THE PROPERTY OF A LADY
WASHINGTON, GEORGE, President. Letter signed ("G: Washington") as Commander in Chief of the Continental Army, to Brigadier General John Lacey, Jr., VALLEY FORGE, [Pennsylvania], 2 March 1778. 2 pages, folio, 335 x 200 mm. (13¼ x 8 in.), with address panel neatly cut out and laid down on blank portion of page 2, LAMINATED BETWEEN TWO SHEETS of plastici, text in the hand of Washington's aide, Tench Tilghman, address panel franked by him "On public service."

細節
WASHINGTON, GEORGE, President. Letter signed ("G: Washington") as Commander in Chief of the Continental Army, to Brigadier General John Lacey, Jr., VALLEY FORGE, [Pennsylvania], 2 March 1778. 2 pages, folio, 335 x 200 mm. (13¼ x 8 in.), with address panel neatly cut out and laid down on blank portion of page 2, LAMINATED BETWEEN TWO SHEETS of plastici, text in the hand of Washington's aide, Tench Tilghman, address panel franked by him "On public service."

WASHINGTON AT VALLEY FORGE, WINTER 1778

Washington sends detailed instructions to Lacey, in command of the Pennsylvania militia posted on the outskirts of British-held Philadelphia: "...I desire you to send a party of 150 Men, under a good Officer, well armed and compleated with Ammunition, to Bartholomews Tavern on Wednesday next at 11...in the Morning. The Officer will meet a party there at that time from this Camp [Valley Forge], and will then receive his orders. As a very particular piece of Service is to be executed, I beg that the party may be punctual to the time and not fail upon any pretence whatever..."

Washington asks for weekly returns of troops and notice of "where your parties are posted, that I may know how to direct...any parties sent from this Army," then complains, "I don't well know what to do with the great numbers of people taken going into Philadelphia. I have punished several very severely and fined others heavily and some are sentenced to be imprisoned..." He states that "if the State would take them in hand and deal properly with them it would be more agreeable to me than to inflict Military punishment upon them. The evidences seldom appear against those guilty of small crimes and then they escape. If you think that the State will receive those persons you have taken, I am willing that they should be given up to them, either to be punished as Criminals or kept to exchange for those inhabitants lately taken away from their families..." In a postscript he adds: "If any of the persons now in your Custody are such that you think are proper to make examples of, and you have sufficient evidence to convict them send them over to me with the Witnesses and I will have them immediately tried by a Court Martial..." Published in Writings, ed. J.C. Fitzpatrick, 11:4-5.

Lacey and his modest militia force were posted at Crooked Billet, Bucks County, north-east of British held Philadelphia, mainly charged with patrolling the roads to prevent trade and intercourse with the British army there. On 1 May a British raiding party surprised and nearly surrounded Lacey and his garrison. Washington was unsympathetic (see his letter to Lacey of 3 May) and about a week later, relieved the ineffective Lacey from his command.

Provenance:
1. With Dr. A.S.W. Rosenbach of Philadelphia, in 1934, when it was consulted by the editors of the Writings.
2. The present owner.