George Washington to Samuel Kennedy, 26 September 1777
To Samuel Kennedy
Camp at Pennybackers Mill [Pa.]1 26 Sepr 1777
Sir
I recd yours of this date at this place.2 If the sick cannot all be accommodated at Reading part ought certainly to be removed to Lancaster, but I beg you will be careful to remove none to that place who will be soon fit for duty or who only want shoes Stockings or other Cloaths to make them so now. If you are obliged to make use of Churches orHouses that have no fire places you should purchase Stoves to make them warm and comfortable. I am Sir Yr most obt Servt
Go: Washington
LS, in Tench Tilghman’s writing,PRHi.
Samuel Kennedy (1730–1778) owned Yellow Springs in Chester County, Pa., and Congress later granted his widow compensation for the erection of a hospital there. Kennedy served as surgeon of the 4th Pennsylvania Regiment from February to December 1776. He became a hospital surgeon in May 1777 and senior surgeon of the general hospital in the middle department in November 1777.
1. GW’s headquarters was located in the vicinity of Pennypacker’s Mill, on Perkiomen Creek near present-day Schwenksville, Pa., from 26 to 29 Sept., when his expenses included £5.10 cash paid to an unidentified person “at Paulins mill for Sundries used in the house—& extra trouble” (household account book, 11 April 1776–21 Nov. 1780,DLC:GW, ser. 5, vol. 28). Pawling’s (Pauling’s; Pawlins) Mill was on the west bank of Perkiomen Creek directly opposite Pennypacker’s Mill. GW apparently lodged at Henry Keely’s house, about three-fourths of a mile southwest of Pennypacker’s Mill (seeBean,History of Montgomery County description beginsTheodore W. Bean, ed.History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia, 1884. description ends, 1023).
2. This letter has not been found.
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- Washington Papers
- Title
- George Washington to Samuel Kennedy, 26 September 1777
- Author
- Washington, George
- Recipient
- Kennedy, Samuel
- Date
- 26 September 1777
Reference
- Cite as
- “George Washington to Samuel Kennedy, 26 September 1777,”Founders Online,National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-11-02-0345. [Original source:The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 11,19 August 1777 – 25 October 1777, ed. Philander D. Chase and Edward G. Lengel. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 2001, pp. 327–328.]