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Manuscript.

Contains accounts for the running of George Washington's Mount Vernon estate, its constituent farms and businesses. Entries document expenses for the fisheries, tailor work, voyage of the brig (or brigantine) Farmer to Jamaica in 1774, tools, clothing for slaves, expenses for various craftsmen, food, weaving, tobacco, and much more. Earliest entries are said to be in the hand of John Kirkpatrick, while the last two thirds of the volume are in the hand of Lund Washington. About a half dozen notations in George Washington's hand also appear. Quite a few later manuscript additions appear throughout, giving explanations or 'editorial commentary' on the text. Pages numbered 89-107 were removed prior to the original coming to Mount Vernon.

Includes photographs.

Our camp is still on Ashley Hill, on the south side of the river. The enemy is still in possession of Charles Town, but are making preparations to abandon. Your criticism on Barry's poem I dare say is just. He is one of those kind characters who acts contrary in every instance to make the world believe by attempting great things. He is a great man.

Your Quaker epistle was delivered to me a few days ago by your brother Doctor Tucker. If you had not dated it at your ordinary dwelling place, I should have sworn that you had written it in a religious fit at some Quaker Meeting House or at the Council board upon Shockhoe Hill at Richmond. I would like to see some of your poetry since the seige of Yorktown. I arrived at Head Quarters on the 17th and found our army situated in a fine rich country on the banks of Ponpon. The enemy was locked up in Charles Town. Wayne has gone into Georgia; he has confined the enemy to Savannah. The people of both these southern states have passed through a variety of changes. Some people withstood the storms unshaken and sacrificed to the shrines of liberty their domestic ease and fortunes; others have been uniform in their opposition and have favored the British measure through all the mutations of fortune. Now these people appear to be our friends and seem to adopt any meansure that may be thought well calculated for the public good. The Assembly of the State is now sitting at Jacksonsboro, a little town 30 miles from Charles Town. They are determined to exert every nerve to bring a regular force into the field and put their continental line once more upon a respectable footing. Colonel Laurens attempted to pass a law for the raising of a Negro corps, but it would not go down. Virginia is so reproached by every body that it is almost dishonorable to be a Virginian. I can find no excuse for her neglect. Yet she will tell you she had done more than any other state; she has exhausted her treasury and split most lavishly the blood of her countrymen. Virginia has bled, her troops have fought with honor and she had once a reputation that was envied and admired by all the continent, but time or some thing has extinguished the fire of her military ardor and all her greatness has sunk her, but some bold and determined plan to establish her Continental Line once more. Since the fall of Charles Town, she has never had any thing but detachments of eighteen month men in the field to keep the name of Virginia alive. Her officers have been loitering at home. At this moment the Virginian Troops in Camp do not amount to more than sixty. What became of the party that were to march from Cumberland Court House? I never saw anything to equal the fertility of South Carolina. Everybody lives well, the ladies gay and gentlemen merry. I love the people heartily; they possess a liberality of thinking that pleases me; no religous prejudice or ill grounded pride. The Legislature of South Carolina have voted General Greene 10,000 Guineas to be laid out as he may please in land and Negroes. Published: Magazine of American History, 7 (December 1881), 431-445.

Please excuse my last letter. I will not join you in the abuse of our public measures. I find the more the military complain, the more opposed are the civil to their interest. We have just taken a position at Bacon's Bridge upon Ashley River within two miles of Dorchester and about 20 from Charles Town. This is meant as a challenge, and if I am not mistaken will shortly produce a fight. We hear that the enemy is making preparations for the field. We have the best troops in the world to fight them with, and the whole army puts such implicit confidence in General Greene. The loyalists in Charles Town and the Islands are very much dissatisfied with their situation. They desert every day to the American standard. The confiscation law and amercement (financial penalty) passed by the assembly of this state have put the Tories into a state of insanity. General Leslie has turned advocate for them and reasons in a letter to General Greene on the injustice and implicy of the law. General Greene in answer said he had no control over the civil power and referred him to the Executive of the State. Last Sunday a large fleet with some broken corps, a number of women and about 150 officers sailed for New York. At the same time a fleet of empty transports sailed for Europe. In a little excursion which the enemy made a few days ago over Cooper River, they captured Judge Pendleton and Major Hyrne. Every part of Georgia is still in our possession except Savannah. The Indians who favored the British interest are very much dissatisfied with their friends the Tories. Some have been put to death by them. 300 of the Creeks who were on their way to Savannah, finding themselves deceived, have returned home. Mrs. Greene arrived at Camp about a week ago. Published: Magazine of American History, 7 (December 1881), 431-445.