401To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 28 May 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
The Enemy’s intention has been to distroy this army and I conjecture would have been afterwards to distroy the Stores which it covers. They have now undertaken another movement and it appears they are going through the country to Fredericksburg. Their Dragoons were this morning near Hannover Court House and (unless this is a feint) I expect the Army will be there this evening. Our small corps...
402X. Lafayette to Jefferson, [9 July 1789] (Jefferson Papers)
M. de Mirabeau’s Affair brought me Under difficulties and Almost a Quarell with the Ministry. He Had Engaged to Retract Before Your letter Came to Hand. He did it, and Besides read your letter, and laid it on the table. Some Body Undertook to translate it, which He did Very ill, and Many in the House asked for the Reading of this translation. But as M. de MiRabeau Had said Every word which...
403To 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...
404Lafayette to Thomas Jefferson, 25 April 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
I Was a few days Ago in paris when M r G. Ticknor Left a Card and a Letter from You which I Hastened, with Affectionate Eagerness, to peruse . not a little perplexed Was I to Understand Some parts of it, when I perceived that Since it Had been writen two Revolutions and two dynasties Had Successively Reigned in france . m r Ticknor whom I Had the pleasure to See the Next day Confirmed by His...
405To 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,...
406To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, [23 October 1786] (Jefferson Papers)
Inclosed, my dear sir, I Send You the arrêts du Conseil about Wines. While you are printing Mr. de Calonne’s letter, Could you not Have it on two Columns, the one in English. It will be better translated By Mr. Short than By our News paper printers, and prove Convenient to such of our friends who Cannot well Read french. Let me have twenty Copies. Our last Evening’s Conversation, together with...
407To James Madison from Lafayette, 20 March 1810 (Madison Papers)
The John Adams By Whom I Have Received Your Kind Letter of the 4h december is Not Yet Returned from England. I Heartily Wish She May Carry Such Arrangements as Will Have Settled the differences With one Belligerent and Must Enable Gnl. Armstrong to Call Upon the declarations Made By the other. There is for me Every Motive to Wish this tardive Recourse to Honest and Sound policy Had first taken...
408To John Jay from Lafayette, 26 December 1782 (Jay Papers)
My Letters to doctor Franklin Have Hitherto Acquainted You With Every thing that Related to Me— I Have Been with the Convoy As far as Cape S t Mary, and then I Came in a Frigate to this Port— On My Way I have dispatched a Vessel to General Washington, and Have Communicated Particulars of our Situation, as well as Proposals for Military Operations The Convoy I Came With is Coming in, a Good...
409To 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...
410To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, 12 September 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania In the present letter Lafayette confirms that Vergennes secretly sent Gérard de Rayneval to England for a meeting with Shelburne. Jay had heard this news on September 9, the day he and Oswald were forging a compromise about the language of Oswald’s commission. Suspecting that the purpose of Rayneval’s mission was to arrange a peace with France at...
411To 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...
412To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, [on or before 22 November 1782] (Franklin Papers)
AL : Library of Congress Mis. [Marquis] de Lafayette’s Best Respects Waït Upon Mr franklin and Would Be Much obliged to His Excellency for a Copy of His Memorial to the french Court As He Intends Pressing Upon this Subject in a Letter to Count de Vergennes. The Mis. de Lafayette Begs Also to know at What time Captain Barnay Has Set out for L’orient, and When His Courier is Expected Back— Count...
413To James Madison from Lafayette, 20 August 1815 (Madison Papers)
The Name of Regnauld de St. Jean d’Angely a member of the Constituent assembly, of our late House of Representatives, and in the interval Between those two great Epochas, an Eminent Actor on the administrative Stage of france, is, no doubt, well known to You. His Uncommon talents Had placed him Very high in the imperial affairs and Have probably Contributed to the choice made of him to be...
414To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 17 April 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
I Have the Honor to inform Your Excellency that the detachement Under My orders is on its Way to Richmond Where I Expect to Receive directions from General Greene. From the intelligences I get of the Number General Philips’s Army Consist of, I Aprehend that the State of Virginia Must Need An immediate support. This Consideration alone Could induce Me to Advance By Rapid and forced Marches with...
415To James Madison from Lafayette, 25 January 1816 (Madison Papers)
The Correspondance of Mr Jackson Has over My Letters, in our Quick Sand of politicks, the advantage of Being writen from the Center and On the Spur of the Occasion. The Sad Situation of this Country, the Views of its Legislators, the Sentiments of its Government, and the main object of foreign powers are obvious. On one Side Coblentz and pilnitz on our part the principles of 1789. Such is the...
