From George Washington to Brigadier General John Paterson, 26 February 1779
To Brigadier General John Paterson
Head Quarters Middlebrook 26th february 1779.
sir
I rec[e]ived your letter of the 22d Int. requesting leave of absence for a short time from the army.1
You have my permission for this purpose, on the return of General Nixon; And I have to facilitate your departure written to Genl Nixon desiring his return.2 You will be pleased to forward the letter. I am sir &
G— W—
Df, in James McHenry’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. Paterson’s letter to GW of 22 Feb. has not been found.
2. GW wrote Brig. Gen. John Nixon from his Middlebrook headquarters on this date: “You will be pleased as soon after the receipt of this—as you possibly can to repair to your command in the army—Genl Patterson has obtained leave of absence which makes your presence the more necessary” (Df, in James McHenry’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW). GW had granted Nixon leave to see his family in his letter to Alexander McDougall of 8 Nov. 1778.