From George Washington to Brigadier General Preudhomme de Borre, 19 August 1777
To Brigadier General Preudhomme de Borre
Cross Roads [Pa.] Aug. 19. 1777
Sir
I have received your favour of the 17th; by which I perceive you are inclined in preference to have an American Gentleman appointed to the office of your Brigade-Major, and for that purpose have recommended Capt. McConnel of Col: Hazen’s regiment to my approbation.1 My only reasons for mentioning what I did in my last,2 were, that I thought it might be more agreeable to you to have one of your own countrymen in your family and that it would be a mean of giving a handsome employment to some one of those French Gentlemen of merit who are commissioned on our army, without being attached to any particular service. But as I find you are otherwise inclined I have not the least objection to your persuing your inclination in the appointment of Capt. McConnell. Your most Obdt servant.
Df, in Alexander Hamilton’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. Nathan McConnell (d. 1816), who had been appointed a second lieutenant in Col. William Thompson’s Pennsylvania rifle regiment in June 1775, was commissioned a second lieutenant in the 1st Continental Regiment on 1 Jan. 1776. He was promoted to first lieutenant in March 1776, and the following November he transferred to Col. Moses Hazen’s Canadian Regiment, where he was promoted to captain in April 1777. McConnell transferred to the Invalid Regiment in February 1781, and he served in the army until 30 Sept. 1783, when he was brevetted major.
2. GW discussed this matter in his letter to Preudhomme de Borre of 14 Aug., which has not been found (see Preudhomme de Borre to GW, 17 Aug.).