To George Washington from Jonathan Boucher, 15 July 1768
From Jonathan Boucher
Caroline, July 15th 17⟨68⟩
Dear Sir,
I have just Time to put a Cover over The Enclosed, & to add to the Informa[tio]n I suppose Mastr Custis himself has given You, that He has enjoy’d perfect Health ever since You left Him,1 exceptg two or three Days that He complain’d of a Pain in his Stomach, which I at first took for the Cholic, but since think it more likely that it might be owing to Worms. As it easily went off, by two or three Medicines I gave Him, and as He has had no Returns, I did not think it necessary to consult ⟨Dr Mer⟩cer; which however I shall immediately do if You ⟨desire⟩ it.2
You will oblige us by looking into yr Books for a work of Cicero’s, De officiis, or his Familiar Epistles—& ⟨mutilated⟩ Livy: & sending Them down by the first Opportunity that ⟨of⟩fers.3
Be so obliging to Me as to excuse the Shortness of this Letter—it shall not be long, ere I will write to You more ⟨fu⟩lly—The Messenger, who is to carry This to the office, now waits for Me. I am, very respectfully, yr most Obedt Hble Servt
Jona[tha]n Boucher
ALS, DLC:GW. The words in angle brackets, which have been torn from the manuscript, have been taken from , 3:320–21.
1. GW took young John Parke Custis to Fredericksburg on 28 June; on 30 June GW “Went to Mr. Bouchers. Dined there and left Jackey Custis. Returnd to Fredericksburg in the Afternn.” (, 2:70). The enclosed letter is undoubtedly one from young Custis.
2. Dr. Hugh Mercer (c.1725–1777), a Scot, served with the Pennsylvania forces in the French and Indian War. It was then that GW became acquainted with him. After the war, Mercer settled in Fredericksburg, where he practiced medicine.
3. See GW’s response, 31 July 1768, and note 1 of that document.