Fields, Joseph E. 'Worthy Partner': The Papers of Martha Washington. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1994.

Mount Vernon Ladies' Association

My Dear Sister                                        November the 18th 1777

I have the very great pleasure of returning, - you your Boys as well as they were when I brought them from Eltham - They have had the small pox exeeding light and have been perfectly well this fortnight past- Mr. Claiborne came up with us and had the small as light as they had, he has been here ever since I came up - his going down determined me to send your sons with him as I think he will be a guide to them on the road and better than they should goe so far by themselves, they have been exeeding good Boys indeed and I shall hope you will lett them come to see me when ever they can spare so much time from school - they have been such good Boy that I shall love them a great deal more than I ever did - I have paid the Doctors £ 9 for them. - and £ 8 for two Hatts [?] which could not be got for less [?] 9/9

I have given to Mr. Claiborne to bare thare expens down - and five seven Dollar Bills I inclose in this letter which is all that is owed - the Doctor's charge is very high but I did not say a word - as he carred the children so well through the small pox -

The last letter I had from the General was dated the 7th of this month - he says he says nothing hath happend since the unsuccessful attack upon our forts on the Dalaware, - the Boys bring the last papers down with them -

Nelly Custis has be over the river this three week - Jack is just come over, he tells me that little Bet is grown as fat as a pigg - Nelly is not well her self -

I was glad to hear that you had got the horse and hope you have before this found great benefet from riding everyday - I have often wished for my dear sister and Fanny, as the small pox was so trifleing with the Boys - believed that it would have been as slight with them I have had all thare cloths washed and rinsed several days - and do veryly believe that they can bring no infection home with them - if you are afraide lett some one who has had the small pox put out thare cloths to air for a day or two in the sun - an Thomas has also been washed and his cloths changed - his cap & shoes he did not ware, when he was sick - I shall be glad you will let me know how the Boys gett down - by Peter who set off today with Jacks mares & colts to carry them down to his quarter in New Kent -

Jack joins me in love to Mr. Bassett your self Dear Fanny and all Friends - I am my Dear sister your sincearly affectionate

Martha Washington

I was sorry to find that I had given away all the Blew satin but this piece Please do give the piece of muslin to Mrs Dangerfield with my Compliments - my compliments and good wishes to Mrs Davis & Mrs. Newman - I hope John Davis has got well of his indisposition - all the Boys Cloths are sent

Fields, Joseph E. 'Worthy Partner': The Papers of Martha Washington. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1994.

New York Public Library

My dear Sister                          Philadelphia August the 28th 1776

I am still in this town and Noe prospects at present of my leveing it, - the General is at new york he is very well and wrote to me yesterday and informed me that Lord Dunmore with part of his fleet was come to General Howe at Staten Island, that another devision of the Hessians is expected before they think, the regulars will begen thare attack or as, some hear begen to think thare will be noe Battle after all - Last week our boats made another atempt on the ships up the north river - and had grapp a fire ship with the Phoenix ten muniets but she got clear of her; and is come down the river on satterday last. Our people burnt one of the tenders.

I thank god we shant want men - the army at New York is very large and numbers of men are still going there is at this time in the city, four thousand on their march to the camp and virginia is daily Expected - doe my Dear sister most relegiously wish thare was an End to the matter that we might have the pleasure of meeting again-

My Duty to my Dear mamma - and tell her I am very well - I dont hear from you so often as I used to doe at Cambridge - 1 had the pleasure to hear by Colo Aylett that you and all Friends were well and should been glad to have had a line from you by him - I hope Mr Bassett has got the better of his cough long agoe - please to present love to him my Brother and sisters my dear Fanny and the Boy & Except the same yourself

I am my dear Nancy your
ever affectionate sister
Martha Washington

Fields, Joseph E. 'Worthy Partner': The Papers of Martha Washington. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1994.

Mount Vernon Ladies' Association

My dearest Mamma                         Mount Airy August 21st. 1776

I have the extreme Happiness at last to inform you, that Nelly was safely delivered this Morning about five oClock of a fine Daughter; and It affords Me much Pleasure that I have an Opportunity of transmitting this agreable News so early, I make not the least Doubt but you will heartily join us in the Pleasure We feel on this Happy Event; I wish you were present. You would be much more pleased, if you were to see the strapping Huzze. The other little One was a mere Dwarf to this,Her Cloths are already too smal for Her. She is in short as fine a Healthy, fat Baby as ever was born;

Poor Nelly had a very indefferent Time, her Pains were two Hours long & very severe. She is now thank God as well as can be expected and the Pleasure her Daughter gives Her. compensates for the Pain She has suffered. She has been fortunate in the Weather. It is now very fine, for ten Days last past We have had nothing but Rainy close Weather, - I cannot pretend to say who the child is like, It is as much like Doctor Rumney as any Body else. She has a double Chinn something like His, in Point of Fatness with fine black Hair, & Eyes, upon the whole I think It is as pretty & fine a Baba as ever I saw. This not my opinion alone, but the Opinion of all who have seen Her - I hope she will be preserv'd as a Comfort, and Happiness to us all.