416To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, 27 July 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Sotheby’s, New York (1985) I Beg leave to Return You My thanks for the Notice You Give me of An opportunity to America— But find it is too late to improve it, and My only Hope is that some letters I Have these past days sent to Paris, Have Been put on Board the Washington— Since we Could not Get Monney Here, I am Glad it Has Been found in Holland— Mr. Hartlay’s dissatisfaction, if...
417Lafayette to Thomas Jefferson, 20 May 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
I Cannot Lament the Sudden departure of the wasp Since I am informed it is owing to Some Better progress from this Quarter—the particulars I do Not know, Having Had no Late Opportunity of a Confidential Communication with Our friend mr Barlow . the Negociation with mr perceval Has taken a shorter turn than was Expected—I Hope His power May Be inherited By one Better disposed in favor of the...
418Lafayette to Thomas Jefferson, 8 September 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
I do not know whether the Bearer of these Lines Has Had the Honour of Your Acquaintance while you were Visiting His family or friends—But I am Sure He Will Meet a kind Welcome at Monticelo and Shall only add the Expression of my Constant and Respectful affection RC ( DLC ); endorsed by TJ as received 27 Oct. 1817 and so recorded in SJL ; with notation by TJ adjacent to endorsement: “(by...
419To George Washington from Lafayette, 20 May 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your Letter december the 5th Under Cover to George Has But lately Reached our Hands, and while Such delays make me more and more Lament the distance which Separates us from You, I Cannot Be easy about the fate of my part of the Correspondance—I Beg Leave, Amidst So Many UnHappy chances, to Hope that Omissions will not Be Laid on My Account and that Repetitions will Be allowed—Indeed, my dear...
420To George Washington from Lafayette, 20 May 1788 (Washington Papers)
I Have Been Requested to introduce to You Mr de Chastel de la Vallée a french Gentleman Who intends to Visit the United States, and Will probably Settle in one of them. He is Particularly Recommended to Me By the Marquis de Boüillé to Whose lady He is Related, and I Beg, My dear General, you Will Honour Him with Your Advices in His intended plan. Not knowing When this Can Reach You, and Having...
421To George Washington from Lafayette, 15 October 1787 (Washington Papers)
I Have a few days Ago writen to You By M. de Moustier the New Minister from this Court. He is a Sensible and Honest man with whom I think that the people of America will be satisfied. He is Very desirous to be presented to you, and I Have invited Him in Your Name to Mount Vernon, as well as Madame de Brehan, a very agreable lady, His sister in law, who Goes out with Him. inclosed is, my dear...
422To George Washington from Lafayette, 12 January 1790 (Washington Papers)
I Cannot let the packet Sail without a line from your filial friend, who, altho’ He depends on Mr Short for your information, wants to Express you those Affectionate and Respectful Sentiments that Are Never So well felt as in UnCommon Circumstances—How often, My Beloved General, Have I wanted your wise Advices and friendly Support! We Have Come thus far in the Revolution without Breaking the...
423To John Jay from Lafayette, 7 October 1784 (Jay Papers)
I am Very Unfortunate in My Attempts to Meet You, But Hope at last to Have Better Success, and Warmly Wish it to Happen about the Middle of Next Month when I Expect to wait Upon Congress at their Next Meeting—it was far from My plans to Spend So much Time Upon an Indian treaty— But my presence was thought Useful— My influence was thought Some thing— My Stay was Required—and I found Myself...
424To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 27 October 1780 (Washington Papers)
I Am Sorry to hear from Major Gibs that My letter of last Night did not Reach You Before your departure from head quarters—it had been writen at one o’clock, as Soon as I took My position for the Night, and intrusted to Clel ogden who promis’d to Send it By An officer Acquainted with the Roads. depending upon your Communication of the Sad intelligence to Chevalier de la luzerne, I did not Send...
425To George Washington from Lafayette, 8 October 1784 (Washington Papers)
Every where I Have Met with delays—but so Agreable were they in their Nature that I Cannot Complain of them—it is not Quite the Case with the Indian treaty—Altho’ the Hope to Be Useful Has kept me there longer than I Had Expected—my presence at the oppening of it Had Been desired—Many Circumstances kept it off—at last it Began, and My influence with the indians was found Greater than I myself...
426Lafayette to Thomas Jefferson, 10 December 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
Your kind Letter may 14 h By m r Lyman is the Last I Have Received. I know You Had Rather Ride than Write. But Altho’ I Have Successfully forced myself to Recover the Use of Horse Riding, We Unfortunately are not Within Visiting distance. Let us therefore, now and then, indulge mutual friendship in the only Means of Communication that are Left to us. Politics, as You Justly observe, Have Ever...
427To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 16 December 1780 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 8th inst. Never Came to hand Before Last Night —My former letters Will have Explain’d to You My Sentiments Relating to A journey South Ward —I Most heartly Thank You, My dear General, for the kind and friendly letters You have been pleas’d to Send to Me—I am So happy in Your friendship that Every Mark of Your Affection for me Gives me a degree of pleasure Which far surpasses...
