1To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 12 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
Les ordres du roy mon maitre m’ammenent aux ordres de votre excellence, j’y arrive avec toute La Soumission tout Le zele et toute La veneration que j’ai pour votre personne et pour Les talents distingués que vous montrez a Soutenir une guerre a jamais memorable. Depuis Le depart de Mr De La Fayette, il nous est arrivé beaucoup de contradictions. Le Depart de Mr De Guichen avoit degarni Le Port...
2To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 22 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
The enemy are doing what they ought to do. Greaves immediately after having joined Arbuthnot comes to cruise before us, with nine or ten ships of the line five frigates and four other small vessels. He moors at present at Block Island, in the object of opposing our designs, and intercepting the 2d division from France. Our dispatch boat charged with letters, and escorted by three frigates, has...
3To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 25 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
J’avoue a votre Excellence que si L’ennemi eut été plus vif a son arrivée, il nous eut un peu embarrassé, 1500 malades sur La flotte, 800 des Troupes de terre, quelque artillerie de campagne debarquée, pas un canon de siege, qui etoient au fond des calles. Nous fimes des Demonstrations de Troupes, ils nous donnerent 24. heures, 8 pieces de siege, 4. mortiers furent mis en batterie au Goulet,...
4To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 30 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
Mr De La Fayette a rendu compte a votre Excellence de tous Les avis reiterés qui nous sont arrives par Le Gouverneur de Connecticut, Les Generaux detachés de votre armée sur La rive gauche de La riviere du Nord, a portee d’observer le Sund, enfin par votre adjudant de Confiance, que Clinton S’embarquoit avec un gros corps de Troupes pour venir nous visiter. La position de Leur flotte toujours...
5To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 5 August 1780 (Washington Papers)
Four Days are now past, since the wind is good for Clinton to arrive if he chuses, and I begin to despair of seeing him come here. We are ready to receive him well: A considerable number of the rhode-island and Massachusets states militia is arrived here. I have agreed with Major General Heath to keep 3500 of them for the intrenched camp and for the fort at howlands ferry, to assure and...
6To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 8 August 1780 (Washington Papers)
Upon my receiving Your Excellency’s Letter of the 4th Inst. I resolved 1. to send back all the militia, after having shewn them all my Gratitude, There came of them, four times as many as we had asked for. I must not omit mentioning to Your Excellency the Minister of Stiliborough Parish Peter Thocker, who brought with him all his Parishioners, and three of his own Children, leaving his harvest...
7To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 10 August 1780 (Washington Papers)
I submit as of right to Your Excellency my ideas and my obedience to his Orders; but since he desires that I give him my opinion, it is this. I do not think that any Enterprise can be made against New York & Long Island, without a maritime superiority. The case of Offensive measures in this instance may present itself in three ways. 1st the arrival of the 2d Division with a Maritime force...
8To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 12 August 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have no new intelligence to give to your Excellency, a Man of war and Two Frigates are stationed on a cruise, before us, and every day succeed one another. The rest of the fleet is anchored at the point of Long-island. Flag[s] from the admirals have been sent and have crossed one another, it was about Prisonners to be exchanged. Admiral Graves has made a Prise much richer than the three we...
9To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 14 August 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have nothing new to inform Your Excellency of. There are always cruizing before us, one Ship of the Line and two Frigates that at night go towards the place where the fleet is anchored, off Gardner’s Island. I am wholly ignorant if the marquis de La Fayette has communicated to Your Excellency an answer I made him to a very voluminous dispatch I had from him, in which there is not the Least...
10To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 17 August 1780 (Washington Papers)
The English fleet has unmoored, the day before Yesterday, from Gardner’s island, where it had been taking in Wood and water, and has been cruizing yesterday before New London. It is said that they expected for General Clinton’s Land forces, they seem not to have given over their project of Embarking them. I have no faith to that 2d part of the News, which came to me From New London, as I have...
