91To George Washington from Lafayette, 15 March 1792 (Washington Papers)
I have been called from the army to this Capital for a conference between the two other generals, the ministers, and myself, and am about returning to my military post. The coalition between the continental powers respecting our affairs is certain, and will not be broken by the Emperor’s death; but, altho’ warlike preparations are going on, it is very doubtful whether our neighbors will...
92To George Washington from Lafayette, 9 February 1785 (Washington Papers)
After a pretty tedious passage of thirty days we Have Safely Arrived at Brest, from whence I Came to paris through Rennes, where the States of Britanny were Assembled, and where their kindness to me Made it Necessary for me to Stop one day—My family, wife, children, and friends I found in perfect Health—the politics of Europe are not in a tranquil Condition, and from their situation a...
93To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 5 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
As your excellency’s opinion seems to gree with my ideas for ⟨taking⟩ in our service those Non commissioned officers who came with Mister du Coudray, I schall take the liberty of telling you what I know about the matter—how useful they would be in this army is a thing obvious for every body—those ⟨men⟩ join to a pretty great theory the greatest practice of theyr art—security and exactitude...
94To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 18 May 1783 (Washington Papers)
As there is no knowing When this Letter May Reach You, I Shall Content Myself With the Introduction of mr de Venkersky a Polander Whom I often Have Met in Several Societies—He is a Sensible Man, of Good family, and, I think, Some What deranged in His Money Concerns—This is all I know of Him, But Upon His Earnest Application, Could not deny Him the Happiness to Be presented to General...
95To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 28 August 1780 (Washington Papers)
I alwais forgot Mentionning to You what has past Betwen duke of Lauzun and Myself on account of the diminution that had been Made in his horses —from what he told me I Saw that it has been put upon this footing that You thought A greater number of horses than was necessary for Carrying letters &c. would be quite Useless—I explain’d the Matter to him, told him You had decided that No less than...
96To George Washington from Lafayette, 26 October 1786 (Washington Papers)
To one who So tenderly loves You, who So Happily Enjoyed the times We Have past together, and Who Never, on any part of the Globe, Even in His own House, Could feel Himself so Perfectly at Home, as in Your family, it Must Be Confessed that an irregular lengthty Correspondance is far insufficient—I Beseech You in the Name of our friendship, of that Paternal Concern of Yours for My Happiness,...
97To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 26 June 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have Receiv’d your orders for marching as fast as I Could and I have march’d without waiting for the provisions tho’ we want them extremely—general forman and Clel hamilton Sat out last night for to meet the other troops and we schall be toGether at hides town or some what lower —general forman is firmly of opinion that we may overtake the ennemy—for my part I am not So quick upon the...
98To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 30 March 1782 (Washington Papers)
The sailing of the Alliance Has Been So Unexpected that Mr Franklin and Myself Have not Been Able to Send the dispatches we intended to forward By that Opportunity. There is now a French cutter that is pretty Suddenly Sent of to America—I expected to write By a frigat Which is to Sail in a Short time, But Cannot let this Opportunity slip a way, Before I have the pleasure to Remember me to you,...
99To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 14 October 1777 (Washington Papers)
I do not do myself the honor of wr⟨a⟩ïting to you as many times as I would ch⟨u⟩se, because I fear to disturb⟨e⟩ your important occupations—but I indulge Now that pleasure to me on the occasion of the two nominations of Congress—general connay is a so brave, intelligent, and active officer that he schall, I am sure, justify more and more the esteem of the army and Your approbation—for the...
100To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 5 December 1780 (Washington Papers)
however Acquainted I May be with your intentions, I thought upon the whole that I Should Better wait for your approbation Before I present any opinion of yours to the spanish or french Generals in the west indias —I will, I Know, Loose the opportunity of The Confederacy, But Many vessels are Going that Way and if My letters Meet with Your Approbation I Shall Send them By Triplicatas —I...
