21To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 8 December 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have received from the Commanding officer at St Domingo, a Letter in cyphers whereof I send you the translation The Expedition against Pensacola by this time is made, whether with success or not. I do not believe that it is probable that rodney should have set sail to go that way, I should rather think that he is gone to the Leeward Islands. It is very unlucky that the Spaniards be so much...
22To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 13 December 1780 (Washington Papers)
I came here, to make a jou[r]ney of instruction, and to admire the brilliant Campaign which your Excellency made in this Quarters. On arriving at this place I found very interesting news brought by an American Vessel which left the River of Nantes the 4th of November. she has given me the annexed list of Vessels which are coming from Brest, destined for America, with a Convoy which is...
23To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 19 December 1780 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency has certainly by this time been informed of the death of the Ch. de Ternay by a Letter from the Baron de Viomenil The day of my departure for Boston, I had left him without fever, and I must confess I have cruelly surprised to Learn his death, there, after so short a sickness, that has become so tragical. It is a real loss for our Service, he was a very brave man, a very honest...
24To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 22 December 1780 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency’s favor of the 15th instant, addressed to the Ch. de Ternay and me, I have received to day, by this time you must have had intelligence of his Death and I dare say you have sincerely lamented him, as well as I. Since the Epocha of time wherein Your Excellency has wrote me, you must have received several letters whether they be the news I sent you from Boston, or those that have...
25To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 25 December 1780 (Washington Papers)
I believe that the piece of Intelligence, which I gave to Your Excellency, at the end of my Last letter, is absolutely wrong, Col. Wadsworth who is here, tells me that he had it by three Vessels of the Sund, gone out of Northwalk Fairfield and the Connecticut, the men in these vessels said they had Seen the Signals on the Coast for the militia, and all these Troops in motion. However I this...
26To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 1 January 1781 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency’s Letter of the 23d last, I received Last night. I received Likewise one from Governor Trumbull to which I made the Answer Of which I send you here a copy. I Wish that the 2d Division may be numerous enough to oblige us to extend as far as New-haven. Mr Meyers, nephew of Mr Gerard is gone on the 26th with the Duplicates of our Dispatches, I hope he will have got clear. Major...
27To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 10 January 1781 (Washington Papers)
I receive this moment Your Excellency’s Letter of the 3d instant. I am very much surprised that you had not yet received the one which I had wrote to you on the 22d of Last month as an answer to your Excellency’s Letter of the 15th; This is certainly occasioned by the carelessness of the Post rider at Hartford. I believe that Your Excellency will be able to judge better than I, that after the...
28To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 13 January 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to recommend to Your Excellency, The Count de Charlus, 2d Colonel of the Saintonge Regiment, who is only son to the Marquis de Castres, whom the news from Europe, report to be made Minister of the Marine. He has asked my Leave to go and pay his respects to Your Excellency, as he proposes pushing forward to Philadelphy, Your Excellency will give him Leave, if you think proper....
29To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 20 January 1781 (Washington Papers)
I Learned by a Letter from General Knox then at Lebanon, about eight days ago, the unhappy rebellion of the Pennsylvania Line. As I have had no Letter from your Excellency Since that time, I will be very much concerned till I know the issue of it, and for the trouble and uneasiness it must give your Excellency to quell it. We expect here our Frigates that set sail from Boston Six days ago,...
30To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 26 January 1781 (Washington Papers)
This very instant, I receive your Excellency’s Letter of the 9th currtt. I have the honor to inform you of the arrival of our two frigates from Boston, together with the Transport L’isle de France , Loaded with various supplies necessary for the fleet. these vessels had put to sea on the 10th, have beaten very severely beaten by three different hard gales, and we were very much concerned about...
31To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 29 January 1781 (Washington Papers)
The Divine Providence manifests itself always for our cause. In my Last of the 26th inst. I have had the honor to acquaint your Excellency that our frigates, after having been severely beaten by three hard gales of wind were entered safe in our harbour. These same gales have thrown on shore two British Line of battle Ships and a frigate that had put to sea on purpose to intercept ours at their...
32To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 2 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have received your Excellency’s Letter of the 23d Last month. I cannot too much admire, on one part the wisdom of the means employed by your Excellency to Leave to congrés an affair in which the military Discipline could not interfere without using rigorous measures that would not have been Well timed. on the other part, all the Sentiments of Patriotism of Virtue, of reason, existing among a...
33To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 3 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
I send to your Excellency a copy of the report of the naval officer who has seen and constated at Plumb island the real state of the English fleet. I am going this moment a board of the Admiral[’s ship] to know whether he intends going out with all his ships, or at Least send a detachment of some of them to Chesapeak bay. It is generally looked on as dangerous to go and attack them in the bay,...
