Colonel Lewis Nicola to George Washington, 26 June 1781
From Colonel Lewis Nicola
Philada 26 June 1781.
Sr
I had the honour of your Excellencies letter of the 21 June 1781 yesterday about noon & immediately communicated it to the Board of War from which I obtained an order for shoes for the men that were to march & an application was immediately made for money to Congress,1 I was also informed that a demand had been made to the Executive Council for some militia to supply our place,2 having great reason to believe no steps had as yet been taken to draw them out, I3 waited on the Council and informed it of your orders & was told that it would be ten days before they could be ready.
The 13th Inst. I recd an order from the Board of war to hold the regiment in readiness to march & immediately gave out the necessary orders & took every step in my power to be ready for the final order which I did not receive ’till your Excellencies letter came to hand.
I am sorry it is not in my power to give you certain information on the three head you desire. Our departure depending on the militias being called out I cannot say any more than I have already done. Our time of arrival is also uncertain, as I am apprehensive of meeting some delay at Trenton in procuring waggons, but to prevent this as much as possible I shall send notice to the D: Qr Mr Genl there of the time of our departure as soon as I can ascertain it. As soon as I get to Trenton & can fix the time of departure I shall forward to your Excellency every information in my power.4
I hope you will do me the justice to believe no endeavours shall be wanting on my part to expedite the business & that you will permit me to assure you that I am with respect Your Excellencies Most obedt Servt
Lewis Nicola Col. Inv.
Inclosed I send a return of the present state of the part of the [regiment] stationed here.5
We be[g] your Excellency will accept our thanks for your kind attention to the ease &c. of the regiment.
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. For the application, see , 20:696–97.
2. Responding to a Board of War requisition for “a corps of militia for the service of the United States,” the Pennsylvania Supreme Executive Council at its meeting on this date resolved that the lieutenant of Philadelphia “be directed to call forth one class of the city militia” (, 12:768).
3. Nicola mistakenly wrote “directed” after this word.
4. Nicola next wrote GW on 17 July from Philadelphia (DLC:GW). Most of the regiment arrived at Trenton on 23 July and reached West Point in early August (see Nicola to GW, 24 July and 4 Aug., both DLC:GW).
5. Nicola enclosed “A State of the Invalid Regiment at Philadelphia 26th June 1781,” which showed as “Present fit to march” one colonel, two captains, four lieutenants, fifteen sergeants, seventeen corporals, three drummers and fifers, and ninety-nine privates; “Present Unfit” were five captains, three sergeants, one corporal, one drummer or fifer, and sixty-three privates. One lieutenant and twenty-six privates were “At the Yellow Springs unfit.” Nicola noted that the ninety-nine privates fit to march “included Officers Servants Camp Colour Men Barbers Taylors &c.” (DLC:GW).