To George Washington from François, Marquis de Malmedy, 20 November 1778
From François, Marquis de Malmedy
philadelphia 20. of. november. 1778.
sir.
i am on the point of returning to my country, where i must give an account of my conduct in the american army; and as your Excellency’s approbation of my services would be of the greatest advantage to me, permitt me to have the honour to request it from you, i have slender titles to that favour, not having been so happy as to serve Last year under your immediate commands; but i hope your Excellency will recollect my good will in the campaign of 1776, as soon as i arrived at harlem; the approbation of the governor of rhode island, in the account, he rendered you at morisetown of my Exertion in that state; and i desire that my conduct in the begining of this campaign—might have been agreable to your Excellency.
i shall think myself happy, if you judge me worthy of a certificate of a military and uniform character in your armies, which will be the most pretious reward of three campaigns, & of the danger of twice crossing the sea.
permitt me to Express here the just sense i have for the civilities with which your Excellency honoured me at my arrival in this continent; and please to accept my sincere wishs for the success of every thing which may Encrease your glory & happiness. i have the honour to be of your Excellency your very most obedient very humble servant
malmedy
ALS, DLC:GW.
GW replied from Middlebrook, N.J., on 13 Dec.: “It is some days since I recd your favr of the 20th November, but being upon my Journey from the North River to this place I have not had an oppertunity of answering it before. As I am not furnished with the requisite materials to make out the Certificate of your services, I must desire you to send me an account of the different Commissions which you have borne in the American Army with their several dates. I thank you for your good wishes in my behalf” (DLC:GW).
A memorandum dated at Middlebrook on 8 Feb. indicates that: “A Certificate [was] granted to Colo. Malmedy, specifying the Dates of his Commissions, Adding that as far as his Conduct had fallen under the Generals Observation it had been that of a brave intelligent Officer” (DLC:GW; the original certificate has not been found). Malmedy enclosed GW’s testimonial in a letter that Congress read on 23 Feb. and referred to the Board of War; and on 9 Mar. the Board of War recommended to Congress that he be given leave to join the Southern Army (, 13:238, 296–97). Malmedy remained in service in America until 1780.