Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Washington, George (1732-1799) to Henry Knox

High-resolution images are available to schools and libraries via subscription to American History, 1493-1943. Check to see if your school or library already has a subscription. Or click here for more information. You may also order a pdf of the image from us here.

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.09359 Author/Creator: Washington, George (1732-1799) Place Written: Newburgh, New York Type: Manuscript letter Date: 17 September 1782 Pagination: 1 p. : address : docket ; 32.5 x 20 cm. Order a Copy

Refuses to grant leave to Captain Machin while he is on trial. "Captain Machin being under Arrest there would be an impropriety in his transacting any public business - or in granting him leave of absence from Camp. His Trial must soon come on in course, if that terminates in his favor I shall then have no objections to granting the leave requested, and if in the mean time any business of the Corps requires that an Officer should go to Philadelphia, leave shall be granted to any other you may think proper to send." Written at "Head Quarters." Washington's signature clipped.

Signer of the U.S. Constitution.

[draft]
Head Quarters 17th Septr. 1782
Sir
Captain Machin being under Arrest there would be an impropriety in his transacting any public business - or in granting him leave of absence from Camp. His Trial must soon come on in course, if that terminates in his favor I shall then have no objections to granting the leave requested, and if in the mean time any business of the Corps requires that an Officer should go to Philadelphia, leave shall be granted to any other you may think proper to send.
I am
Sir
Your most obed Servt
[signature purloined]
Major General Knox
[docket]
From his Excellency Genl Washington
17 Septr 1782

[inserted in a different hand: 1782
Signature Purloined No. 55 - ]

[address]
Major General Knox
West Point

Washington, George, 1732-1799
Knox, Henry, 1750-1806
Machin, Thomas, 1744-1816

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources