From George Washington to Colonel George Baylor, 15 February 1777
To Colonel George Baylor
Morristown Feb: 15th 1777.
Dear Baylor,
Two young Gentn name sakes of mine, the one Son to Mr Lawrence Washington, the other to Mr Robt Washington, both of Stafford County, are desirous of entering into the Horse Service. If therefore you have not disposed of all the Cornetcies in your Regiment, I should be glad if you would appoint each of them one.1 I am very sincerely Dr Sir Yr Affecte
Go: Washington
ALS, owned (1994) by Mr. David Rust, Leesburg, Virginia.
1. GW apparently is referring to George Washington (b. 1758), the son of Lawrence Washington (b. 1728) of Chotank and his wife Elizabeth Dade Washington (born c.1734), and to Thomas Washington (1758–1807), the son of Robert Washington (born c.1729) of Green Hill and his wife Alice Strother Washington (1732–1795). No evidence has been identified confirming that the young George Washington ever served in the military, but Thomas Washington, who is sometimes confused with his uncle Thomas Washington (1731–1794), served as a lieutenant in Col. William Grayson’s Additional Continental Regiment from April 1777 to May 1778 and in Lee’s dragoons from May 1778 to the end of the war.