I consider the Slowness of the House in raising Men—I have sent Expresses to the Counties of Frederick Fairfax, Prince Wm Culpeper, Orange Stafford Spotsylvania,...
34To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 29 April 1756 (Washington Papers)
Your Letter of the 24th was delivered me by Capt. Peachy, which Letter with his Information gives me great Pain & Uneasiness for the back Settlements, & Your present distress’d Situation, I have & continue to do every Thing in my Power for Your relief. The Militia of ten Counties are ordered to march directly for Winchester, Small Arms, Powder Shott &ca have been sent from this to...
35To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 3 May 1756 (Washington Papers)
I am sincerely concern’d for Your Situation from the many flying Parties of French & Indians, but I hope before this reaches You a large body of Militia are at Winchester to reinforce You, & if possible to drive the Enemy over the Allegany Mountains; besides the Militia there are to be Drafts from each County to compleat Your Regiment to 1500 or 2000 Men, but I fear it will be a Month before...
36To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 8 May 1756 (Washington Papers)
Your Letter of the 3d I recd Yesterday, & observe its Contents. I have recd the Indian Scalp & I doubt not but many more were killed in that small Skermish. I am glad the Indians are gone over the Mountains, but I cannot think they were so numerous as represented, unless they have prevailed on the Twightwees to join with them; I am of Opinion if You cou’d send a Message to them by some trusty...
37Enclosure: Death Warrant, 8 May 1756 (Washington Papers)
Virginia to wit Whereas Nathan Lewis hath been legally tryed by a Court Martial, held at Winchester, on the Second Day of this Instant and convicted of Cowardice and Disobedience to the Commands of his Officer which is a Breach of the twelveth Article of War. These are therefore in His Majesty’s Name to require You that on the Day of between the Hours of Ten and Twelve in the Forenoon of the...
38To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 27 May 1756 (Washington Papers)
Your two Letters of the 23d I recd last Night & note their Contents. I recd Your Journal relating to the Militia which gives me some surprize to observe their dastardly Behavior, in deserting & returning Home, I am sorry their Officers had no better Command over them, & indeed I always was of Opinion they wd not answer my Intentions in sending them to Winchester. I observe the Council of War...
39To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 1 June 1756 (Washington Papers)
The Bearer hereof Mr Richd Baker has been very active in getting Men from the Isle of White County & unless he had engag’d to go with them none wou’d have enlisted, his Friends have applied to me for a Commission, which I cou’d not regularly give, not knowing what Vacancies may be. I therefore take this Method of recommending him to You, & if You can fill up a Vacancy by giving him a...
40To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 12 June 1756 (Washington Papers)
I have read over Yr Memo. & observe thereon; I cannot advise how the Virga Regiment will be compleated if the Draughts from the Militia do not answer that End; but must here observe, if the Officers had perform’d their Engagements the Regiment wou’d have been in good Order, their Neglect & Breach of Promise is a great Loss to the Country. The Scheme of forming the Regiment into two Battallions...
41To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 18 June 1756 (Washington Papers)
I desire You to send me a List of the Volunteers ⟨You are⟩ to appoint to the Vacancies in Your Regiment—& the Number of Draughts from the Militia, which I am sorry to think will be much fewer than I expected. As the Regimt will be pretty much divided in Forts &ca I thot it proper & necessary to appoint Mr Boyd the Pay-Mr, Muster Master, by which on paying the Men he will be able to make an...
42To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 1 July 1756 (Washington Papers)
Last Night I recd Yrs of the 25th Ulto —I am sorry for the Delay of the Waggon with the Tools, probably occasion’d by the badness of the Horses, but I hope e’er this they are with You. I approve of Your consulting at a Council of War in regard to building of Forts, which I fear will be attended with very great Delays from the small number of Men You have, & I think it will not be proper to...
43To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 12 July 1756 (Washington Papers)
At the Desire & Request of Colo. Wm Byrd I recommend the Bearer Mr Henry Timberlake to Your Favour & Countenance he has great Inclinations to serve in Your Regiment & I hope his Spirit & Behavior may recommend him to Preferment, in proper Course upon any Vacancy. I have Acct that a number of French & Indians have invaded Augusta & committed horrid Murders &ca as usual I have order’d out Part...
44To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 19 August 1756 (Washington Papers)
Yr Letter of the 4th I recd & note it’s Contents —I observe You have been much engag’d in settling the proper Plans for the Chain of Forts propos’d to be built; & I doubt not the Places You have fix’d on are the most proper as You know the Situation of the Cotry You are the best Judge thereof. With Concern I see the Roll of Yr Companies & I am sorry they are so deficient in Numbers, the...
45To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 20 August 1756 (Washington Papers)
Since writing You Yesterday The Express I sent to the Cherokees arrived & they have engag’d to send us 150 Warriors, who I expect with Major Lewis in about a Fortnight; I shall order the Majr to march them to Winchester to be under Your direction. The Cherokees & Catawbas are at prest strongly attach’d to our Interest; the Catawba King is gone to Chas Town So. Carolina & on his return he...
46To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 21 August 1756 (Washington Papers)
Yours of the 14th Inst. I just now recd. La Force was taken two Days after he made his escape & is properly secur’d—No doubt Your Men will be fully employ’d in garrisons &ca. I have in my former given You my Opinion in regard to Fort Cumberland, & now I am of Opinion that You shou’d send for some of the Stores from thence to Winchester for fear of Accidents or an Attack of the Enemy against...
47To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 13 September 1756 (Washington Papers)
Your Letter of the 8th I recd last Night—I am affraid the Draughts from Prince William, Culpeper & Fairfax are not made agreeable to expectation, as I hear many of the Young Men have made their Escape & do not appear at the Musters. Sir, I mention’d in my Letter of the [1]9th Ulto to enlist Servants agreeable to the Act of Parliament; that of Act of Parliamt I wrote from Yr Letter to me, I...
48To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 30 September 1756 (Washington Papers)
Last Night I recd a Letter dated the 23d from Alexaa not sign’d, but by its purport I believe it from You—Jenkins’s delay prevents laying any Thing before the Assembly as they were prorogued the Morning he arriv’d —I am of Opinion You may enforce the Articles of War the same as in the British Establishmt that with tenderness as the Exigency of Affairs may require; & tho’ no Crimes but Mutiny &...
49To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 26 October 1756 (Washington Papers)
I recd Your Letter from Augusta & observe its Contents —the Behaviour of the Militia is very unaccountable, & am convinc’d they are under no Command; I order’d Part of the Militia to the Frontiers & there to remain till reliev’d by others, which I propos’d shou’d be done in a monthly manner, & so to be continued by a proper Rotation, instead thereof they go & come at their own Pleasure, & many...
50To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 16 November 1756 (Washington Papers)
Yr Letter of the 9th I recd with a Report of Yr Journey along our Frontiers—The abuses mention’d in Yrs I have been made acquainted with from several Hands, but I expected You wou’d have been more particular in regard to the Officers neglecting their Duty, & the different Forts not being properly garrison’d with Men, nay witht their Officers: this vauge Report makes it impossible for me to...