American Historical Ephemera & Early Photography Online

Manuscript copy of a letter from General George Washington to his brother Samuel Washington dated 5 October 1776 while Washington was encamped at the "Heights of Harlem."

This copy was penned by George Washington's kinsman, Confederate Lieutenant Colonel Thornton Augustine Washington (1826-1894), who verifies at the conclusion: "No. 1. Copied by me and carefully compared with the original autograph letter in my possession. Washington D.C. Nov. 1st 1886. T. A. Washington."

In part: "The acct given you by Doct. Walker, of the unfriendly disposition of the Western Indians is really alarming; but if your success against the Cherokees is equal to report, I am in hopes it will bring the Western gentry to their second thoughts before they strike...Matters in this Quarter, have by no means worn that favorable aspect you have been tonight to believe from the publications in the Gazettes. The pompous acct of the marches & counter marches of the militia, tho' true so far as relates to the expense, is false with respect to service, for you could neither get them to stay in camp or fight when they were there - in short, it may truly be said they were eternally coming and going, without rendering the least earthly service...At no time since General Howe's arrival at Staten Island has my Force been equal (in men fit for duty) to his; and yet, people at a distance, as I have understood by letters, have conceived that they were scarce a mouthful for us. To this cause, the number of Posts we were obliged to occupy, in order to secure our communication with the Country - [torn] the intended mode of attack is to e attributed our Retreat from Long Island, and the Evacuation of New York. We found that General Howe had no Inclination to make an attack upon our Lines at the last mentioned place. We discovered at the same time by their movements and our Intelligence, that with [indecipherable] assistance of their ships they intended to draw a Line round us, and cut off all communication, between the City and Country; thereby reducing us to the necessity of fighting our way out under every disadvantage - surrendering at discretion - or starving - That they might have accomplished one or the other of these, if we had stayed at New York, is certain..."

The letter goes on to discuss events of the war including a skirmish in which about 60 of Washington's men were killed and wounded, and Major Leith in Weldon's Regiment was wounded thrice through his side, ultimately succumbing to them.

Thornton Augustine Washington graduated from West Point in 1849 and resigned his US Army commission in 1861 to serve in the Confederate Army. After serving on Gen. Robert E. Lee’s staff in 1862 he spent the remainder of the war in Texas supplying troops in the west.