From George Washington to James McHenry, 11 January 1797
To James McHenry
[Philadelphia] Tuesday1 11th Jan. 1797
Dear Sir,
I shall have occasion to write to Mr Lear by tomorrow’s Post, and would thank you to let me know (in a summary way) what money he has drawn on acct of the Arsenal on the Potomack;2 and what report he has made to the War Office of his proceedings in that business, for I shall take an occasion (as from myself) to ask him what has been done therein.3 Yours always
Go: Washington
ALS (photostat), DLC: James McHenry Papers.
Beneath GW’s signature on the present document, McHenry drafted his reply to GW, written on this date: “The inclosed letters contain the information which you have required” (ADfS, DLC: James McHenry Papers). The enclosed letters have not been identified.
1. In 1797, 11 Jan. fell on a Wednesday.
2. Tobias Lear had purchased land in early 1796 at Harpers Ferry on behalf of the United States for the erection of an arsenal at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers. However, he had not yet forwarded the deeds to the War Department (see Lear to GW, 17 Jan., n.7).
3. See GW to Lear, 13 January.