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Washington, George (1732-1799), 1750-1799

4 boxes
SOME ONLINE MATERIAL
Collection Creator:
Princeton University. Library. Special Collections and De Coppet, Andre (1892-1953)
Dates:
1750-1799
Extent:
4 boxes, 7 items
Languages:
English
Scope and Contents

George Washington was first President of the United States of America (1789-1797) and commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. This collection of letters and documents written by Washington includes correspondence with some of the most well-known early Americans including John Adams, Nathanael Greene, John Hancock, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison.

The earliest items in the series are Virginia land surveys conducted by Washington in the 1750s. The bulk of the material dates from the years of the Revolutionary War (1775-1783). Many of the letters detail the countless important decisions Washington was forced to make as commander of America's revolutionary forces, from issues of staffing and rank to how to adequately provision soldiers with clothing and food. He wrote of his frustration with short enlistments and the need for more soldiers, and defended his decision to have the troops winter at Valley Forge.

The series also includes letters and documents from Washington's time as President. His letters address questions of constitutional and congressional powers, and highlight some of the ways the new country navigated international diplomacy. The documents section contains two and half pages of an undelivered inaugural address in Washington's hand.

A handful of personal letters and documents include lists of slaves divided between Washington and his brothers, and directions for the running of his Mount Vernon estate.

The correspondence is arranged alphabetically by name of correspondent. The Papers of George Washington (University of Virginia Press, 1976-2008), an extensive project to publish all of Washington's writings, has not been completed at the time of this writing (August 2008), though many volumes have been published. Those volumes that have been published were consulted during the preparation of this finding aid. Letters in this collection that are published contain a bracketed notation in the item description citing the series, volume, and page numbers. It should also be noted that the full text and footnotes of the volumes can also be accessed digitally at http://rotunda.upress.virginia.edu/pgwde.

Patrons will be given access to surrogate, photoduplicated copies of the Washington materials.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.

Credit this material:

Washington, George (1732-1799); Andre De Coppet Collection Concerning United States History, C0063, Manuscripts Division, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library

Storage Note:
Firestone Library (hsvm)
Boxes 36a; 47a; 37a; 38a
Item 7
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.

Collection Overview

Collection Description & Creator Information

Scope and Contents

George Washington was first President of the United States of America (1789-1797) and commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. This collection of letters and documents written by Washington includes correspondence with some of the most well-known early Americans including John Adams, Nathanael Greene, John Hancock, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison.

The earliest items in the series are Virginia land surveys conducted by Washington in the 1750s. The bulk of the material dates from the years of the Revolutionary War (1775-1783). Many of the letters detail the countless important decisions Washington was forced to make as commander of America's revolutionary forces, from issues of staffing and rank to how to adequately provision soldiers with clothing and food. He wrote of his frustration with short enlistments and the need for more soldiers, and defended his decision to have the troops winter at Valley Forge.

The series also includes letters and documents from Washington's time as President. His letters address questions of constitutional and congressional powers, and highlight some of the ways the new country navigated international diplomacy. The documents section contains two and half pages of an undelivered inaugural address in Washington's hand.

A handful of personal letters and documents include lists of slaves divided between Washington and his brothers, and directions for the running of his Mount Vernon estate.

The correspondence is arranged alphabetically by name of correspondent. The Papers of George Washington (University of Virginia Press, 1976-2008), an extensive project to publish all of Washington's writings, has not been completed at the time of this writing (August 2008), though many volumes have been published. Those volumes that have been published were consulted during the preparation of this finding aid. Letters in this collection that are published contain a bracketed notation in the item description citing the series, volume, and page numbers. It should also be noted that the full text and footnotes of the volumes can also be accessed digitally at http://rotunda.upress.virginia.edu/pgwde.

Patrons will be given access to surrogate, photoduplicated copies of the Washington materials.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged alphabetically by name of originator and/or subject; in the Miscellaneous and Provenance Files boxes (Boxes 43-44) the material is arranged alphabetically under the subject (ex.: "Washington, George.").

Collection History

Appraisal

No appraisal information is available.

Access & Use

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.

Credit this material:

Washington, George (1732-1799); Andre De Coppet Collection Concerning United States History, C0063, Manuscripts Division, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library

Location:
Firestone Library
One Washington Road
Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
(609) 258-3184
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Storage Note:
Firestone Library (hsvm)
Boxes 36a; 47a; 37a; 38a
Item 7