From George Washington to James Otis, Sr., 27 September 1775
To James Otis, Sr.
Camp at Cambridge September 27. 1775
Sir
The Bearer Captn Jacob Rogers having sollicited my Protection & Interference for his Safety, has laid before me sundry Papers shewing the publick Sense of his Conduct since the Commencement of the present Troubles. I beg Leave to inclose his Memorial & sundry Papers to the Honorable Board, as the Subject of his Complaint seems more properly to fall within the Cognizance of the civil than military Power: I shall chearfully concur in any Measure which the Honbl. Board may recommend1 & am with much Respect & Regard Sir Your most Obed. & very Hbble Servt
Go: Washington
LS, in Joseph Reed’s writing, M-Ar: Revolution Letters.
1. The Massachusetts council read this letter on 29 Sept. and appointed one of its members to a committee “to consider some proper means of protection for the said Rogers.” The house of representatives added two of its members to the committee on 2 October. See the excerpts from the proceedings of the council and house, signed respectively by Perez Morton and James Warren, on the reverse side of GW’s letter. See also , 194, and , 132. The endorsement on GW’s letter indicates that Rogers’s petition was “dismiss’d.” Jacob Rogers of Charlestown, Mass., was a lieutenant in the British navy until 1773 when he was court-martialed and forced to resign his commission. Rogers commanded British privateers from 1777 to sometime near the end of the war.