Last updated: February 20, 2025
Person
Robert Hanson Harrison
The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs, The New York Public Library
Quick Facts
Significance:
Lawyer and Washington’s Secretary in American Revolution
Place of Birth:
Charles County, Maryland
Date of Birth:
1745
Place of Death:
Charles County, Maryland
Date of Death:
April 20, 1790
As George Washington’s trusted and dependable secretary, Robert Hanson Harrison played an essential role in the administration and function of the Continental Army.
Harrison was born in 1745 to Dorothy and Richard Hanson Harrison, rich landowners in Maryland. Not much is known about Harrison’s early life. By 1769, Harrison worked as a lawyer in Alexandria, Virginia. One of Harrison’s clients was George Washington. Harrison became friends with Washington, even staying at his residence in Mount Vernon to hunt foxes together.
In early 1775, Harrison served as an officer in a militia group under the command of George Washington. In August, Washington sent his cousin to see if Harrison would be interested in serving as an aide-de-camp for him in Massachusetts. Harrison initially rejected this offer, as his wife had died, and he was left to care for his two daughters. Additionally, Harrison suffered from frequent health problems. In the fall of the same year, Washington reached out to Harrison again. This time, when Harrison heard that Washington was short-staffed and truly needed his help, he got his affairs in order and left for Massachusetts.
Harrison became an aide-de-camp for Washington on November 6, 1775. Washington’s previous secretary, Joseph Reed, had left Washington’s Cambridge headquarters just over a week before. As time went on, Washington came to trust and rely on Harrison. In a letter to Reed in January 1776, Washington wrote that “If he should go, I shall really be distressed beyond Measure as I know no Persons able to supply your places.” On May 16, 1776, Washington finally made Harrison his official secretary, replacing Joseph Reed’s position in the Continental Army.
As Washington’s secretary, Harrison took on several essential roles at headquarters. He wrote letters to communicate Washington’s ideas to the rest of the Continental Army and managed paperwork at the headquarters. When Washington was away, Harrison used his administrative skills to keep the headquarters running smoothly. During the Valley Forge encampment, Harrison was one of the primary letter writers at Washington’s headquarters. In the spring of 1778, Harrison traveled with Alexander Hamilton to negotiate prisoner exchanges in Pennsylvania.
Harrison served six years in total as an aide to Washington until he left in March 1781 to serve as the chief judge of Maryland. Harrison remained close with Washington and was nominated for the Supreme Court during Washington’s presidency.
Sources
Bell, John. “George Washington’s Headquarters and Home.” Cambridge, MA: Longfellow House-Washington’s Headquarters, Department of the Interior, National Park Service, February 29, 2012.
Hall, Kermit L., ed. The Oxford Companion to the Supreme Court. Oxford University Press, 2005.