I have been for some Time past in the state of the greatest Anxiety for the Fate of New York, I confess It has engaged my Thoughts so much, that I have not been able to do Anything, my first Wish was to see Nelly safely delivered, my second (has always been) that the General may obtain a compleat Victory over his Enemys, which I sincerely pray God may be the Case. - I am kept in the crudest State of Uncertainty. I have scarcely had a Letter from New York, the Gen has been much kinder than I expected, but the others have very seldom wrote, - I must beg of you to write me everything you can collect relative to the Army at New York & in Canada, and all other News, by every Post - You may get much Intelligence from Colo. Nelson - 1 am sorry I have Nothing to inform you off, Every Thing being quiet (which is I think the best News) since Dunmore left Us - Mr. Calvert's John is just return'd from Annapolis. It is reported & sworn to by Two Deserters, that Dunmore is dead of the Flux (I wish it may be true.) I wrote to the General the last two Posts. I shall write you again next Post, and ask Him to stand with yourself for my little Lady. My Love to Him in which Nelly joins Me. Nelly, the little Lady & Myself write in Love to you

and am dear Mamma your
most affectionate Son
John Parke Custis

The Family send their
Comp to Nelly's & mine
to Mr. Nelson & Lady & Mr Pleion.
For Mrs Washington
in Philadelphia
Upper Marlbo Augt 23d

Autograph Letter Signed

Fields, Joseph E. 'Worthy Partner': The Papers of Martha Washington. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1994

Washington Headquarters Library, Department of the Interior

My Dear Sister                         Cambridge January the 31,1776

I have wrote to you several times in hopes that would put you in mind of me but I find it has not had its intended affect and I am really very uneasy at not hearing from you and have made all the excuses for you that I can think of but it will not doe much longer if I doe not get a letter by this nights post I shall think myself quite forgot by all my Freinds The distance is long yet the post comes in very regularly every week --

The General myself and Jack are very well Nelly Custis is I hope getting well again, and I beleive is with child, I hope noe accident will happen to her in going back I have not thought much about it yet god knows whare we shall be I suppose thare will be a change soon but how I cannot pretend to say - A few days a goe Gen. Clinton, with several companyes Sailed out of Boston Harbor to what place distant for, we cannot find out. some think it is to Virginia he is gon, others to New York -they have been keept in Boston so long that I suppose they will be glad for a place where they may have more room as they cannot get out anyway here but by water - our navey has been very successful in taking thair vessels two was taken last week loded with coles and potatoes wines & several other articles for the use of the troops - If General Clinton is gon to New York, - General Lee is there before him and I hope will give him a very warm reception, - he was sent thare some time a goe to have matters put in proper order in case any disturbance should happen, as thare are many Tories in that part of the world or at least many are susspected thare to be unfreindly to our cause at this time - winter hear has been so remarkable mild the Rivers has never been frozen hard enough to walk upon the Ice since I came heer, My Dear sister be so good as to remember me to all enquireing friends - give my Duty to my mam(ma) and love to my brothers and sisters Mr Bassett your Dear Children and self - in which the General Jack and Nelly joins me.

I am my Dear Nancy
your ever effectionate sister
Martha Washington

(Address)
To Mrs. Bassett
at
Eltham
to ye care of
Randolph Esq
Feb 24, 1776
Reed last night
and (missing)

Autograph Letter Signed

Fields, Joseph E. 'Worthy Partner': The Papers of Martha Washington. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1994.

Massachusetts Historical Society

                                          Cambridge, January the 8th 1776

Mrs. Washington presents her respectfull compliments to Mrs Warren, and thanks her most cordially for her polite enquire, and exceeding kind offer - If the Exigency of affairs in this camp should make it necessary for her to remove, she cannot but esteem it a happiness to have so friendly an Invitation as Mrs Warren has given. In the meanwhile, Mrs Washington cannot help wishing for an oppertunity of shewing every civility in her power to Mrs Warren, at Head Quarters in Cambridge -

The General begs that his best regards may be presented to Mrs Warren, accompanied with his sincear thanks for her favourable wishes for his honour and success; and joins in wishing Mrs Warren - the speaker - and thair Family, every happiness that is, or can be derived from a speedy, and honourable peace

(address leaf)
To Mrs. Warren
at
Plymouth

(Docket)
Mrs Washington
Cambridge 8th Jany
1776

Autograph Letter Signed

Washington and Wife Visiting the Troops at Valley Forge, on Christmas Day 1777.. Print. Philadelphia: Breuker & Kessler, 1871. Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of American History.

Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of American History

print

10 x 15 1/2 in

Mrs. General Washington, Bestowing Thirteen Stripes on Britania [sic]. Etching and engraving. London: The Rambler's Magazine, April 1, 1783. The New York Public Library, C.W. McAlpin Collection.

New York Public Library

newspaper cartoon

Kerber, Linda K. Women of the Republic: Intellect and Ideology in Revolutionary America. New York: Norton, 1986.

Chastellux, Francois Jean. Travels in North America in the Years 1780, 1781, and 1782. New York: A.M. Kelley, 1970.

“[November 30, 1780, Philadelphia]…I found there Mrs. Washington, who had just arrived from Virginia, and was on her way to join her husband, as she does at the end of every campaign. She is about forty or forty-five, rather plump, but fresh and with an agreeable face….” (1:134)

“[About 1782] I had the pleasure of passing a day or two with Mrs. Washington, at the general’s house in Virginia, where she appeared to me to be one of the best women in the world, and beloved by all about her….” (1:298-299)

journal

Gundersen, Joan R. To Be Useful to the World: Women in Revolutionary America, 1740-1790. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1996.