To George Washington from William Milnor, 18 April 1775
From William Milnor
Philad[elphi]a Aprill 18th 1775
Honorable Sir,
Your favour by Mr Whilper as well as1 that by yesterdays post, I have receivd,2 and I have acted exactly agreable to your directions, respecting the Sashes, as I forbid the maker to proceed any farther with them, immediately on seeing the first he made, which I sent to Mr Gilpin,3 The Arms are all ready to be sent Agreeable to any directions that Comes. I think you have not Mentiond the receiving the shoulder knots, which I sent some time agone by the post, & likewise the 6 Copies of Manual Exercise, The Gorgets I have not been able to get from the workmen yet, but I have them now in a persons hands who I blive will finish them soon4—I am glad to hear your people have began to fish but I was very much alarmed yesterday, to see two of the Coopers returnd, whom I had sent down to the assistance of James Lawrason, as I am sure he is very backward in his preparations,5 I think to be on my Journey down, the begining of Next week, I have no more to Add but that I have removed from the house you saw me in, up into Arch street Near the Corner of front street, where I am Much more pleasantly situated than before, & where, I hope, to have Company of Colonel Washington as often as it may suite him to Call whilst in Philada. I am with respect & Esteem Dear Sir your Obedt Humble Servt
William Milnor
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. Milnor wrote “as was well as.”
2. Neither letter has been found.
3. George Gilpin (1740–1813), a wheat merchant in Alexandria, was a member of the Fairfax committee and a lieutenant in the county independent company. The sashes had been ordered for the Prince William Independent Company, but the company decided not to take them. See William Grayson to GW, 5 April.
4. These supplies were for the Prince William Independent Company. See GW to Milnor, 23 Jan., and William Grayson to GW, 5 April.
5. The Alexandria firm of Milnor & Herbert rented the fishery at Clifton’s ferry (Johnston’s ferry) on Clifton’s Neck (Lund Washington’s Mount Vernon account book, 1772–86, ViMtvL, f. 29). See also Milnor to GW, 19 Oct. 1773, n.3, and , 123. William Herbert (1743–1818) of Alexandria had recently emigrated from Ireland, and he at this time also was in business with Andrew Stewart of Alexandria. See lease and release from Joshua Storrs to Herbert & Stewart, 29–30 July 1774, Fairfax County Deed Book M–1 (1774–77), ViFfCh, ff. 1–4. James Lawrason was living in Alexandria by 1781 and held shares in the Potowmack Company in 1784.