451To Alexander Hamilton from Marquis de Lafayette, 21 October [1780] (Hamilton Papers)
These are, my dear Hamilton, two letters By which I communicate to the french general the happy intelligence Concerning the taking of the Convoy, and inclose to them the paper that Relates the affair as well as the success of the expedition on the Spanish Main. I give you joy, my dear friend, on this success of the Combin’d fleet, and Might also Rejoice with you on some thing else By way of...
452To Alexander Hamilton from Marquis de Lafayette, 20 October [1780] (Hamilton Papers)
In Consequence of our Conversation, My dear Hamilton, I have wrote a letter to Gouvion the Copy of which you will find herein inclosed. By the influence of the Same that you know of I have found a faithful Canadian officer who lately got an order from me for a Coat, and was Returning a foot to West point. I gave him the letter, and send him to You that he May have an order for a horse. If the...
453To 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....
454To Benjamin Franklin from the Marquis de Lafayette, 9 October 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I Wish it was in My power to Give you some Grand intelligence from this part of the world—But Considering the Naval Superiority which the Ennemy have hitherto kept on our Coasts, You will not wonder at our finding it Rather difficult to Cooperate against Maritime points, or such points as are at an immence distance from us. The Arrival of the french Succour...
455To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 7 October 1780 (Washington Papers)
Mr Ward’s Corps being Situated on the end of Bergen Neck, two and thirty Miles from our Army, Major lee Began to move Yesterday after Noon and to Execute the plan which he had propos’d; he March’d Conceal’d through the Woods So as to Arrive on the Ground By the Breack of the day. he had with him his own Corps, Mjor parr’s Riflemen, and a piquet of light infantry under Captain Abbot. having...
456To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 10 September 1780 (Washington Papers)
After having Stated the few facts that have taken place Betwen this and the last Meeting of General Officers, and After having Given to the Council a Return of the Ennemy’s and our own force on this Continent, Your Excellency Wishes to know what plan in our present Circumstances and in the Suppositions We Can Make I Would think Better to pursue. In Case We have that Naval Superiority which We...
457To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 2 September 1780 (Washington Papers)
to My Great disappointment M. p——is Return’d this Morning and Brings no details with him—I Wanted him to go again, But You alone Can induce him to do it—from what he Says, the Ennemy are going to undertake A Great Movement—he will himself wait on You and tell you what had been Said to him about Rhode island, and what about improving the Opportunity of theyr fleet’s going to London—tho I do not...
458To Alexander Hamilton from Marquis de Lafayette, 28 August [1780] (Hamilton Papers)
I wish, my dear Hamilton, you will please to invite your father in law to come and dine tomorrow with me. Mr Duane has engag’d he would do me that honor. I Beg you will also come. Be so kind as to write to me if any intelligence is come to hand, and when the General has determin’d to leave this place. Don’t forget what I told yesterday to you. I request, my dear Sir, you will Beg the General...
459To 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...
460To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 14 August 1780 (Washington Papers)
You very well know that for Many and Many Reasons Both on account of the Country and on that of the french, I think it very important, Nay I might Say politically Necessary that Some thing Brillant Be at this time perform’d By our troops—to those Motives Which are very strongly impress’d on My Mind, and which I Might More fully explain in A Conversation, I will, add, My dear General, that I...
461To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 1 August 1780 (Washington Papers)
Your letter to Count de Rochambeau mentionning the ennemy’s embarkation, and your future movements Against Newyork, a positive letter from Governor Trumbull, and a positive one from General par[s]ons, have once more altered the dispositions, and Such of the Militia as had been dismiss’d have been again Sent for. in Consequence of those expectations my offensive Arrangements have been entirely...
462To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 31 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
in Consequence of A Note from me the Admiral Came to Last evening, and defensive ideas Gave way to offensive plans—our Conversation was long and is not yet ended—But I hasten to write you a Summary of what past Betwen the Count, the Chevalier, and Myself. I first Began in My own name to Give them a pretty exact Account of the Situation we were in three Months Ago, of the Super natural efforts...
463To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 29 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 22d Came to hand last evening and I hasten to answer At least to a part of its Contents —I Shall Begin By the disagreable disappointement I met with on account of our cloathing —inclos’d, my dear General, you Will find the Return of what has been put on Board of the fleet which I have sent By a vessel to providence, and which will be forwarded to head quarters as soon as...
464To 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...
465To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 26 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
I had this Morning the honor of writing to You By general heath’s express and inform’d you that we had from every official and private quarter minuted accounts of the ennemy’s Coming in Great force to attak this island—for my part, I have been long time a disbeliever of the intelligence—But So many letters Came to hand that at lenght I was forc’d to take the General opinion about theyr...
