George Washington Papers

Report to the House of Burgesses, 14 November 1759

Report to the House of Burgesses

[Williamsburg, 14 November 1759]

Mr Washington reported, That the Committee to whom the Petition of Christopher West was referred,1 had examined into the Allegations thereof, and found them to be true, and had come to two Resolutions thereupon, which he read in his Place, and then delivered in at the Table.2

JHB description begins H. R. McIlwaine and John Pendleton Kennedy, eds. Journals of the House of Burgesses of Virginia. 13 vols. Richmond, 1905–15. description ends , 1758–1761, 147.

1In his petition Christopher West declared: “That he was enlisted into the Virginia Regiment in September, 1754, where he continued in Duty till February, 1756, when he was taken Prisoner by the Indians, in which Captivity he remained till October, 1758, when he with others were sent in a Flag of Truce from Quebeck to England: That he hath at length, after many hardships, again joined his Regiment, and praying that he may be considered by the House, and recompenced for his lost Time” (JHB description begins H. R. McIlwaine and John Pendleton Kennedy, eds. Journals of the House of Burgesses of Virginia. 13 vols. Richmond, 1905–15. description ends , 1758–1761, 141). The speaker ordered GW, with Benjamin Harrison, burgess for Charles City County, to investigate West’s claims.

2The House did not act on GW’s report until 15 Nov. when it agreed to GW’s recommendations that West “be allowed the Sum of £32, as a Consideration for his Pay during his Captivity” and that “any Arrears of Pay” before his captivity should be settled by the paymaster of the Virginia Regiment (ibid., 148).

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