George Washington to Henry Lee

I have received your letter of yesterday and thank you for the intelligence you communicated. I would caution you not to place too much confidence in Mr. Smith. I suppose he is the son of Mr. Thomas Smith, whose attachment to us is very generally and I believe justly suspected. The presumption is that the son holds similar sentiments to his father though the contrary is possible enough. The appearances he puts on may only be to gain opportunities of communicating with the Enemy and serving them in reality while he is only serving us in pretence.

The measure you propose of puting deserters from our Army to immediate death would probably tend to discourage the practice. But it ought to be executed with caution and only when the fact is very clear and unequivocal. I think that that part of your proposal which respects cutting off their heads and sending them to the Light Troops had better be omitted Examples however severe ought not to be attended with an appearance pearance of inhumanity otherwise they give disgust, and may excite resentment rather than terror.

I am, etc.¹