To George Washington from Colonel William Russell, 20 December 1778
From Colonel William Russell
Decr 20th 1778
May it please your Excellency,
As the commanding officers of the fourth, and eighth Virginia regiments, in General Scott’s brigade, have drawn monies to reinlist in their regiments; I need only trouble your Excellency to grant a warrant to Captain Williams of the sixth regiment a return of the amount, he will lay before your Excellency.1
Shou’d any further orders relative to furloughing the reinlisted men be necessary, I shall be happy to know it as soon as convenient: They will be in readiness to march by tuesday next.2 I am, may it please your Excellency, with due respect, Your most obedt Servt
W. Russell Colo. comr
Genl Scotts brigade
ALS, PHi: Gratz Collection. The letter’s original cover, filed in DLC:GW with the Sprague transcript, indicates that the letter was “favd by Captain Williams.”
1. The commanding officer of the 4th Virginia Regiment was John Nevill (1731–1803), who had commanded Fort Pitt as a captain in the autumn of 1775 (see James Cleveland to GW, 16 Nov. 1775, n.6). He was appointed lieutenant colonel of the 12th Virginia Regiment in November 1776, and was promoted to colonel of the 8th Virginia Regiment in December 1777. He transferred to the 4th Virginia Regiment in September 1778 and served until the end of the war.
James Williams was appointed a second lieutenant of the 10th Virginia Regiment in December 1776, and was promoted to first lieutenant in March 1777 and to captain-lieutenant in January 1778. His regiment was redesignated the 6th Virginia Regiment in September 1778, and in that same month he was promoted to captain, serving until the end of the war. GW issued to Russell a warrant of $15,000 on this date for reenlisting troops of the 6th Virginia Regiment (Revolutionary War Warrant Book 3, DLC:GW); see also Russell to GW, 21 December.
2. “Tuesday next” was 22 December.