34To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 8 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
I am exceeding glad of the good news which your Excellency gives me about the entire reduction of the Last mutinery that had taken place among a part of the Jersey Line, and of the example of rigor that you thought necessary to give to terminate in a solid manner these movements of Mutinery. I cannot flatter myself that I shall have the honor to see here Your Excellency but only after you will...
35To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 12 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
The Line of battle ship and two Frigates set sail on the 9th instt in the evening, with a very fresh wind and the fairest departure. The hermione having Lost her Bowsprit in the Last Gale, could not go with them, But as soon as She is refitted, she will set sail to join that fast Sailing Squadron. If Arnold is not by this time out of the Rivers of Virginia I believe he will not have the best...
36To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 18 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
Three days ago, there arrived at Bedford a vessel, that brought a piece of Intelligence, of which I expected the particulars and further confirmation, before I chose to send it to your Excellency. That Vessel coming from Mole St Nicholas, has brought Letters from Cape François, mentioning the arrival of a Frigate, sent by Mr D’Estaing, who had beaten Admiral Hood, taken Six men of War and 95....
37To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 20 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
I received yesterday your Excellency’s Letter of the 15th inst. I immediately sent it to the chevalier Destouches, who sends me this moment his answer which is joined to this Letter. It is most certain that the Ch. De La Luzerne, at the requisition of Congress and of the Governor of Virginia, had only asked from Mr Destouches the Assistance of Some Frigates, and of one ship of the Line, and...
38To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 24 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
I received a few hours ago, Your Excellency’s Letter of the 19th instant. It has caused me a great deal of Surprize that you had not then received two, which I had wrote to your Excellency on the 8th and 12th inst. the first, after the Last resolution taken by Mr Destouches and the other after the Departure of a line of battle ship and two frigates for Chesapeak Bay. As It has not been in my...
39To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 25 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
The Letters found on board the Vessels taken by Mr De Tilly, have decided Mr Destouches to follow at full the plan given by your Excellency, and to risk every thing to hinder Arnold from establishing himself at Portsmouth in Virginia. Your Excellency has been apprised by my yesternight’s Letter, that our ships could not go into Elizabeth river, there not being water enough for the 64. man of...
40To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 27 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
I this minute received your Excellencys favor of the 24th inst. and I have directly sent to Mr Destouches the one which was inclosed for him, and I send you his answer. All that regards the Land forces will be ready in 24. hours hence, but the Navy may yet be eight days before every thing be ready on her part. I am very sorry that the News of Count d’Estaing’s success be not further confirmed...
41To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 1 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to send to your Excellency, an Extract from the Ministerial Letters which I have received by the Frigate commanded by Mr De La Perouse. You will see that my son has staid, by orders of his Majesty to wait for the result of a definitive project. By Private Letters of the 20th [Decem]ber all from Versailles, We Learn that the Pce de Montbarey has given his resignation, that he...
42To George Washington from Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 15 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have received your Excellency’s Letter of the 11th instant. The report mentioning the number of ships in the British fleet, seems to me to be accurate and confirmed by the correspondance of M—— T—— and by the prisoners arrived on board a flag: they have 7. ships of the line 2. 50 gun ships and 4. 44 gun ships with some frigates. The Troops for the embarkation according to M—— T—— is only of...
43To George Washington from Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 18 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to send to your Excellency the Letter which I write to Sir Henry Clinton, by the Chevalier Destouches’s desires, and I beg of your Excellency to send it to him, as quickly as possible, as our frigate and our Transports remaining here are in an absolute want of seamen, which is the reason that the Frigate La Gentille did not along with the other ships. Mr Hancock has desired Mr...
44To George Washington from Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 21 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
I received this last night, your Excellency’s Letter of the 18th instant dated from hartford; The Intelligence your Excellency gives me of the return of the fleet of Transports on the 11th makes me believe that this convoy will wait for Arbuthnot’s fleet to sail afterwards under its protection, I hope that this will occasion a delay long enough to give our Expedition a great advance. I wait...
45To George Washington from Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 25 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
I received this Evening your Excellency’s favor of the 21st and 22d instant. I am exceeding glad to hear that your Excellency is returned in good health at head quarters. The advices that your Excellency has received from the Marquis de La Fayette, bearing date of the 15th from York, saying that he had not heard of the French fleet, give me a good deal of uneasiness. The going out of the...
46To George Washington from Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 27 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
Our fleet entered yesternight and the Chevalier Destouches has the honor to give your Excellency an account of his engagement, by duplicata, as he already wrote to your Excellency the Hermoine which he sent to Philadelphy, I join here a copy of the Letter which I received from the Baron de Viomenil, and a return of the Loss of our detachment of Land forces. All that has yet reached my...