428To George Washington from Lafayette, 6 October 1797 (Washington Papers)
I am the Happier to Be able to inform You, as I am Sure You Shall Be Happy to Hear that on the 19th September My two friends, family, and Myself Left the olmutz Bastille, and that to Morrow Morning We Shall Be on danish Territory out of the Reach of the Coalitionary Powers—in Vain Would I Attempt, My Beloved General, to Express to You the feelings of My filial Heart, when, at the Moment of...
429To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 30 January 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
I Have not this Long While Had the pleasure of a Letter from You —Yet I Hope You Have Received the Heartfelt Expressions of my old, Constant friendship, and the Affectionate, patriotic Wishes Which Accompagny You in a Station Where the Welfare of the United States, and the Cause of liberty are So Highly Interested—So Confused Have Been the Ideas of Europe that Never She Could be So Much...
430To James Madison from Lafayette, 1 June 1785 (Madison Papers)
This letter will Be delivered By mr. Chevalier, a Son to the Gentleman I Recommended to You last Summer, who is Going to Settle His Accounts with Your State. I am the More inclined to Give Him my letter as a denial would Seem to Harbour a doubt upon the punctuality of the payment while I know You Have taken proper measures to insure it. Give me leave therefore to Recommend the affair to Your...
431To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 28 October 1780 (Washington Papers)
if I have properly Understood your letter you had not An immediate Occasion for me, and the Matters You wanted to talk of with me are Not to be So Soon put in Execution as to Require my Going this day to head quarters —I have therefore defered the Moving of My troops and that of My person till to Morrow—if on the Contrary there Was the Least occasion for My Going to head quarters I Beg You...
432To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, 9 July 1782 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin … (3 vols., 4to, London 1817–18), II , 386. I have the honour to inform you, my dear Sir, that Mr. Grenville’s express is arrived this morning by way of Ostend. The gentleman is gone to Versailles. I fancy he will wait upon you, and will be much obliged to you, to let me know what your opinion...
433To George Washington from Lafayette, 11 May 1785 (Washington Papers)
This is not the only letter You Will Get from me By this packet, But as the opportunity is Safe, I will trust Young M. Adams With Some Matters Which I would not like to Be Ventured in the post offices of France. 102 ⟨Protestants⟩ in 12 ⟨France⟩ are under intolerable 80 ⟨Despotism⟩—altho’ oppen persecution does not now Exist, yet it depends upon the whim of 25 ⟨king⟩; 28 ⟨queen⟩, 29...
434To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 13 December 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have Not Yet Receiv’d Your Answer to Any of My letters—since My last No News have Come to hand—I hope We Shall Soon Some Way or other hear from france. After Many debates Congress have Elected Clel Laurens as An Envoy to france—But he Still Refuses to Go and thinks hamilton Ought to be sent—how this Will End I do Not know —doctor franklin has A party Against him—I think it Would be Very...
435To George Washington from Lafayette, 24 May 1786 (Washington Papers)
While I Have to lament the distance which separates us, it is an additional, and an Heartfelt Mortification for me, to Hear so seldom from My Beloved and Respected friend—and Among the Many Reasons I Have to wish for a Greater intercourse Between my two Countries, I don’t forget the Hope that More frequent Opportunities will increase the Number of your wellcome letters—this is Going By the...
436Enclosure: Lafayette’s Revolutionary War Account, 24 December 1793 (Washington Papers)
War Department Accountants office December 24th 1793 Signed Joseph Howell Accountant. Copy, DNA : RG 46, Third Congress, 1793–95, Senate Records of Legislative Proceedings, President’s Messages; copy, DNA : RG 46, Transcribed Reports and Communications Transmitted by the Executive Branch to the U.S. Senate, 1789–1819. War Department Chief Clerk John Stagg, Jr., certified that the account was a...
437To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, 25 February 1782 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Mis. [Marquis] de Lafayette’s Most Respectfull Compliments Wait on Mr franklin and Has the Honor to Inform His Excellency that in Compliance with His directions He Had Last Evening a Conference with Count de Vergennes— The Minister Said He Wished to Make Himself the Communication to Mr. franklin, when Asked for it By Him, So that the Sum will Be immediately...
438Lafayette to Thomas Jefferson, 14 August 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
Your Letters to me Nov. 30 and to our Beloved Mde de tessé decemb. 8 h are the Last I Have Received—She Has Not lived to enjoy this token of your Rememberance— m. de tessé who Had Been declining Rapidly was the first of the two for whom we Had to mourn—she assisted Him to the Last Hour—She Regretted Him with the feelings of lively affection and old Habits—Her delicate frame Could not Bear Such...
