The following is an installment of “On This Day,” a series celebrating America’s 250th anniversary by following the actions of Gen. George Washington, the Continental Congress, and the men and women whose bravery and sacrifice led up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Feb. 3, 1776
In his daily General Orders, Gen. George Washington emphasizes control over arms: “Officers who have purchased weapons are ordered to deliver them first to the commissary for inspection, ensuring that only serviceable arms reach the ranks.”
Robert Carter Nicholas, the treasurer of Virginia, writes to Washington about the dire funding for this effort. Nicholas’s name has been obscured by the passage of time, but he was very influential in pre-revolutionary Virginia.
Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, and Washington all knew Nicholas well and respected both his ability and his integrity, according to the University of Richmond. Indeed, by the time that Washington, Henry, and Gen. Charles Lee were emerging, Nicholas had long been established in Virginia politics.
ON THIS DAY: GEN. HOWE REFUSES TO EXCHANGE PRISONERS WITH WASHINGTON
In his letter, Nicholas warns Washington that money is scarce, public credit is strained, and he himself has been forced to extend his personal credit to cover military expenses.
This is the third letter that he has written to Washington about the situation. In the first, on Sept. 8, 1775, he wrote, “It rests with me to furnish his Pay from time to time, but I really do not know how to do it, at so great a Distance, without your kind Assistance. If you could by any means contrive to have him supplyed, I will honor your Drafts at Sight.”
Nicholas wrote again in October and again in February, each time imploring Washington for relief.