From George Washington to Colonel Thomas Nixon, 7 August 1779
To Colonel Thomas Nixon
Head Quarters West Point August 7th 1779
Sir,
There is a quantity of money of the two emissions called in, lying at Hartford in the hands of a Mr John Lawrence Treasurer at that place.1 It is to be forwarded to Philadelphia—You will be pleased therefore to give orders to one of the Officers coming on with the levies to take charge of it, and on his arrival at Fish kill to give me notice—An attentive Officer should be appointed for the purpose.2 I have directed Genl Greene to have a Waggon provided at Hartford for the purpose.3 I am Sir Yr Most Obet servant.
Df, in Richard Kidder Meade’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. John Lawrence (1719–1802) of Hartford, Conn., served as treasurer of Connecticut from 1769 to 1789.
2. The following words are lined out at the end of this sentence: “with orders to keep an accurate account of his expenses which will be repaid him.”
Nixon apparently assigned Lt. Reuben Lilley of the 6th Massachusetts Regiment (see GW to Bartholomew von Heer, 23 Aug.). No letter from Lilley to GW notifying him of his arrival with the money at Fishkill has been found; however, for GW’s orders to have the money conveyed to Ramapo, N.J., and then on to Philadelphia, see GW to Heer and to Stirling, both 23 August.
3. These orders may have been conveyed verbally. No written orders from GW to Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene on this subject have been found. For GW’s instructions for the transportation of the money from headquarters to Philadelphia, see GW to Stirling, 23 August.