APPENDIX.

NOTE I.-PAGE 34.

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN GENERAL WASHINGTON AND JOHN PARKE CUSTIS.

THE following letters, never before published, passed between General Washington and his step-son, John Parke Custis, during the Revolution. They serve to exhibit, in a strong light, that characteristic of the great leader's mind, which enabled him to abstract himself from the most important public concerns, and to attend to the consideration of the minute details of private life. These letters also have an intrinsic interest, because they contain much information of a public character, having a bearing upon the current events of the time. One of them reveals a fact, not generally known, namely, that officers of the continental armyeven Washington himself-speculated in the chances of profits arising from the success of privateering.

It will be seen by the dates of these letters, and the allusions in them to current events, that some of them were written by Washington at times when the weightiest public affairs must have occupied his mind.

[WASHINGTON TO CUSTIS.]

PHILADELPHIA, June 19, 1775. DEAR JACK: I have been called upon by the unanimous voice of the colonies to take the command of the continental army. It is an honor I neither sought after, or was by any means fond of accepting, from a consciousness of my own inexperience and inability to discharge the duties of so important a trust. However, as

the partiality of the Congress has placed me in this distinguished point of view, I can make them no other return but what will flow from close attention and an upright intention-for the rest I can say nothing. My great concern upon this occasion is, the thought of leaving your mother under the uneasiness which I fear this af fair will throw her into; I therefore hope, expect, and indeed have no doubt, of your using every means in your power to keep up her spirits, by doing everything in your power to promote her quiet. I have, I must confess, very uneasy feelings on her account, but as it has been a kind of unavoidable necessity which has led me into this appointment, I shall more readily hope that success will attend it and crown our meetings with happiness.

At any time, I hope it is unnecessary for me to say, that I am always pleased with yours and Nelly's abidance at Mount Vernon, much less upon this occasion, when I think it absolutely necessary for the peace and satisfaction of your mother; a consideration which I have no doubt will have due weight with you both, and require no arguments to enforce.

As the public gazettes will convey every article of intelligence that I could communicate in this letter, I shall not repeat them, but with love to Nelly, and sincere regard for yourself, I remain, Your most affectionate,

GEO. WASHINGTON.

P. S. Since writing the foregoing, I have received your letter of the fifteenth instant. I am obliged to you for the intelligence therein contained, and am glad you directed about the tobacco, for I had really forgot it. You must now take upon yourself the entire management of your own estate, it will no longer be in my power to assist you, nor is there any occasion for it, as you have never discovered a disposition to put it to a bad use.

The Congress, for I am at liberty to say as much, are about to strike two million of dollars as a continental currency, for the support of the war, as Great Britain seems determined to enforce us into and there will be at least fifteen thousand raised as a continental army. As I am exceedingly hurried, I can add no more at present than that I am, &c. G. W.

[WASHINGTON TO CUSTIS.]

NEW YORK, July 24, 1776.

DEAR SIR: I wrote to you two or three posts ago, since which your letter of the tenth instant is come to hand. With respect to the proposed exchange of lands with Colonel Thomas Moore, I have not a competent knowledge of either tract to give an opinion with any degree of precision; but from the situation of Moore's land, and its contiguity to a large part of your estate, and where you will probably make your residence, I should, were I in your place, be very fond of the exchange; especially, as the land you hold in Hanover is but a small tract, and totally detached from the rest of your estate. What local advantages it may have I know not. These ought to be inquired into, because a valuable mill seat often gives great value to a poor piece of land (as I understand that of yours in Hanover is). I have no doubt myself, but that middling land under a man's own eye, is more profitable than rich land at a distance, for which reason I should, were I in your place, be for drawing as many of my slaves to the lands in King William and King and Queen as could work on them to advantage, and I should also be for adding to those tracts if it could be done upon reasonable terms.

I am very sorry to hear by your account that General Lewis stands so unfavorably with his officers. I always had a good opinion of him, and should have hoped that he had been possessed of too much good sense to maltreat his officers, and thereby render himself obnoxious to them.

We have a powerful fleet in full view of us-at the wateringplace of Staten island. General Howe and his army are landed thereon, and it is thought will make no attempt upon this city till his re-enforcements, which are hourly expected, arrive. When this happens it is to be presumed that there will be some pretty warm work. Give my love to Nelly, and compliments to Mr. Calvert and family, and to others who may inquire after, dear sir, Your affectionate, GEO. WASHINGTON.

* General Andrew Lewis, an excellent Virginian officer who commanded at Point Pleasant, in the battle with the Indians there, in 1774.

[CUSTIS TO WASHINGTON.]

MOUNT AIRY, August 8, 1776. HONORED SIR: Your letters of the eighth and twenty-fourth ultimo came safely to hand, and I should certainly have answered them before now, if I had not been in hopes of collecting something worth relating. I feel the sincerest pleasure that my professions of gratitude were received in the light I would wish them to be. I can only express it in words at this time. I fervently wish to have an opportunity of fulfilling them by my actions; I need no more words to convince you of my sincerity, for I flatter myself you are satisfied that deceit makes no part of my character. I am happy to find my ideas of land coincide with yours. Hill informed me that a good part of Colonel Moore's land was as finely timbered as he ever saw, and the soil very proper for farming these circumstances, added to its situation, render it in my opinion a very desirable purchase. I desired Hill to contract for it on the best terms he could, with the advice of Uncles Bassett and Dandridge, who were kind enough to promise all their assistance. My land in Hanover, as far as I can learn, is very indif ferent, and is valuable only for its timber.

You have no doubt heard of the men-of-war coming up Potowmack as far as Mr. Brent's, whose house they burnt with several outhouses and some stacks of wheat. A Captain James with sixty militia were stationed there who all got drunk, and kept challenging the men-of-war to come ashore, and upbraiding them with cowardice. Hammond sent one hundred and fifty men, who landed about ten o'clock under cover of a gondola and tender. The militia were asleep after their drinking frolic, and did not discover the enemy until they landed and their vessels began to fire. Captain James desired his men to shift for themselves, and ran off without firing a gun. A young man by name of Combs stayed until he killed three of the enemy. Colonel Grayson appearing with thirty Prince William volunteers, the enemy thought proper to retire to their ships. Captain James is to be tried for cowardice. The fleet, after performing this exploit, returned down the river to George's island, from whence they have been