Item 22: Letter from William Stewart to Zebulon Butler, 1780 August 28

Item — Box: 10, Folder: 22

Staff Only

Letter from William Stewart to Zebulon Butler, 1780 August 28

Dates

Created: 1780 August 28

Access:

All series and subseries within this collection are open for research, with the exception of a few files within the Academia series that are restricted. The Academia series contains financial and sensitive institutional records from Wilkes College, and financial report records from Princeton University that will remain restricted for 80 years upon creation.

Extent

1 items

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Additional Description

Type of Material:

Letter.

Condition Note:

Fair. There is slight discoloration and minor tearing along the page.

Measurements:

13 ¼ in. x 8 ⅝ in.

Description:

This letter, dated August 28, 1780, is written by William Stewart to Zebulon Butler, a lieutenant colonel during the American Revolutionary war. In the letter, Stewart is writing about shipments of goods that are being prepared for travel to the Wyoming post. He writes that there is enough to send two or three more boats by the time this first one reaches Butler and is returned. Stewart also writes that Butler should place a guard at various posts along the river, as well as send on whatever money he can as Stewart believes the need of cattle will ensure they buy some soon. He concludes his letter by saying that he wishes to visit the valley soon, but fears that they will receive no goods from the board if he is not there to petition them. This item is connected to other letters that Butler and Stewart have written respectively, found in 10.19. Item 19: Letter from Zebulon Butler to [William] Stewart, 1780 August 1, 10.21. Item 21: Letter from Zebulon Butler to “Board of War,” 1780 August 17.

Location:

Juniata, PA

Transcription:

Janiata (sic) August 28th 1780 Sir I rec’d [received] yours Bearing Deat (sic) [date] 25th Inst[an]t I had the Loading Read(y) to put in the Boats By the time the men got here & three men to go up in the Boats I shall Do Every thing in my— Power to have 2 or 3 Boats Load Ready By the time the Boats Can got (sic) [get] Back, I think it Will Be Best to send them soon as possabel- (sic) [possible] for one boat will have to go up Janiata (sic) [Juniata] & one down to Hirris (sic) [Harris] Farrey (sic) [Ferry] for some of the Loading and ^it will Detain them 2 or 3 Days here, I [t]hink that your Righting (sic) [writing] on mine to a Purcher Commesery (sic) [Purchase Commissary] of Cattel (sic) [Cattle] is sofichent (sic) [sufficient], Col Ep[hraim] Blain is the the Person [w]ho superstendes (sic) [superceeds], I have wrot (sic) [wrote] to him that we want Beef at Wyoming— and for to send money on to order Cattel (sic) [cattle] to Be sent as soon as Possabel (sic) [possible]- - I think it will Be Best for you to send- a Capress (sic) [compass] to Col[one]l Blain Cg. Bs. on Where you Shall think Best, for the Commisery (sic) [Commissary] here Cannot By (sic) [buy] Cattel (sic) with the state money we were in hops (sic) [hopes] that it wold (sic) [would] pass for Cattel (sic) But find it will not yet— The want of money Buts [Puts?] it out of one power to gat (sic) [get] Cattel (sic), Col[one]l Blain was at Camp about tow (sic) [two] weeks ago, Col[one]l Cox went to Philadelphia for money for him self and to Bring sum (sic) [some] for me, But got none for Either of us, if I Could gat (sic) money I wold (sic) [would] soon gat (sic) [get] Cattel (sic) [cattle] for your post, I want to go up much But I think if I leve (sic) [leave] this plese (sic) [place] we wold (sic) [would] not

Back:

gat (sic) [get] tham (sic) [them] to supley (sic) [supply] that post, I am in hops (sic) [hopes] after the nixt (sic) [next] Loads go up I will have time for to go up, for I want to see you and the Rest of my nibours (sic) [neighbors] there, I have no orders to Excheng (sic) [exchange] hids (sic) [hides] for shoes. I am Sir your Hum[ble] Serv[an]t William Stuart ACJs

NB [nota bene] you have Best send a gard (sic) [guard] to meet the Boats at Crookes Beffels (sic) and likewise Wright (sic) [right] to Every yWay you can think of C for Cattle as there is so meney (sic) [many] wated (sic) [wanted] at Campt I think we will Be put to tgo gat (sic) [get] Cattel (sic) [cattle] without I gat (sic) [get] money W[illia]m Mr. Stewart 28 Aug[us]t 1780

Zeb Butler Coll Comd [Colonel Commander]