To Benjamin Franklin from M.A. de Sonnemaens, 15 March 1780
From M.A. de Sonnemaens
LS: American Philosophical Society
Venlo3 le 15 mars 1780
Son Excellance
Nous prenont la lieberté d’Ecrire a votre Excellance pour nous informer appre notre frere jean hanrÿ Barron de Wolff,4 Sortan du Service de Sa Majesté Prussien, par la Reduction que Sa Majesté a fait, et par la Recommandation de votre Exellance5 il a ou le Bonheur de venier aide Camp chez Monsieur Le genneral de vassenton, et comme nous trouvon a faire le partagé de la famille nous auron bessoin de Savoir ou il ce trouvé. Nous avon bien Recu de lettre daté de Nantes du 2 de Novembre 1777 quil Est parti et un lettre daté du 29 avril 1778 de Niebor de Nord Carrolien mais depeu nous avon aucune Nouvelle de luÿ, priant votre Excellance de faire le plessier a notre famille dinformer pour que nous luÿ pouvont luÿ Ecrire au Suget du partage de la famille que nous vouderon faire et a qui nous pouront remetter Sa portion, votre Exllance nous randera le plus grand Service du mond, nous recommandan notre frere et a nous a votre Exellance Votre tres humble et tres obeissant Servant
M: A: De Sonnemaens Née Baronnesse De Wolff
3. Now part of the Netherlands, it was then located in the Holy Roman Empire.
4. Her brother called himself the Baron de Wulffen; see his letters to BF, the first of which we print before June 1. We do not know whether he was in fact a member of the Prussian military family of that name, and much about him remains suspicious. According to a committee report presented to Congress he had appeared in America without credentials and was found unqualified by von Steuben, but was nominated for a lieutenant’s commission in the “Marechassé Corps.” (This was Capt. von Heer’s Provost Troop of Light Dragoons, assigned the task of picking up deserters and stragglers: Fred Anderson Berg, Encyclopedia of Continental Army Units: Battalions, Regiments and Independent Corps [Harrisburg, 1972], pp. 132–3.) Congress refused to confirm the commission and gave von Steuben $200 to send him back to Europe. Once there, he presented to Jean de Neufville & fils a bill of exchange drawn on the president and members of Congress. To avoid embarrassing the Dutch bankers, Congress honored the draft: JCC, XVIII, 1179–80; Fitzpatrick, Writings of Washington, XV, 127, 206n.
5. If true, we have found no record of it.