To George Washington from Major General William Heath, 2 July 1780
From Major General William Heath
Providence July 2d 1780 7 oClock P.M.
Dear General—
A few minutes since John Williams Esqr. formerly of Boston, arrived here in 35 days passage from L’Orient in France.1 He informs me that Count du Chaffault sail’d from France the 2d of May with 7 Sail of the Line 5 frigates and about 100 sail of transports having 10,000 on board2—the Fleet has provisions for nine months for the whole of the troops and two millions of Crowns in Specie.
By what Mr Williams could learn in France if the fleet fell to the Northward they were to proceed to Halifax, a favorite object with our Allies—if to the Southward to Rhode Island3—Our Allies are in the highest Spirits, and Mr Williams thinks will handle the Brittish Severely this Summer—that there was no talk of a Brittish fleet following that of our Allies. The Schooner in which Mr Williams came is about 90 Tons burthen, is Laden with Salt, Brandy & dry goods. The Continental Frigate Alliance was in France when Mr Williams left it and not likely to Sail Soon.4
This afternoon Capt. Hopkins arrived here in 14 days from St Martins—about 9 days ago in Latitude 31° Longitude 66° he saw 6 sail of Large Ships Standing S.S.E. by the wind. Capt. Hopkins is of opinion these Ships were bound from Charlestown to the West Indies. before Capt. Hopkins sail’d it was reported and believed that about the 8th Ultimo, 12 Spanish Ships of the Line and 5 Frigates—and 4 french Ships of the Line with 12,000 Spanish Troops arrived at Guadaloupe.5 It was reported also that some Vessels which had arrived at St Eustatia had fallen in With the Fleet under Count du Chaffault Consisting of 13 sail of the Line. The grand french Fleet in the West Indies was at Martinico.6
The packet for Congress herewith transmitted was brought by Mr Williams.7 I have the honor to be With the greatest respect Your Excellencys Most obedient Servt
W. Heath
ALS, DLC:GW; ADfS, MHi: Heath Papers.
1. John Williams had been the British inspector general of customs at Boston in the late 1760s before going to Great Britain in 1771. He had spent the last eighteen months in France (see Jonathan Williams, Jr., to Benjamin Franklin, 30 March 1780, postscript, in , 32:183–84).
2. The intelligence misidentified the French naval commander. Rather than Louis-Charles comte Du Chaffault de Besne (1708–1794), that officer was Rear Admiral Ternay. His squadron sailed from Brest, France, on 2 May with transports carrying the 5,500 troops of the French expeditionary army.
3. The French naval force arrived at Newport, R.I., on 10 July and entered the harbor the next day (see Heath to GW, 11 July, DLC:GW).
4. GW expected a large shipment of arms, powder, uniforms, and other supplies to arrive with Continental frigate Alliance (see James Lovell to GW, 23 Feb., GW to Lovell, 4 March, and Henry Knox to GW, 23 May; see also Board of War to GW, 10 May 1779, and n.2 to that document, and La Luzerne to the Continental Congress, 16 May 1780, n.3, printed as an enclosure to Samuel Huntington to GW, 29 May 1780). The Alliance sailed on 7 July (see Pierre Landais to Franklin, that date, in , 33:43).
5. Twelve Spanish ships of the line escorted transports with 11,000 troops to the West Indies in early June. A French squadron escorted the Spanish vessels into Guadeloupe on 9 June (see , 188–89). “Capt. Hopkins” may have been John Burroughs Hopkins, then a privateer captain.
6. The main French fleet under Rear Admiral Guichen remained at Martinique until July (see GW to La Luzerne, 14 May, n.2).
7. This packet and its contents have not been identified.