Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-08-15
WRITTEN BY WASHINGTON.
A Copy of His First Book Has Re-
Gently Been sold.
(Washington Star.)

One thousand dollars has Just been
paid In New York city for a small i6-
page pamphlet. minus the cover. and
otherwise rather dilapidated-
At first sight so much money may sen m
out OF proportion to the object purchased.
But the man who handed over his check
FOR the amount is both book collector
and patriot. whereas the tiny volume
bought by him happens TO be the Work
OF George Washington, and. save for
two other copies, the last known sur
vivor Of its edition.
The $1,000 pamphlet was printed at
Williamsburg, the old capital OF Nir-
gin!a. in 17Jl-55. according TO the date
upon the title page. The government
printers Of the Old Dominion were the
publishers. and George Washington,
Dsquire. Colonel OF Militia" Is set down
as author. II would be. save for its
associations. a very embarrassing work,
consisting solely OF a soldierly and alto
gether matter-of-fact account OF Wash
ington's expedition. under the orders OF
Governor Dinwiddie. to inspect the
frontier u rts along the Ohio river.
on his return from the expedition 10
the forts washington laid his report be-
fore tho Colonial Governor. and was per-
mitted by that functionary TO have Il
printed at the government expense. Ac-
cordingly, Colonel Washington set to
work and put his report into shape the
results OF this. his first literary labor.
being the pamphlet described.
For generations the pamphlet had lain,
obscure and unvalued. IN an unimpOrtant
private library Ii was generally sup
posed that only two copies OF Washing
ava IN urffhnrghfr al
and within the past fifteen years both Of
these copies had come UP for sale-one OK
them. In tho Brinley auction Of 1852. fetch
ing $3.50. and the other being bought for
= large price by the LenoX Library
trustees.
DISCOVERED BY ACCIDENT.
The discovery OF pamphlet No. was
made b. Academia visitor to the house
I'm which It lay having found it while
grubbing among some dusty papers IN the
library. This gentleman. knowing some
thing of the value Of such a prize, per-
suaded the unbelieying owner 10 send
IL 20 New York for valuation. IL happen
ed that the wealthy collector who made
the purchase wanted that particular time
worn print TO complete his set Of Wash
ingtoniana. and quite willingly paid $1,000
for it. Little cid George Washington
colonel Of the Virginia militia, think as
he corrected the proof sheets OF his Re
port" away back in 1855. that a copy OF
that unpretentious work should one day
be worth thousands of dollars.
When Washington Set forth at the
head OF a detachment OF militia to ex-
anime into the condition of the sparsely
scattered Ohio forts the journey was not
ono suitable 10 mere carpet knight.
Indians and French were united against
the Britlsh-for it must be remembered
that George Washington was to all in
tents and purposes a "Brltisher" I'm
17ji-55.
In the course Of his journey from point
TO point the young colonel met with ad-
ventures not a few. but throughout his
Report" he is extremely careful to elimi-
nate anything that might be described
as stirring or unconventional, although
current history tells us that ohe expedi-
ton encountered many events OF his
nature. on the contrary. the Report"
simply recounts the condition Of the
block-houses and stockades visited, the
health and standing OF their garrlsons,
and the exact quantities OF ammunition,
food, &c, in their stores Altogether.
It would be difficult to extract material
for q historical romance from this meagre
work by the father of his country. But
your true book collector never looks be-
hind the title page. To the man that
owns it, Washington's Report OF a
Visit 10 the Ohio Forts" Is we'll worth
$1,000.
Book dealers and collectors are unaui-
nous In announcing that a notable de-
mand has sprung up throughout the
country for books and relics Of the ante
Revolutionary and Revolutionary periods.
Perhaps the many societies recently
founded of persons descended from par
ticipators I'm those eventful epOchs may
have something to do with the revived
interest I'm the nations early history.