47To George Washington from Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 31 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
The Last engagement of the Chevalier Destouches has shewn to your Excellency the uncertainty of success in naval fights and of combined operations upon that element. We must not flatter ourselves that our successes will be greater, as Long as we have not a decided Superiority. Our Squadron had run great risks by a Separation and the bad weather and united again only 24. hours before the fight...
48To George Washington from Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 3 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have received your Excellency’s Letter of the 29th ulto by which I see that you could receive only the day after, the intelligence of the return of our fleet. Your Excellency must have received since a Letter of mine, under date of the 31st in which I told you, (After having resumed all that had been said here in your presence) the motion which it would be possible for the french army to...
49To George Washington from Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 4 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
I received this instant your Excellencys Letter of the 31st ulto. Our Land forces and naval troops I am sure, will look on your Excellency’s approbation as the most flattering reward of the courage which they shewed in the engagement of the 16th Ulto. It is of the highest importance to be thoroughly informed if the Troops on board at New york have set sail, and if the British design rigorous...
50To George Washington from Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 6 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have communicated to the chevalier Destouches some proposals made to me by the Council at Boston about an attack on Penobscot, together with the Answer made to me by your Excellency upon that subject. The chevalier Destouches Appeared to have a great mind to it. he ordered Mr DelaPerouse to ask a Plan of it which was brought to us yesterday by deputies from Boston; after examining it, he...
51To George Washington from Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 7 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
I received yesterday Your Excellency’s Letter of the 7th instant. I am exceeding glad that the affairs to the Southward should permit the defering the junction of my small corps of troops to yours, and I had only had the honor of writing to your Excellency to ask your Leave for making all my preparations for the moment that the movement should become necessary. The hope I had of a naval...
52To George Washington from Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 12 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
J’ai Reçu la lettre du 7. de ce mois dont votre excellence m’a honoré, je suis charmé que les affaires du Sud lui permettent de différer L’ordre de Se faire joindre par mon petit corps de troupes, et je n’avois eu l’honneur de lui écrire, que pour me permettre de faire mes preparatifs, pour le moment où la necessité l’exigera. L’esperance d’une entreprise maritime Sur New-yorck, et pour le...
53To George Washington from Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 14 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
J’ai reçu la lettre de Votre Excellence du 10. de ce mois, au Sujet de l’expedition proposée par L’Etat de Boston,à laquelle vous Vouliez bien donner Votre approbation sous dèux restrictioun, La p remi ere qui regarde la Marine, concerne Mr le ch evalie r Destouches qui a l’honneur d’y repondre par la Lettre cy jointe. quant à la seconde qui regarde la terre, j’avois éte assez heureux pour...
54To George Washington from Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 15 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have received your Excellency’s Letter of the 10th instt concerning the Expedition proposed by the State of Boston, and to which you had given your Approbation, under two restrictions. The first concerns Mr Destouches, as it is relative to the Navy. He has the honor to send your Excellency his answer in the Letter herein included. As to the Second, which relates to the Land forces, I had...
55To George Washington from Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 18 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency’s favor of the 16th instant is just come to hand: Our Transports set sail this morning, but their Destination is not for France, they are bound to Hispaniola; the Surveillante convoys them and the Hermione is bound to Philadelphy. I’ll be obliged to keep your Excellency’s Letter for Mr Laurens, untill we have some occasion to send it from Boston or some of the Neighbouring...
56To George Washington from Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 25 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
Major Tallmadge has delivered us the Letter of the 8th instant that your Excellency has favored us with. We have conjointly with him examined the plan of Loed’s neck fort, and he has given us all the intelligences which his zeal and sagacity which he has shewn in several actions, have procured him. By his report, it appears that there are 750. men garrisoned in that itshmus; that the fort is...
57To George Washington from Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 26 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
The New-york Gazette has published a Supposed intercepted Letter wrote, as it says by your Excellency to Mr Land Washington, and in which is this Paragraph. "It is very unlikely, I say it to you in confidence that the French fleet and detachment did not undertake this present expedition at the time I proposed it. The destruction of Arnold’s corps would have been unavoidable, and over before...
58To George Washington from Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 28 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to send to your Excellency a Letter which I write to the Ch. de La Luzerne concerning some propositions from Congress for the Supplying the French corps with provisions. This Letter will be followed by Mr De Menonville, first Deputy Adjutant General who shall receive your Excellency’s orders, as he passes thro’ New Windsor, that none of these operations may cross those which...
