To Benjamin Franklin from George Washington, [23 April 1783]
From George Washington
Draft:8 Library of Congress
[April 23, 1783]
Sir
I have the honor to inclose to you, a Letter and Memorial I have just reced from Baron De L’Estrade—an Old Veteran who served with us at the Seige of York—from my acquaintance with this Officer, joined to the general good Character he had—I feel strongly inclined to serve him but there may be many Reasons to render such an interference as he Requests improper—all I can do therefore is to submit the matter to you, with a wish that, so far as Circumstances and the rules of propriety will admit, you may interest yourself in his favor—9
Dr. Franklin
8. In the hand of staff officer Benjamin Walker: Fitzpatrick, Writings of Washington, XXVI, 356n. The dateline has been cropped; Fitzpatrick prints it as “Head Quarters, April 23, 1783.” It is possible that BF never received this letter; see below.
9. Claude-Aimable-Vincent de Roqueplan (Roqueplant), baron de l’Estrade (1729–1819), was promoted to brigadier for his courage at Yorktown: Six, Dictionnaire biographique; Bodinier, Dictionnaire; Ministère des Affaires Etrangères, Les Combattants français de la guerre américaine, 1778–1783 (Paris, 1903), p. 273. In March he wrote to Washington requesting the general’s and BF’s help in obtaining a command in St. Domingue. He enclosed a memoir asking Congress to order BF to support his application (National Archives). Washington answered on April 23 that he would forward the memoir and write the present letter to BF. He did so the same day, addressing to Boudinot the memoir, his letter to BF, and a forwarding letter which was read in Congress: Fitzpatrick, Writings of Washington, XXVI, 354–5; JCC, XXIV, 312n. It is not known whether Boudinot forwarded the material to BF; neither Washington’s letter nor its enclosures are among BF’s extant papers.