11To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 24 October 1757 (Washington Papers)
I wrote You by Jenkins to which be refer’d. As I have contracted with Mr Ramsay to supply the Forces in the Pay of this Country, that are in the Counties of Frederick & Hampshire, I enclose You a Copy of the Contract, that You may see the several Articles thereof properly perform’d, & I am convinc’d this Contract will be a great Saving to the Country—& if Mr Ramsay shou’d at any Time have...
12To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 16 June 1757 (Washington Papers)
I am to acknowledge the Receipt of Yrs of the 10th but I am so much hurried that I cannot answer it, but as Mr Boyd is daily expected by him I shall write You more fully. Otassity of Ostenaker, conducts thirty Cherokees to You with Intention to go out against the Enemy; I think he is a brave Indian, & talks much of Majr Lewis; I believe he may be prevail’d on to stay with his People all the...
13To 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,...
14To 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...
15To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 1 September 1757 (Washington Papers)
My Friend Colo. Fairfax earnestly desires his Son Wm Henry may have a Lieutt’s Commission in the Regiment, if any Vacancy I desire You may give him a Commission accordingly, & as You have Blank Commissions fill one up for him if any Vacancy, which will be agreeable to Sir Your mo. humble Servant LS , DLC:GW . Dinwiddie enclosed this note in a letter to William Fairfax (see Dinwiddie to GW, 2...
16Passport from Robert Dinwiddie, 30 October 1753 (Washington Papers)
Virginia [Williamsburg, 30 October 1753 ] To All to whom these Presents may come or concern Greeting Whereas I have appointed George Washington Esqr. by Commission under the Great Seal, My express Messenger to the Comandant of the French Forces on the River Ohio, & as he is charg’d with Business of great Importance to His Majesty & this Dominion. I do hereby Command all His Majesty’s Subjects,...
17To 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...
18III. 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...
19To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 25 June 1754 (Washington Papers)
This will (I hope) be deliver’d You by Colo. James Innes, who has my Commission to command in chief on the Expedition, which I dare say will be very agreeable to You, & am in Hopes when all the Forces are collected in a Body You will be able to turn the Tables on the French and dislodge them from the Fort, & in Time to take full Possession of the Ohio river. As I am afraid of Disputes from the...
20To 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...
21To 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...
22To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 24 September 1757 (Washington Papers)
After closing my Letter to You of this Date I recd Yours of the 20th by Brinker giving Acct of the miserable Distress our Frontier Inhabitants are in, which gives me the greatest Concern & Uneasiness —Really it is not in my Power to do more for defence against the Incursions of our barbarous Enemies, than to recommend Your speedy executing my Orders to You, for raising a Company of Rangers to...
23To 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...
24To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 8 August 1757 (Washington Papers)
the Bearer hereof Sam. Akerling has desir’d my Leave to go to see his Brothers, near the Monongahely proposing to give Security with You of his return to be here in the Octr Court; as I am a Stranger to the Evidence against him on Suspicion of being a Spy, which he sincerely denies & begs to be tried, but that cannot be ’till Octr—wherefore I refer him to You, & if You have any favorable...
25To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 3 August 1754 (Washington Papers)
I recd Yrs of the 28th ulto —the Bearer brings you £600 which is all can be got, & hope it will answer for the present. I have no doubt when the Assembly meets they will grant a Supply in such manner to comand Money; the want thereof I know has been a great Loss to the Expedition —I am sorry Yr regimt have behav’d so very refractory, tho’ they have a right to their Pay they shou’d have been...
26To 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...
27To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 20 December 1754 (Washington Papers)
I recd Yr Letter but at prest cannot order You the Money You say due you as Adjutt[.] wn the Council meets I shall let them know Yr Demd & if they agree with me it will be pd —I am Sir Yr humble Servt LB , ViHi : Dinwiddie Papers. The letter has not been found. While he was in Williamsburg in Oct. 1754 GW received £50 for “my Salary as Adjutant” ( General Ledger A General Ledger A, 1750–1772....
28To 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...
29To 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...
30To 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...
31To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 7 April 1757 (Washington Papers)
I recd Yours of the 2d last Night & must refer You to mine of the 5th which I sent You by Express, & doubt not You will receive at Fort Loudoun; The pressing Letter from Govr Littleton makes it absolutely necessary to send 200 of our Regimt to his Assistance; & I must therefore repeat my Orders for their march to Fredericksburg, & I hope they will be there by the 20th of this Month & I am...
32To 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...
33To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 27 December 1756 (Washington Papers)
Yours of the 19th by Jenkins I recd last Night—& do observe You have ordered the Garisons on the Branch to Percealls, to escort the Flour to Fort Cumberland. The Provisions lying in Bulk at the different Forts, if possible shou’d be Smoked, which wou’d be a great Saving to the Country & I hope You have order’d it so. As we have had great Rains lately I hope a sufficient quantity of Flour may...
34To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 26 July 1755 (Washington Papers)
The dismal Defeat of our Forces by such a handful of Men gives me very great Concern, as also for the Death of the Genl & so many brave Officers entirely owing to the dastardly Spirit of the private Men their Panick I suppose made them deaf to all Commands & in course was the Bane of all our Misfortunes[.] The train of Artillery being in the Enemy’s Possessn is a monstrous Misfortune; however...
35To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 20 June 1757 (Washington Papers)
Yr Letter by Express, I received last Night, & I am sorry for the Intelligence it brings of such a No. of French & Indians marching from Fort Du Quesne, and it’s more than probable their Design is agst Fort Cumberland, and am sorry that Garrison is in so poor a Condition for Defence, & I really fear it is in the Enemys Hands before this can reach You. If so they probably will proceed to fort...
36To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, January 1754 (Washington Papers)
E ditorial N ote The reports that GW made to Dinwiddie upon his return from his mission to the French commandant reinforced the governor’s conviction that no time was to be lost in taking action against French encroachment on the Ohio. Dinwiddie had held a British vessel, the Speedwell , in port pending GW’s return from the Ohio and at once notified Holderness and the Board of Trade that the...
37To 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...
38II. 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...
39To 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...
40Instructions from Robert Dinwiddie, 30 October 1753 (Washington Papers)
Instructions for George Washington Esqr. Whereas I have receiv’d Information of a Body of French Forces being assembled in an hostile Manner on the River Ohio, intending by force of Arms to erect certain Forts on the said River, within this Territory & contrary to the Peace & Dignity of our Sovereign the King of Great Britain. These are therefore to require & direct You the said George...