Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1892-12-30
A HISTORIC LETTER.
1t Was Penned by the First President 81
the United states.

It Was Renned by the First President OF
the United states.
A great deal of interest has been
created by the discussion at the Mary
land Historical society's last meeting OF
Washington's character and opinion as
shown in his letters After some re-
marks by Prof. Herbert T. Adams, of
the Johns Hopkins university, upon the
method of amending and publishing
the correspondence of Washington used
by Rev. Jared Sparks, Rev. Hall Har-
rison, of Ellicott City, cited an instance
in which Sparks suppressed an unfavor-
able comment upon the New England
officers in the revolution. Mr.. Harrison
said the letter in which the comment
was suppressed was now in the posses
sion of Mr. Joseph Packard, Jr. The
letter referred TO was written to Rich
ard Henry Lee, of Virginia, and dated
Camp at Cambridge, August 20, l77S."
1t was penned soon after Washington
arrived and took command of the army
upon his appointment 20 the post Of
commsnder-in-chief by the Continental
congress. The passages omitted by
Spark are as follows, the exact spell
ing. grammar and punctuation of the
original being retained:
"As we have now nearly complicated
our Lines of Defence, we have nothing
more, in my opinion, to fear from the
Enemy provided we can keep our men
to their duty and make them watchful
e vigilant: but it is among the most
difficult tasks ! ever undertook in
my life to induce these people TO believe
that there is or can be, danger till the
Bayonet is pushed at their Breasts; not
that it proceeds from any uncommon
proves, but rather from an unaccount-
able kind Of stupidity in the lower
class of these people, which, believe
me, prevails but too generally among
the officers of the Massachusetts part OF
the army, who are nearly all of the
same kidney with the Privates, and
adds not little to my difficulties; as
there is no such thing as getting Off
GERS of this stamp to exert themselves
in carrying orders into eXecut.on-to
curry favour with the men (by whom
they were chosen, & on whose smiles
possibly they may think they may again
rely seems to be one of the principal
objects of their attention.
II have made n pretty good slam
among such kind of officers rs the
Massachusetts Government abound In
since | came to this Camp, having Broke
one Col. and two Captains for cowardly
behaviour in the action on Bunker Hill
two Captains for drawing more pro-
visions and pay than they had men in
their Company-and one for being alb
sent from his Post when the Enemy ap.
pearcd there and burnt house just by
it-Beside these, have at this time
one Col, one Major, one Captn. & two
subalterns under arrest for tryal.- In
short | spare none, e. yet fear it will
not all do as these people seem to be too
inattcntive TO everything but their In
terest
There has been so many great and
capital errors & abuses TO rectify-so
many examples 10 make Il so little In
clination in the officers of inferior Rank
10 contribute lltlI ulu W dNtbhi plAnh
this work, that my life has been moth
ing else (since came here but one con-
tinual round of annoyance & fatigue;
short no pecuniary recompense would
induces me TO undergo what | have es-
pecially as ! expect, by showing so lit
tie countenance TO irregularities pub
lick abuses, TO render myself very OBJ
noxious to a greater part Of these
People"
The parts quoted by Sparks relate
chiefly TO military movements The
letter was copied by Mr. Packard
several years ago from the original
in the handwriting of Washington.
Mr.. Packard first saw the original in
the summer of 1860, in the possession OF
Mrs. Ellen Lee Knapp, granddaughter
of Richard Henry Lee, at her house in
Washington, d. c., and he borrowed it
for the purpose of making a copy for
Mrs. Knapp's daughter, the wife of the
Rev. John Il. Joyner, OF Berlin. Worces-
ter county, Nd. In some places where
the words were not plain they were
supplied from copy which Mrs JOY
ner says was made by the late Herbert
n. Lathrop, of New York city, when the
letter was in better condition. A copy
has been deposited in the Maryland
Historical society library.-Baltimore
Sun.