?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 2,000 - $ 3,000
LETTER FROM 16-YEAR OLD NEPHEW OF FIRST PRESIDENT (AMERICAN REVOLUTION.) WASHINGTON, BUSHROD. Autograph Letter Signed, to his mother Hannah Washington, denying a report that he had untoward relations with a young lady, promising never to behave in a way that would endanger the happiness of his parents, expressing concern over the injury sustained by Captain [William Augustine] Washington and the illness of uncle [Samuel] Washington, and conveying his Aunt Washington's request to buy cups and saucers for her. 2 1/4 pages, 4to, written on a single folded sheet; scattered faint dampstaining and foxing, short separations at folds with minor loss, horizontal fold touching bottom of "B" in signature, seal tear hole in terminal leaf not affecting text; suspended between two panes of glass and framed. Fredericksburg [VA], 13 March 1778
"The uneasiness I have suffered since the reception of yours can scarcely be exprest. Is it possible you can believe I could be so lost to every Idea of Gratitude as to forget my duty to the best of parents . . . ? I cannot conjecture by what means you could possibly be informed of a Report which never had any other foundation than the busy tongues of those who seem to wish for Strife. It has always been my choice since I came to Town rather to expend any small portion of an Evening I had to spare from my Studys amongst the Ladies . . . . The Lady you refer to was often present & had in common with the rest every testimony of friendship of which they all merited a large portion at my hands ; . . . [H]ad you been present here I would never have received the least check for any part of my conduct. But supposing . . . that I had really felt a more than common friendship for this Young Lady the bare mention of it's being disagreable to you would cause me to desist. . . . [D]o inform Papa (if the report has come to his Ears) what I have wrote & shall be miserable 'till I hear from you again that I may know you are satisfyed. . . . I had heard of Capt Washingtons misfortune before Jerry [sister Jane Washington] came up & have been very uneasy ever Since 'though I heard he only had three Shot & was recovering which was not so bad as the whole load although I should fear some danger from the Shot that is not extracted ; I cannot help being very sorry for the Capt. & most sincerly pity My Sister whose condition may be more easily conceiv'd than expresst. We return her most hearty thanks for the apples . . . . We hear from above that uncle Washington is very unwell which has detain'd him so long from going down to be married . . . . Aunt Washington will be much oblidg'd to you if you have any opportunity to [go to] Richmond Court House to buy her a dozen Cups & Saucers as she does not stand upon price." Published in Publications of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts, Vol. 8. Probably the earliest letter by him to come to auction.
