From George Washington to Colonel Henry Jackson, 12 January 1777
To Colonel Henry Jackson
Morris Town Jany 12th 1777
Sir
From the good report I have of you, and from the desire I feel of affording the Town of Boston an opportunity of turning out a Regiment, (& such a one as may become a pattern to others) I do myself the pleasure of sending you the Inclos’d appointment—Recruiting Orders—and Warrant upon the Paymaster in that District for money to recruit with.
The confidence I repose in you will not, I am satisfied, be abus’d—time will not admit of Delay, nor the necessity of the case of Indecission; you will therefore, I am persuaded, sett about this work with all possible Diligence.
Let me have an Account once a Week of your proceedings.
The short time allow’d us for the most vigorous Exertion, must render arguments unnecessary to stimulate you to the speedy Completion of your Regiment, & preparing it for the Field—my best wishes shall therefore be added for this purpose, with assurances that I am Sir Yr mo: Obedt Servt
Go: Washington
LS, in John Fitzgerald’s writing, NjMoHP; ADfS, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. The enclosed commission of 11 Jan., also in Fitzgerald’s writing, is in NjP: De Coppet Collection (see Circular Recruiting Instructions, 12–27 Jan.), and a photocopy of the pay warrant to Ebenezer Hancock of 13 Jan. for $10,000 is in DLC:GW, ser. 9 (see also GW’s warrant book no. 2, DLC:GW, ser. 5, vol. 18). GW enclosed this letter in a covering letter of this date to the selectmen of Boston, the autograph draft of which reads: “The Inclosed will give you the full scope of my design—if Colo. Jackson does not Incline to accept the appointment I must request the favour of you to give it with the same powers to some other fit Person—Time will not admit of the matters being refer’d back, as I hope to see the Men in the field in almost as short a space as it would take to negotiate the affair in case of disappointment” (DLC:GW). Henry Jackson (1747–1809) of Boston, who in 1772 was appointed a major general of the Massachusetts militia, served as colonel of one of the Sixteen Additional Continental Regiments throughout the war. He was brevetted brigadier general in September 1783 and served as colonel of the 1st American Regiment from 3 Nov. 1783 to 20 June 1784.