Philadelphia Oct 31. 1778.
Dear Sir,
On principles of old acquaintance and much regard, I should have been well pleased to have had the pleasure of seeing you here, before my return to Virginia.1 It will give me much Satisfaction in my retirement to hear from you when your leisure will permit. The long evenings that are coming on will present you with opportunities of informing a friend how things proceed here. Let me know how my friend Mr Langdon does. As I hope you will be closely employed this winter in forming plans for the increase and regulation of our Navy so it will make me happy to hear that you are proceeding well and harmoniously in that line. My direction is at Chantilly, to the care of the Post Master at Leedstown in Westmoreland County Virginia.
I am dear Sir sincerely yours,
Richard Henry Lee
Transcription, Force Collection, Library of Congress. Another transcript is in the Langdon Collection, Pennsylvania Historical Society.
Printed in James Curtis Ballagh, The Letters of Richard Henry Lee, Volume 1, 1762 - 1778, p. 448. Addressed to Whipple "of the New Hampshire Delegation to Congress."
1 For Lee’s departure from and Whipple’s arrival at Philadelphia the following week, see Whipple to Lee, 8 November 1778, note 2.