101To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 17 May 1780 [letters not found] (Washington Papers)
Letters not found: from Major General Lafayette, 17 May 1780. On 20 May, GW wrote Lafayette: “I had written the inclosed my Dear Marquis previous to the receipt of yours of the 17th which arrived late yesterday. The dispatches accompanying them for the Eastward were sent off before day this morning.” For an indication of the contents of Lafayette’s letters, see GW to Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 19...
102To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 18 June 1781 (Washington Papers)
Independant of public Motives private Attachement for You Renders it very Hard to me that our Correspondance is so much Interrupted. I heartly feel for the Accident that Has put Some of your letters in the Hands of the Ennemy—the more So as the friendship that You are pleased to Honor me with Had Induced you to Confidential Communications—Letters from the late governor of this State to me Have...
103To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 11 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
This Letter will be delivered to Your Excellency by Capt. Rochefontaine who is joining the grand Army and will leave this Corps with the few Sapers and Miners we had taken from West Point—I dont apprehend they may be useful to us, and it would have been very inconvenient for them to be seperated from their Corps where they are to receive every kind of supply. with the highest respect—I have...
104To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 10 June 1781 (Washington Papers)
the disapointement Clel Tupper Met with is So Singular that I wish to Give Your Excellency a full account of this Affair. When the detachement was at the Head of Elk Clel Vose expressed a desire to Return to the Northward founded Upon the particular Circumstances He was Under Which Nothing But fear of Giving Exemple to His Officers and Men prevented Him officialy to Signify— from what He often...
105To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 20 March 1778 (Washington Papers)
Alwaïs new instances where I find myself obliged to send to Congress—was I not So sensible of your excelleacy’s goodness for his officers and particular frienship for me, I schould be afraid you’d not forgive so many miss’s tho’ unvolontary one—but such is the case in this particular instance—we have in this place a british hospital, british doctor, british officers, tho’ the situation of...
106To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 1 September 1781 (Washington Papers)
I am Happy to inform Your Excellency that Count de Grasse’s Fleet is lastly arrived in this Bay—it Consists of 28 ships of the Line with Several frigats, and convoys a Considerable Body of troops Under Marquis de st Simon—Previous to their Arrival Such positions Had Been taken By our Army as to prevent the Ennemy’s Retreating towards Carolina. In Consequence of Your Excellency’s orders I Had...
107To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 23 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
Great Happiness is derived from friendship, and I do particularly Experience it in the Attachement which Unites Me to You. But friendship Has its duties, and the Man that Likes you the Best will Be the forwardest in Letting you know Every thing where You Can Be Concerned. When the Ennemy Came to your House Many Negroes deserted to them. This piece of News did not affect me much as I little...
108To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 14 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency’s Letter of the 11th Has Overtaken me at this Place, and Having Given to You an Account of Every Measure I thought Proper to take, I will only Add that I am Still at the ferry where the troops Have Crossed the River, But the Wind Blows so High that it Has Been Impossible to take the Waggons over, and I am obliged to Have others Impressed on the Southern Side of the Susquehana....
109To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 8 May 1781 (Washington Papers)
There is no fighting Here Unless you Have a Naval Superiority or an Army Mounted upon Race Horses. Phillip’s plan Against Richmond Has Been defeated, He was Going towards Porsmouth, and I thought it Should Be enough for me to oppose Him At Some principal points in this State—But now it Appears I will Have Business to transact With two Armies and this is Rather too much. By letters from North...
110To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 25 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
inclosed I Have the Honor to Send An intelligence that is just Now Come to Hand —Whatever May Be the Object of this Expedition, it Will Be Highly important for duke of Lauzun’s Legion to Hear of it As Soon As possible—Lauzun May Be at Rhode island—His Lieutenant Colonel is Also a Very Good officer. Mons. de Murnan Will Be the Bearer of this And Ride day and Night—Having No Men And Believing...
