Patrick Henry to Unknown

Letter

Patrick Henry's Red Hill

Name/Title

Patrick Henry to Unknown

Entry/Object ID

2020.3

Description

Iron gall ink on laid paper. Single-page letter written by Patrick Henry in December 1792. Signed P. Henry at end of letter.

Collection

Patrick & Dorothea Henry Collection

Transcription

Charlotte Decr. 1st. 1792 Dear Sir. It gives me no small degree of regret that in return for your agreeable comunications I am about only to give you trouble. Colo. Syme with whom you know my connection furnished Wm. Aylett the Continental Commissary a large quantity of flour early in the war forced ___ never[?] been[?] said – Since Colo. Ayletts Death his son is marry’d to my daughter & so I am connected with both Partys – A Suit was brought by Colo. Syme agt. [against] Phil. Aylett my son in law as Ex[ecutor] of his Father to recover the amount of the flour, but the opinion of the court – was discovered to be that as Colo. Wm Aylett acted as a public agent his executor could not be charged with the Contract & the United States – agreeably to this sentiment Colo. Syme now makes his application – And if your Judgement ___ sent from his documents should be ___ it as a singular favor if you will[?] give[?] it the assistance that will warrant – the Affair is adjusted & ___ Congress. I shall as a comon Friend to the conte[ntion or contest?] here be highly gratifyed, because thereby future contentions will be avoided – Give [Reverse] me leave to trouble you further by recomending General Joseph Martin as a proper person to be trusted with Indian affairs, especially those which relate to the Cherokees. He was Agent for this State during the War, & at every Hazard has served so as to prevent any material damage from that Tribe, altho’ Efforts backed by vast presents were incessantly used by our enemys to incite them to Hostilities – He tells me he can influence Watts their leader to go to Congress & is very sanguine in his Opinion that a War with that Nation may be avoided by proper management of them. This I know he is capable of or I w. [would] not recomend him – Thus, you see how much trouble I have given you – But I inhearton you not to be discouraged from a correspondence with me, & will endeavor in the Future, progress to render it less troublesome. Believe me my dear Sir with every sentiment of Regard & Attachment your Friend & Servant, P. Henry

Language

English

Dimensions

Width

7 in

Length

9-1/2 in

Provenance

Notes

Henry advocates for the rights of Native Americans who were suffering great hardships. He recommends Brigadier General Joseph Martin, Jr. (1740–1808) as an encourager of positive relations among the Cherokee Nation in the United States. John Watts (or Kunokeski; 1746–1808), also known as Young Tassel, was war council head, or "skiagusta," of the Lower Cherokee at this time. Martin was a brigadier general in the Virginia militia during the American Revolutionary War, in which Martin's frontier diplomacy with the Cherokee people is credited with not only averting Indian attacks on the Scotch-Irish American and English American settlers who helped win the battles of Kings Mountain and Cowpens, but with also helping to keep the position of the indigenous neutral and from siding with the British troops during those crucial battles. Martin lived for some time in Henry County, Virginia, at his plantation, Belmont, on Leatherwood Creek in Martinsville, not far from the plantation of Patrick Henry, Leatherwood plantation. This letter was purchased by PHMF in 2017 in an auction from University Archives.