To James Madison from David Humphreys, 4 December 1801 (Abstract)
§ From David Humphreys
4 December 1801, Madrid. No. 296. Has had no news of Commodore Dale since he sailed from Málaga. Encloses copy of a 1 Nov. circular letter from Appleton “received this day” advising that the Tripolitans have purchased a twenty-two-gun ship at Smyrna for the purpose of cruising against Americans. Concludes from a 30 Nov. letter from Pinckney at Vitoria that he will arrive in the next week. Humphreys will have to attend the queen’s birthday celebration at the Escorial on 9 Dec.; the court will return to Madrid on 14 Dec. Has just seen a French newspaper announcing Livingston’s arrival at Lorient en route to Paris. Reports on French preparations at different ports for expedition to Saint-Domingue and anticipated embarkation of troops from Spain and Holland; thinks a considerable amount of provisions from the U.S. will be wanted. Adds in postscript of 8 Dec. that he is leaving for the Escorial and has heard nothing more of Pinckney.
RC and enclosure (DNA: RG 59, DD, Spain, vol. 5). RC 3 pp.; marked triplicate; docketed by Wagner as received 7 Feb. Enclosed circular letter from Appleton, 1 Nov. 1801 (2 pp.; filed with Humphreys’s 20 Nov. dispatch), is printed in
, 1:613.