Two letters - 27 Dec 1756 and 31 Dec 1756

There are 2 letters by the two of the most powerful people in Virginia

writing to our Colonel George Washington

on those 2 dates noted above.

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We are struck by the strength of a 24 year old man to command

an earnest response

House of Burgesses Speaker Robinson.

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Granted, the correspondence between GW and men of high authority has been going on since 1753 at least and even before. When GW left Bermuda, he has a meeting with Dinwiddie in January 30, 1752.

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These two men occupy the most powerful of political offices in Virginia -

the Lt Governor and

the Speaker of the House of Burgesses.

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Dwell for a moment on this young man before going to the 2 letters from those 2 powerful political leaders.

A Young Colonel George Washington?

Calling him young can be somewhat misleading.

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Sure, he is 24 years old. But look what he's seen?

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“On July 24, 1758, [a Monday] at the first Frederick County Court House on this site, Colonel George Washington, age 26, was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses. This was the first elective office of the young commander of Virginia’s forces here to guard her western frontier.” . That inscription was placed here, because the original log courthouse where voters voted for GW existed right here, maybe to the back of center of this location of the 1840 Courthouse. . Plaque to the Left of the Entrance Photo by Jim Moyer. Close behind the first column, you can see the plaque about George Washington winning his 2nd election here on this site. He lost on first attempt. click on photo to enlarge. The Plaque continues: . Colonial election procedure was quite different from today’s secret ballot at a convenient polling place. . On election day, Sheriff, Justices, Candidates and voters gather at the County Court House here. . As each eligible voter’s name was called, he stepped forward and vocally proclaimed his choice. . Clerks recorded the vote and the candidate bowed in appreciation of the voter’s support. . At the July 1758 election young Col. Washington could not be present because he was commanding Virginia’s troops then poised for attack upon Fort Duquesne. His campaign Manager, Col. James Wood, stood in his place. . The County Courthouse In May 1761, Col. Washington was elected to a second term as Burgess from Frederick County. In 1789 he was elected President of the United States. . Thus, George Washington’s political, as well as his military career began here on Virginia’s western frontier during the ten years in which his activities centered about old Frederick County in the Colony of Virginia. .

Young.

There's a plaque on the 1840 Courthouse (now a Civil War museum) in Winchester VA that mentions the word twice.

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But we’ve seen the WWII movies where someone is called “Pops.”

And that "Pops"

was really only in his 20s.

The late Norman Baker, a historian for the French and Indian War Foundation, mentions this.

And he knows.

He was on Iwo Jima.

Anyone who was a year or two

in war, or

who had been

in real battle

once or twice

got the veteran tag,

the “look”,

the knowledge …

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And sometimes that look was called the 1000 yard stare, as in this picture by Tom Lea.

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So too was George Washington a veteran.

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He was 24, but he saw a lot.

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They didn't call him Pops

and maybe he didn't have the 1000 yard stare.

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Having seen how things

can really, really

go wrong

on a long journey to & back

where he almost dies twice

from an Indian shooting at him

and from falling in the ice river . . .

or in victory (the Battle of Jumonville)

or in defeat (Fort Necessity July 3, 1754)

or in major horror ( Braddock’s Defeat July 9, 1755),

you saw “experience” in a man, a tall leader, a veteran.

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And now to those 2 letters.

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27 Dec 1756 letter from Dinwiddie

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Ft Cumberland upper left, Ft Loudoun on right

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In this 27 Dec 1756 letter to Colonel GW, Lt Gov Dinwiddie defends his decision about ordering 100 men from Fort Loudoun to go to Fort Cumberland. This decision was based on Capt George Mercer's reports of the numbers of soldiers there. Apparently these numbers were wrong or outdated. Colonel George Washington must not have known Mercer's report had wrong or outdated numbers, because GW was really shocked by Lt Gov Dinwiddie's order.

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Overall there is a legitimate effort by Dinwiddie to explain himself here. Yet there is some duplicity by Dinwiddie suggests Founders Online.

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How much did Lord Loudoun want Fort Cumberland garrisoned by Virginia? How much did Dinwiddie anticipate Lord Loudoun's wishes concerning Fort Cumberland? That's the question here.

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We know GW did not want to garrison Fort Cumberland. It was an island Alamo surrounded by raiding parties. There were mountains looking over it for easy sniper fire. It was isolated from communications. Mail and Supplies always needed armed escort. This fort was only defending itself. It was not defending any homesteads nearby really. And then of course there was the Maryland commander Dagworthy insisting his expired British Captain commission outranks a provincial Virginia Colonel (George Washington) and a provincial Virginia Lt Colonel (Adam Stephen).

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And garrisoning Fort Cumberland wasn't the only controversy.

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Dr Thomas Walker was who Lt Gov Dinwiddie wanted to be Commissary. GW thought the man had too many other activities to focus his attention. Also Dr Walker's home was much further away from the theatre of operations of the Virginia Regiment.

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31 December 1756 letter from Speaker Robinson

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In this letter of 31 Dec 1756, the Speaker of the House of Burgesses, John Robinson Jr, commiserates with Col George Washington's concerns about leaving Fort Loudoun with too little to guard its stores.

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You must marvel at this Universe before Twitter.

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You will notice this is all one long sentence:

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