George Washington Papers

George Washington to Colonel Hugh Hughes, 5 April 1781

To Colonel Hugh Hughes

[New Windsor] 5th April 1781

General Washington presents his Compliments to Colo. Hughes, & begs the favor of him, to request Mr Bayley, to put a blade into the inclosed handle of a knife, and soon.1

The General would be glad of Colo. Hughes’s Company to dine with him the first ⟨time he⟩ crosses the River.2

AL, NHi: George and Martha Washington Papers; LB, NHi: Hugh Hughes Papers. GW signed the cover of the AL, which is addressed to Hughes at Fishkill, New York. Mutilated material on the AL is supplied in angle brackets from the letter-book version.

1GW sought the services of John Bailey, a cutler in Fishkill.

GW’s aide-de-camp Tench Tilghman also solicited Bailey’s services when he wrote Hughes from headquarters on 16 April: “You will oblige me by having a pair of Holster Pistols made for me. … If you have occasion to pass your Neighbour Bailey, be good enough to remind him that he has a Cutteau of mine to now Mount” (NHi: Hugh Hughes Papers).

Hughes replied to Tilghman from Fishkill Landing, N.Y., on 19 April: “Your Cutteau is not quite finish’d, the Scabbard is made but there remains Small Matters to do yet, Bailey Says he has not Ingredients to stain the Handle. He promises to compleat the rest in two or three Days, but you are no stranger to the Man” (NHi: Hugh Hughes Papers).

2Hughes replied to GW from Fishkill on this date: “Your Excellency’s Note, inclosing the Pen knife, was this Moment handed me. I will carry it to Bailey’s immediately, and have it done.

“I will do myself the Honour of partaking of your Excellency’s Hospitality the first time I cross the River” (LB, NHi: Hugh Hughes Papers).

Hughes again wrote GW from Fishkill on 21 April: “I have the Honour to Inclose your Excellency the Knife you sent me. If the point is not agreeable, it shall be alter’d whenever your Excellency is pleased to order it back.

“Permit me to assure you that I have not been inattentive to the accommodation of your Lady or Self. I sent to Hartford in order to know if a Fare of Salmon could be had, and was inform’d that none could be procured on Account of the height of the Water, which had been high for some time.

“As I expect the Water will fall considerably by the middle of next Week, I shall order a Wagon to be there by that time, and hope to have the pleasure & Honour of accommodating your Excellency and Lady with a handsome Fare of Salmon” (LB, NHi: Hugh Hughes Papers).

Lt. William Colfax, who commanded GW’s guards, had written Hughes from headquarters on 8 April: “Will you be pleased to fall on Some Measure, to procure a Quantity of Fresh Salmon from Connecticut River, for the Commander in Chief’s use. I am inform’d you are possessed of the Means, and persuaded you are well disposed to oblige the General” (NHi: Hugh Hughes Papers).

Hughes replied to Colfax from Fishkill on 20 April that Ralph Pomeroy, deputy quartermaster general for Connecticut, had informed him that “not one [fare of salmon] had been caught for 7 or 8 Days, on Account of the height of the Water I have a Wagon ready to Start as soon as there is a prospect of Success; and hard Cash to pay for them; which was also plaguy hard to procure” (NHi: Hugh Hughes Papers).

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