To George Washington from Edmund Pendleton, 12 July 1775
From Edmund Pendleton
Phila. July 12th 1775.
Dear General
My friend Mr George Baylor will be the bearer of this, who has caught such a Military Ardor as to travel to the Camp For instruction in that Art, I beg leave to recommend him to your Countenance & Favor, not only on Account of his worthy Father, but from my Opinion of his own Merit. He is a Lieutent in our independant Company & has gained great Applause there by his diligent Attention to the duties of his Office & the bravery he has indicated;1 Be so obliging as to make my Complts to Genl Lee, Genl Gates, Majr Mifflin & Mr Griffin & intreat their countenance and assistance to him also.
We are hourly in Expectation of hearing From you; We yesterday voted an Additional Co. of Riflemen to go From this Province to gratifie one that was raised & impatient to come to you. we have also consented to employ a German Hussar who is to raise his 50 men & come to the Camp.2
We have heard you remain quiet, except some Cannon shot exchanged between Roxbury & Boston. You have my most cordial wishes for success in every undertaking, who have the Honr to be with great esteem Dr sr Yr mo. Obt humble Servt
Edmd Pendleton
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. George Baylor (1752–1784) of Newmarket in Caroline County, Va., became an aide-de-camp to GW on 15 Aug. 1775, and despite a passing fancy for joining the artillery in March 1776, he apparently continued in GW’s military family until he was appointed colonel of the 3d Continental Dragoons in January 1777. For GW’s comments on Baylor’s shortcomings as a penman, see GW to Joseph Reed, 20 Nov. 1775 and 23 Jan. 1776, and GW to Charles Lee, 10 Feb. 1776. On 28 Sept. 1778 Baylor’s dragoons were surprised by a British force at Old Tappan, N.J., and Baylor was bayoneted and captured. He was later exchanged, and in Nov. 1782 he assumed command of the 1st Continental Dragoons. Baylor died in Barbados shortly after the war from complications of the wound that he received at Old Tappan. Baylor’s father, Col. John Baylor (1705–1772), entertained GW at Newmarket during the French and Indian War and in 1756 led a body of Caroline County militiamen to join GW at Winchester.
2. Congress agreed on 11 July to accept two rifle companies from Lancaster County, Pa., instead of one, because it had learned that in addition to the county’s authorized rifle company enlisted under Capt. Matthew Smith, there were “a Number of Men Raised by Mr. James Ross out of which a good Company may be formed” (Pennsylvania Delegates to Lancaster County Committee, 11 July 1775, in , 1:621–22). That same day Congress directed the Pennsylvania delegates “to treat with and employ 50 Hussars, who have been in actual service, and send them forward to join the troops before Boston under Genl Washington.” The hussar unit was never raised. On 1 Aug. the Pennsylvania delegates were instructed to put an end to the scheme and to discharge any hussars who had enlisted (, 2:173, 238).