11To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 20 August 1780 (Washington Papers)
It is with a great pleasure, that I inform Your Excellency, of the arrival of the Frigate The Alliance , at Boston. You will see in the Newspaper herein included, the news that she brings. they are all very good; All I fear, is Least the Departure of the 2d Division should not have taken place, until the Junction of the Spanish fleet, that was not effectuated, when the Frigate set sail. She...
12To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 21 August 1780 (Washington Papers)
The Major of our Artillery who is just returned from Boston told me that Mr De Bougibault aide-de camp to the Marquis de La Fayette had got dispatches for him, for Mr De La Luzerne and for all this army, that he is to bring them, as soon as he hath bought horses, not chusing to trust them to any body, he says further that an officer had come to L’orient , to get on board the frigate L’...
13To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 25 August 1780 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency’s favor of the 21st instant, I just now received, together with advices from the Generals on this side Hudson’s river, opposite to the S[o]und, giving a sure intelligence of Mr Clinton’s imbarking a considerable number of Troops. I have another Letter from Stonington, advising the English fleet of the Line having been seen W.S.W. Moncton’s point on Sunday Last on its way to...
14To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 29 October 1780 (Washington Papers)
The Frigates and the person you know, set sail yesterday under a very strong North East wind. May Almighty God conduct them, and may they arrive safe at their destination. I believe that the English fleet that was before us is returned to Sandy-hook; There is no appearanc[e] of its having got into Gardner’s Bay, because the Ships that were Left there, according to the reports from New London,...
15To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 10 November 1780 (Washington Papers)
I receive this moment, Your Excellency’s favor of the 4th instant. We have had no news of our Frigate, and that is a good sign. Arbuthnot is in Gardner’s bay, It is thought, that he prepares to winter there. Yesterday and before yesterday a Ship of the Line and a frigate came to Patrole, and are returned to Judith Point. We have entered our houses, The Lodging of the Troops has been made with...
16To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 14 November 1780 (Washington Papers)
The Marquis de La Fayette has wrote to the Viscount de Noailles, his Brother-in-Law, and shows the Greatest desire to see him. I find his Demand so just, that tho’ I have given Leave to several of Our Colonels to go and wait on Your Excellency, I have added likewise the Viscount de Noailles, and the Marquis De Damas, If Your Excellency does not find a moment to come and see this part of your...
17To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 16 November 1780 (Washington Papers)
There is arrived at Plymouth a Vessel, 300. Tons burden, that has been taken by our Frigates, on the night of the 28. Last month The same night that they set sail, It was from Portugal, bound to New york, its cargo consisting of Port wine, Brandy & Lemons. The Count de Custine, Brigadier, The marquis de Laval, The Count de Deux Ponts, Colonels & Major Fleury are the Bearers of this Letter, and...
18To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 20 November 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to inform your Excellency of the return of two of our Frigates, to Boston: They Left the Amazoune and our Letter-bearer on the 30th at Night, at an hundred Leagues distance from there, sailing fast before the wind, after being chaced by a ship of the Line and a frigate that were a cruising, and having taken in view of them the ship I mentioned in my Last. We have an...
19To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 27 November 1780 (Washington Papers)
Before yesterday we have had a Cruizer that has been patrolling before our harbour, as usual, One of our Cutters is likewise just arrived from his cruize off gardner’s Bay, where he has seen nine ships of the Line at anchor, besides two others that are cruizing out at Large. The Intelligence from N. London assures me that Rodney is gone, which, I won’t believe till Your Excellency certifies it...
20To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 1 December 1780 (Washington Papers)
Jé reçois ici dans l’instant la lettre dont Votre Exellence m’a honoré du 27 du mois dernier, et je la prie de permettre que je lui renvoje une lettre que j’ai trouvé dans le paquet, adressée au Chevalier de La Luzerne, que j’ai reconnu etre de l’ecriture du Chevalier de Ternay, et qu’il me Semble que Monsieur de La Fayette auroit mieux fait de porter a Philadelphie, dans le petit Voyage qu’il...
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...