111To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 28 November 1780 (Washington Papers)
We Arriv’d Last Night at This place and was Much favor’d By the weather in our Recconnoitring of the island where, I Confess, my feelings were different from what I had experienc’d when looking at these forts with an hopefull Eye—I Saw the fatal Centry Clel Gouvion Alluded to on an Upper Battery of jeffery’s hook—I also Saw a Small vessel playing of This hook, But quite a trifling thing...
112To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 1 August 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to inclose your Excellency the report which has been made me this morning from Commodore Barron, of the fleets having sailed, and of its destination being Baltimore. With the greatest respect I have the honor to be Sir Your Excellency’s most ob. ser. I beg leave to mention Majr Macpherson to your Excellency for his very distinguished zeal and services in this quarter. DLC :...
113To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 13 November 1780 (Washington Papers)
On My Return from Your Quarters, I found here One of My Spies from Newyork, and after having taken down his information I have Sent him Again to the Ennemy’s lines from which he is to Bring fresh intelligences On Wenesday Morning —the fellow is Sensible Enough, But how far we May depend upon him I Cannot tell. he left Newyork friday evening, and on Saturday Was at Bergen point—the British Army...
114To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 5–10 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
in my dificult situation, at Such a distance from you, I am oblig’d to take a determination by Myself and this I hope will meet with your approbation—you Remember that in making full allowances for deliberations, the answer from Congress was to Reach me before the 15th of last month, and I have long waïted Since without ever hearing from them —Nay, many gentlemen from philadelphia, where,...
115To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 12 June 1783 (Washington Papers)
Give me leave to Present to You Mr de Beaune a french officer Whom Respectable Persons Have So much Recommended that I Could not deny Him this letter of introduction—He is Well Spoken of, and Wishes to Improve Himself so as to Become Proper for a Consulship in America. We are Anxiously Waiting for letters from the Continent, and independant of Public Concerns, letters from My dear General...
116To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 12 April 1782 (Washington Papers)
However Sensible I am that our Cause May Be Better Served By My Presence Here, than it Could Possibly Be at this Period By My Returning to America, I Cannot Refrain from A Painfull Sentiment at the Sight of Many french officers Who Are Going to Join their Colours in America—I Shall, thank God, follow them Before Any thing Passes that May Have Any Danger or Any Importance—But I am So far from...
117To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 8 September 1783 (Washington Papers)
Your wished for and Most Heartly wellcome favours Have not this long while Reached me, and I most warmly Request You, my dear General, not to forget writing to a friend who loves you with a Filial and Unbounded Affection. this letter is Going By the September Packet, and Hereafter there will Be one Sailing Every month, By Which, While in Europe, I Shall most Exactly Advise my dear and...
118To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 20 July 1781 (Washington Papers)
No Accounts from the North ward, No Letter from Head Quarters—I am utterly a Stranger to Every thing that passes out of Virginia—and Virginian Operations Being for the Present in a State of languor, I Have More time to think of My Solitude. in a Word, My dear General, I am Home Sick and if I Can’t go to Head Quarters wish at least to Hear from there. I am Anxious to know Your opinion...
119To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 1 November 1780 (Washington Papers)
In Consequence of Your excellency’s orders I am to Give you My opinion upon these three points—1st when it Will be proper to go into winter Quarters 2d where those winter Quarters are to be taken 3dly if Any thing further May be done to oppose the ennemy’s operations in the South ward. the Month of November Being Generally Good in America, I would not Advise Your excellency to Go into winter...
120To George Washington from Lafayette, 18 March 1788 (Washington Papers)
I wish I Could Begin this letter With the Aknowledgement of a late favour from You, But None Having Come to Hand I Have No other Comfort But to Attribute it to ill fortune and Not to Any fault of Yours. I am so Happy to Hear from You, My Beloved General, and so Uneasy When I do not, that I Hope You Will Never Willingly deprive me of a Satisfaction so dear to me, Yet so short of the Happy...