George Washington Papers
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To George Washington from Major General Charles Lee, 15 September 1778

From Major General Charles Lee

Purchase Street1 Septr the 15th [1778]

Sir—

As I understand the Army is soon to move and it certainly will be very awkward for a Man in my circumstances2 to be oblig’d to attend it, I shall think my self very much oblig’d to your Excellency for permission to go to Philadelphia, I shou’d not be so desirous of this indulgence, if I had not been made to believe that it yet may be a considerable time, before my affair is brought to a final decision—I am, Sir, your Excellencys most obedt humble Servt

Charles Lee

ALS, DLC:GW.

GW replied to Lee on this date: “I have received your note by Capt. Edwards—I have no objection to your going to Philadelphia, as you request, that you may avoid any inconvenience to which you might be exposed; in your present circumstances, by accompanying the army in a moving state” (DfS, in Alexander Hamilton’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW). Evan Edwards was one of Lee’s aides-de-camp.

1Purchase Street, which runs roughly north and south through the northern part of present-day Harrison, N.Y., is about three miles east of White Plains.

2Lee had been found guilty by a court-martial on 12 Aug. 1778 of three charges regarding his conduct at the Battle of Monmouth on 28 June 1778—disobedience of orders, misbehavior before the enemy, and disrespect to GW—and he had been sentenced to suspension from command for twelve months. Lee, nevertheless, remained in limbo for nearly four months afterward, because on 16 Aug. 1778 GW had sent the court-martial proceedings to Congress for review (see GW to Henry Laurens, that date), and Congress did not begin discussing the matter until 23 Oct. (see JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 12:1059; see also Laurens to GW, 28 Aug., 10 Oct.; GW to John Augustine Washington, 23 Sept.; and Gouverneur Morris to GW, 26 Oct.). For Congress’s approval of Lee’s sentence on 5 Dec. 1778, see JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 12:1195, and Henry Laurens to GW, 6 Dec. 1778, DNA:PCC, item 13.

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