466To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 23 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
I had this Morning the honor to wait on his excellency the Governor, and took the liberty, thò in A private Capacity, to inform him of our Circumstances—the Result of our Conversation I will thearin transmit to You and to be More Certain of Conveying the Governor’s ideas, I am writing at his own house and will show him My letter Before I fold it up. to Begin By the Article of powder which is...
467To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 22 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
I hasten to inform you that the Missing transport is safely arriv’d on the 19th at Boston —she is said to be a two decker and to have on Board a vast deal of powder with pieces of ordinnance, and also the Baggage of the officers of Bourbonnois —The intelligence Came this instant By an officer of our Army who Saw the Men encamp’d on the Commons from where they were to March to providence—Two...
468To 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...
469To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 20 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
having heard of an express from Rhodeisland being Going through the Continental Village I sent for him as it would not delay him More than an hour —inclosed I have the honor to send You the letter from general heath which I have oppen’d and also two letters from the french Generals to me —it seems, My dear General, that they have Anticipated the desire you express’d Yourself of settling our...
470To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 16 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
You have desired, My dear General, I would put in writing a Summary of the ideas which I Gave as My opinion in our Conversation of last Night—This I am the More inclin’d to do, that, tho’ I feel for Your delicacy on the occasion, I would think it very wrong not to go the same length with the french forces as you would do with those of the United States. The idea of Starving Newyork has been By...
471To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 4 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
You know, My dear General, that I Am Very Anxious of Seeing the Army well Cloathed for this Campaign—the importance of Such A Measure is on every Account obvious, and from the knowledge I have of the Auxiliary troops that Are Coming I Can so well demonstrate its Necessity, that I shall for the present But Attend to the Means of executing it. in the Space of Six Month (we know from experience)...
472To 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...
473To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 27 April 1780 (Washington Papers)
here I am, My dear General, and in the Mist of the joy I feel in finding Myself again one of your loving Soldiers I take But the time of telling you that I Came from france on Board of a fregatt Which the king Gave me for my passage —I have affairs of the utmost importance that I should at first Communicate to You alone—in Case my Letter finds you Any where this side of philadelphia, I Beg You...
474To Benjamin Franklin from the Marquis de Lafayette, 20 March 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society We are Again Going to Sail, But no News about our cloathing— What is Become of it, I Cannot Guess, and am extremely sorry that they are not Arriv’d— I hope the Whole will be soon Sent to America, and this intelligence will I dare Say Be very Agreable to the Army. In Wishing You A Good health, and the accomplishment of any thing You May desire, in Wishing...
475To Benjamin Franklin from the Marquis de Lafayette, [4 March 1780] (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society I am for the last time Going to Versaïlles, My Good friend, and Any Command from You on this occasion will be very well Come— As I am in a great hurry for My departure, Be so kind as to let me know if You want me to Come to Your lodgings to Morrow at ten o’clock or if you choose Better to Call here. If it is equal to you, I’d thank you for your dispatches...
476To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, 29 February 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society In Consequence of the Assent that Your excellency was pleas’d to honor My Request with, I’ll Beg your obliging help positively to fix My ideas on some Affairs Relating to our Army, in which I had the happiness of Acting as one of Your Agents at the Court of Versailles. From Both Ministers of the War and of foreign Affairs I Got the Most positive Assurance...
477To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, 24 February 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society According to the letter your Grand son wrote me last Morning I have obtain’d from the Ministry that the four thousand Compleat Cloathes would be Carried on Board of the frigatte that is ordered to Carry me to America— so that if they are at Rochefort, la Rochelle, l’isle d aix or l’isle de Rhé By the Second of the next month they will be taken on Board— I...
478To John Adams from the Marquis de Lafayette, 19 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
As I came but this morning from Versailles, it was not in my power sooner to answer to the letter you have honor’d me with, and this duty I now perform with the more pleasure that it is of some importance to the interests of America. Since the first day when I had the happiness of making myself, and of being considered in the World as an American, I have always observ’d that among so many ways...
479To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, 10 January 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society From a Ministerial letter I just Receive from Versaïlles I Begin to hope that My little Negotiation will take a Good turn, and as I Made it my point to succeed in this affair, No exertions will be untried for the purpose— I should, My Good friend, have done Myself the honor of Waïting on You this Morning, was I Not seiz’d By A Violent Cold, Which I the more...
480To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, 9 January 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society According to an appointement I had Requested from Mr. De Montbarrey, I had last Morning a Conversation With that Minister, wherein I did Earnestly urge the Necessity of sending from the Royal Magazines to America, fifteen thousands Stands of Arms and a large Quantity of powder— I Can’t say My Endeavours, tho’ Exerted to the Best of My Power, have met with...