To Thomas Jefferson from Richard Peters, 1 October 1786
From Richard Peters
Philada. Oct. 1. 1786
Dear Sir
I hope your Friendship will induce you to excuse the Trouble I give you in negotiating a little Affair for me. I recieved 930 Dollars for a Captain Capitaine which has been lying in our Bank for a long Time as I could not pay it before I recieved a proper Power of Attorney from Mr. Capitaine to make a Settlement of his Accounts. Having now recieved it and got thro’ the necessary Forms I have troubled you to find him out and pay him the Sum mentioned in the enclosed Bill taking his Reciept therefor of which I beg you will be pleased to inform me. Be assured of the most respectful and sincere Esteem with which I am Your obed hble Servt.,
Richard Peters
He was Aid to the Marquis de la Fayette who will inform you of the Place of his Residence.
RC (MHi); endorsed by TJ with his right hand. Noted in SJL as received 25 Feb. 1787. Dupl (MHi); noted in SJL as received 3 May 1787. Enclosures not found, but see Capitaine to TJ, 8 Dec. 1786; TJ to Peters, 26 Feb. 1787; TJ to Capitaine, 25 Feb. 1787; Short to TJ, 22 Mch. 1787.
Michel Capitaine du Chesnoy (1746–1804) was one of Lafayette’s aides-de-camp, an ingénieur-geographe, a founder of the Society of the Cincinnati, and an officer attached to the regiment of Aquitaine. He was promoted to the rank of major in the American army in 1778 and was honorably discharged in Nov. 1783 (Lasseray, Les Français sous les Treize Etoiles, p. 141–4).