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Witness his excellency, Thomas M'Kean, Esqr., Pre- 

 sident of the Congress of the United States of Ame- 

 rica, at Philadelphia, the eighth day of September, 

 and in the sixth year of our independence. 



THOMAS M'KEAN, President. 



On the 16th December, 1780, he was ordered to head 

 quarters at New- Windsor, by General Washington, and 

 continued attached to the main army until the end of the 

 campaign. In the memorable march to York-Town, he, 

 with his assistants, was constantly employed in survey- 

 ing the country along the route of the army, and was pre- 

 sent during its siege, and at its surrender. Thus, '■^ha- 

 ving had the signal good fortune to witness the surrender 

 of the two royal armies of Burgoyne and Cornwallis." 



The war, as is well known, lingered for a year or two 

 after this, and as the prospect of peace brightened, he 

 became anxious to receive a discharge. On application 

 to General Washington, however, he was answered 

 that his office was such, that Congress might possibly 

 still have occasion for his services, and he, therefore, 

 did not conceive himself authorized to grant it. At the 

 same time Mr. De Witt proposed a publication, the fai- 

 lure of which cannot be too much regretted. I will use 

 his own language in addressing General Washington. 



" Since the army is now about being disbanded, and 

 as I suppose the public will stand no further in need of 

 my services, and consequently include me among the 

 number of those who receive their final dismission, I 

 therefor^ ask from your excellency the last favor of a 

 discharge, and beg the acceptance of my sincerest ac- 

 knowledgements for the honor I have had of serving un- 

 der your excellency's particular direction. All I regret 

 is, that the poverty of my country and myself have not 

 permitted me to make my office more extensively useful. 



" I made application last summer to congress for per- 

 mission to prepare the maps in my possession for publi- 

 cation. To a committee appointed on the business, I 

 pointed out their usefulness; that, though no direct ad- 



