Philadelphia Novr. 5th. 1779.
Dear Sir.
I doubt not you have long e’er this received a short Letter from me 1 acknowleging the Receipt of yours of the 19th Septr. which I wrote in Jersey. I have been some Time here again, but have not had the Pleasure of hearing from you since my Arrival.
On my Return I enquired, and found Mr. Lovel had transmitted you Copies or Duplicates of the Papers which you wished me to send you,2 therefore thought it unnecessary to repeat them.
This Letter will be also a short one, as I have the Satisfaction of sending it by the Honble Mr. Laurens, who will call on you in his Journey to Charles Town and consequently be able to give you a more general and accurate Detail of Business and News than I could possibly do in the Compass of a Letter.
I will only congratulate you on the Evacuation of Rhode Island, and on the Birth of your Cassius; the first on public, the second on private Account. I sincerely wish him to live, and to shine with distinguished Lustre on the public Theatre of that great Republic, in founding which his Father has labored with Such assiduity & Applause.
Commend my warmest Expressions of Esteem and Respect to your amiable Consort, and permit me to add,
that I am most affectionately & sincerely Your Friend & Obedt. Servt.
Nath. Scudder
Receiver’s copy, Lee Family Papers, University of Virginia Library.
1 Not found.
2 Scudder had been absent from September 18 to October 20; he may be referring to "copies or Duplicates" transmitted in James Lovell’s letters to Lee of September 27 or October 13.