439To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 12 October 1780 (Washington Papers)
From Major Lee I just Now hear that he has seen A Man Who has been in Newyork and told him that An Embarkation has Certainly taken place, Said to be going to Virginia—that he Got the intelligence In the City on Monday last, and that dragoons were on Board. A Young man that Went into the City has Lately Sent Word to his family that he had been press’d on Board a fleet which Was Going to Sail....
440To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 21 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
As I find an express Going from hartfort to General Greene, I send this letter to him, that You Might hear some thing further about the Recruits of Connecticut. from the Colonel under general parsons who is intrusted with the Care of forwarding them I hear that By the first of August two thousand of them Will be at West point—But I had put in My head that they were to Bring arms with them and...
441To George Washington from Lafayette, 9 May 1799 (Washington Papers)
your kind and Welcome letter of the 25 december is safely arrived and as my friend Bureau de Puzy has not yet sailed, he will, along with some introductory lines, Carry these my affectionate and filial thanks —no, my dear general, it never Entered my Head to attribute your Silence to any neglect of yours, and I would have Suspected European piracies, or things much more incredible, Rather than...
442To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 26 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
every private intelligence from long island, and also the letter from General howe and the officer on the lines do Agree with the Note I have Receiv’d from C[o]l[on]el hamilton, and are all positive upon it that General clinton With a Great part of his Army is Coming to Attak the french troops. in Consequence of this Count de Rochambeau is fortifying Both islands and Making preparations of...
443To George Washington from Lafayette, 7 March 1791 (Washington Papers)
Whatever Expectations I Had Conceived of a Speedy termination to our Revolutionary trouble, I Still am tossed about in the Ocean of factions and Commotions of Every Kind—for it is My fate to Be on Each Side, With Equal Animosity Attacked, Both By The Aristocratic, Slavish, Parliamentary, Clerical, in a Word By all Ennemies to my free and levelling doctrine, and on the other Side By the...
444To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, [10 January 1801?] (Jefferson Papers)
I Have Not, this Long While, Had the Satisfaction of a Line from You—it Was on My Emerging from Captivity that I Received Your Last Letter , dated Six Years Before, when You Heard of My Leaving the Mountains of Auvergne for the Command of an Army—You were foretelling the Successes which the European Revolution, the Institution of The National Guards, and My personal Situation Seemed to Have...
445To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 14 November 1780 (Washington Papers)
A Man is just Arriv’d at My quarters Who Says that the Cork fleet Arriv’d in Newyork on Sunday last—his informant Saw himself thirty six vessels Coming up —the Man Adds that general Smith is gone to the City and Suppos’d to embark With this late envoy of troops —But I don’t put a perfect dependance on what he Says nor on the inclos’d letter he has Brought me from Merc⟨ereau⟩ —I am Sure that...
446To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 1 September 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
This Letter Will Be Delivered By M. de foncin Whose Abilities as an Engeneer, and Whose personal Character Entitle Him to Your particular Notice—our Acquaintance with Him dates from a time Not Unknown to You When an Enterprise Had Been Made at Cayenne for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery—M. de foncin’s zeal on the Occasion, and His Actual perseverance in the principles of Humanity and Justice...
447To James Madison from Lafayette, 18 August 1816 (Madison Papers)
Your kind favour, May 10h, is an Additional proof of the friendly Concern in My Behalf for Which I Beg Leave to Repeat My Most Affectionate Thanks. The instruction issued from the General Land office ought, it Seems, to Have procured the Certificate Necessary, But Sufficient, to obtain a patent. That Some thing in the Secondary Measures at New orleans Has Been Wanting Appears to Be pretty Well...
448To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 7 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
This letter will be delivered to your excellency by Mister Nevill my aid de Camp whom I beg you to favor with a leave of absence for joining me in france—Besides the affection I have for that gentleman, I also think his voyage may forward the public good as he will be intrusted with those dispatches Congress are going to Send —may I beg you, my dear general, to hurry theyr expedition, and let...
449Lafayette to the American Peace Commissioners, 22 July 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Massachusetts Historical Society Having Been Honoured With letters from Congress, it Becomes my duty to Consult You Upon a point Which they Have particularly Recommended— In the late preliminaries no time is Mentionned for the American Merchants paying their English debts— A Matter of Great Moment to our Merchants who Require at least three or four Years to Accomplish the Business— Upon...
450To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 23 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of Yesterday is just Come to Hand, And its Contents Shall Be ponctually obei’d—the Addition of A pennsylvanian detachement Would Be Very Advantageous, and I will try to get it under the Circumstances and in the Way Which You Have pointed out—I Had Already writen to the Commanding officer of the jersay troops Respecting the detachement, And to Colonel dayton to Request intelligences...