To George Washington from Prince William Independent Company, 26 April 1775
From Prince William Independent Company
Dumfries 26th Apl 1775
Sir
We have just recievd a letter from the Officers of the independant Company of Spotsylvania which I have herewith inclos’d;1 I immediately call’d together this Company and had the vote put whether they would march to Williamsburgh for the purposes mentioned in that letter which was carried unanimously.
I have nothing more to add but that We are well assured you may depend on them either for that or any other service which respects the liberties of America. We expect yr answer & determination by Mr Daviss. We have the honor to be yr Most Obedt Servts
Willm Grayson
Phil. Rd Frans Lee
By order of the Company.
LS, in the hand of William Grayson, DLC:GW.
1. The letter, addressed to William Grayson by Hugh Mercer, George Weedon, Alexander Spotswood, and John Willis, Spotsylvania County officers, is dated 24 April. After giving the news of the theft of the gunpowder, the letter went on to say that they feared that “Submission to so arbitrary an Exertion of Government may not only prejudice the common Cause by introducing a suspicion of a defection of this Colony from the noble pursuit but will encourage the tools of despotism to commit further Acts of Violence in this Colony and more especially subject the Arms in the Magazine to the same fate of the powder.” They would “hold themselves in readiness to march from this place as light horse on Saturday Morning and in the mean time to ⟨sub⟩mit the Matter to the determn of yours & the neighbouring Countys ⟨to⟩ whom Expresses are purposely forwarded” (DLC:GW).