To George Washington from Colonel Edward Wigglesworth, 11 February 1779
From Colonel Edward Wigglesworth
Providence 11th Feby 1779
Sir
I did myself the honour to address your Excellency in a Letter dated 4th Jany last—in whic⟨h⟩ I represented, wherein I conceived myself to be injured with respect to Rank, a Copy of which I’ve inclos⟨ed⟩ fearing the other might have miscarry’d.1 since which the Circumstancs of my family are so essentia⟨l to⟩ attend, that should I tarry longer in the Army I must see them suffer, without a Possibility of being able to relieve their distresses; must therefor⟨e⟩ beg your Excellency to dismiss me from the Army I must acknowledge I’ve been appointed to a Comman⟨d⟩ above my abilities & consequently more than I had a⟨ny⟩ reason to expect; but it has ever been my Study to discharge my duty, in the best manner I’ve been capable a Soldiers life is by no means disagreable to me, but mere necissty has oblige’d me to ask a Dismission. I am your Excellency’s most Obedt & very Humble Servt
Edwd Wigglesworth Col.
P.S. Should your Excellency grant my request—I shall go immediatily to France2—& should be extreamly glad to have some thing to show, that I’ve had the Honour to serve under your Excellency—& if I’m so happy as to have a Line, shall take it as a very great favour to have a Certificate from under your Excellency’s hand to that Purpose. I’m as above
E Wigglesworth Col.
ALS, enclosed in GW to John Jay, 24 Feb. 1779, DNA:PCC, item 78. The cover is addressed to “His Excellency General Washington Head Quarters Pr Capt. Sargeant [Winthrop Sargent, Jr.].” The docket reads: “Letter from Col. Wigglesort⟨h⟩ Jany 4 & Feby 11. 1779. Read Feby 27. Referred to the delegates of Massachusetts bay.” For those actions, see John Jay to GW, 2 March (second letter), and GW to Wigglesworth, 11 March (see also , 13:259). For Congress’s acceptance of Wigglesworth’s resignation, see John Jay to GW, 12 March, and GW to Wigglesworth, 19 March (see also , 13:302).
1. GW had received Wigglesworth’s letter to him of 4 Jan. while he was in Philadelphia, but had not yet replied to it (see GW to Wigglesworth, 26 Feb.). The original ALS is in PHi: Gratz Collection; the duplicate ALS, which Wigglesworth enclosed in his letter to GW of this date, is in DNA:PCC, item 78.
2. In June 1779 Wigglesworth took command of a Massachusetts privateer, the schooner Friendship, which carried six guns and had a crew of twelve men (, 140).