59To George Washington from Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 30 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
Mr De Menonville, first Deputy-Adjutant-General, whom I have announced in my Last to your Excellency, will have the honor of delivering you this Letter. he shall receive your Excellency’s orders and instructions about the Letter of credit of Mr Franklin which We have upon Congress, and about the offers which we have had made to us by Congress for the Supplying with provisions the French corps....
60To George Washington from Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 4 May 1781 (Washington Papers)
I this moment have received by a way which is known to your Excellency, intelligences of the 29th ulto from New york which report that the English ships will, as they say, be repaired in ten days, and that they work very hard on them; that in the mean time they are very uneasy least the french fleet be ready before them; that the garrison at Lloyd’s neck does not consist of more than 400. or...
61To George Washington from Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 5 May 1781 (Washington Papers)
I received Last night your Excellency’s two Letters of the 30th Ulto. Till now, that article of the New york Gazette which mentions the Letter to Mr Laud Washington has been known by no body but me. I have not spoken of it to the Chevalier Destouches. I did what I thought most consistent with a sincere heart, I wrote about it to your Excellency with candor, being fully persuaded your...
62To George Washington from Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 7 May 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have received your Excellency’s Letter of the 3d instant, and Letters from the Ch. de La Luzerne along with it. The intelligences given by the vessel arrived from L’Orient at Philadelphy, about the courts of St James, and St Petersborough calling back their Ambassadors, and about the capture of several English East Indiamen taken by the French, are very interesting and deserve to be...
63To George Washington from Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 8 May 1781 (Washington Papers)
I this moment received a billet from the Consul of France at Boston in the following words "The frigate La Concorde is arrived at Boston; Sunday at night, after a passage of 42. days; The Commodore De Barras is on board with the Viscount de Rochambeau" I expect they will arrive here to morrow and your Excellency may well think that I wait for them with great impatience. I believe it will be...
64To George Washington from Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 11 May 1781 (Washington Papers)
My son is arrived the day before Yesterday, and Commodore De Barras yesternight. I have decyphered my dispatches and the Commodore’s orders were not to open his, till the 15th of May, at his arrival in rhode island. But I have seen enough by mine to perceive that it is indispensable that we should have a conference with your Excellency as soon as possible. I wait for your answer to my first...
65To George Washington from Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 15 May 1781 (Washington Papers)
J’ai reçu la Lettre de votre Excellence du 11. de ce mois, le raport du nombre de Vaisseaux de L’escadre ennemie me paroit juste et confirmé tant par la correspondance du major Talmadge que par le raport des prisonniers d’un flag, ils ont 9. gros Vaisseaux, 2 de 50. et 4. de 44. avec les fregates, l’embarquement n’est que de 2. mille hommes; et il Specifie les regimens. Je crois que leur...
66Conference at Wethersfield with Rochambeau, 23 May 1781 (Washington Papers)
Having given communication to the Count de Barras of my instructions, I have observed to him 1 st Rochambeau That General Washington in the last conference we had here six Weeks ago, desired earnestly that the Squadron should transport all the French Corps, with all its Artillery, Baggage, and munitions to Chesapeake Bay, and that I did not doubt but His Excellency would desire it again as the...
67To George Washington from Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 28 May 1781 (Washington Papers)
The British fleet is gone off, and our Squadron is preparing to put under sail by the first fair wind. I have been obliged to give to the Count de Barras 900. men to compleat his crews. As soon as the departure of the fleet will have given me Liberty to put into execution the plan We have agreed on, I shall not defer it Long. Our convoy is not yet arrived and I wait for it with great...
68To George Washington from Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 31 May 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to send to Your Excellency, the piece of news which I have received from Lieutenant Colonel Ledyard. his nephew’s report, after his arrival from Guadeloupe, seems to me related with so many particularities, that it has the greatest appearance of truth. We must wait for its confirmation; that piece of news has been productive of what I hope will please your Excellency. The...
69To George Washington from Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 9 June 1781 (Washington Papers)
The Count de Barras has the honor to send to your Excellency the result of a 2d council of war that he has held, at your request. The Council has persisted in his resolution of the 31st ulto and sends you the reasons of it shewn in a manner which I make no doubt, will be agreeable to your Excellency. of my corps of Troops, one half imbarks to morrow for Providence and I expect that the other...
70To George Washington from Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 10 June 1781 (Washington Papers)
J’ai l’honneur d’envoyer à V. E. la copie de la lettre que je reçois de M. le Cte de Grasse apportée par le Vaisseau de 50. qui a escorté notre convoi, il est arrivé aux deux tiers, le reste dispersé prés de la côte par un coup de vent. V. E. sent toute la consequence du Secret absolu qu’il faut garder sur cette lettre, et la necessité en même temps de faire tous nos preparatifs en...