51To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 24 June 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have Sign’d the paper because I have been told I schould Sign it, and because almost all the others who were of the same opinion as I am have also sign’d —for, Sir, I will easely schow you that there were Six gentlemen for more than fifteen hundred and only six for fifteen hundred . they are as follows. general lee baron de Stueben Some of the Second column were for 2500, but would...
52To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, [before 8 February 1786] (Jefferson Papers)
Otchikeita is Gone to the abbé, and Kayenlaha will wait for You to Morrow. It is probable Mr. du Crest will be there, Ambassador from the Court of the Palais Royal. Duke d’Harcourt writes me that Eleven Suits him Better than ten. Adieu. Here is an Application from Horace’s to our Good General Here are three Verses made By M. de Marmontel RC ( DLC ); unsigned; without indication of addressee or...
53To John Adams from the Marquis de Lafayette, 25 May 1788 (Adams Papers)
I Will not Enter on a detaïl of European Affairs, Still less So of our trouble in france, as M. Barret will tell You What Has Happened Since You Embarked— Governement Have Made a Great Effort— I think it will Be like Turnus’s Big Stone in the Æneïd— for the present the Parliaments are Put to the Rout, But Rallying Again under Cover of public Opinion, which you know Has a Great force in this...
54To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 25 July 1778 (Washington Papers)
inclos’d I have the honor to send you a letter from General Sullivan which I took the liberty to oppen —if the suppos’d expedition against providence has taken place we can not Come up time enough as to prevent it—but I am Rather inclin’d to believe we wi’ll find the ennemy fortifying themselves, and therefore the Sooner we may begin our visit the better it will be. I have found general Varnum...
55To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, [11 November 1800] (Jefferson Papers)
As I’ll Have By this Opportunity the pleasure to Write to You, I shall Now only Mention the Affair of M. de BeauMarchais Which You Better know than I do—His Claims Have Been InHerited By a former Aid de Camp of Mine Who Married Beau-Marchais’s daughter and Whose Sister is a Wife to General Dumas the Chief of the Staff in the Middle Army—My Attachement to My two Companions Makes it a duty for...
56To 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...
57To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 24 August 1781 (Washington Papers)
This letter will be Handed By cll Morris who waits upon Your Excellency with Gal Greene’s Sentiments upon the different ways to Improve Count de Grasses assistance. I Have Been desired to Add my Accounts But the last letter I Had the Honor to write Has Anticipated the Informations Which Gral Greene wanted me to give. The Light Infantry are 850—the Pennsylvania 600—Virginia exchanged soldiers...
58To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 18 November 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have Receiv’d Three different Accounts from Newyork, and Tho’ the Authorities Are Not Unquestionable I will lay them Before you that we May Compare them with other Accounts. A Man Sent in By dr Burnet Says That part of the Cork fleet is Arriv’d, Betwen twenty and forty Sails—That the Rest is given over for lost —The troops in Newyork about 1500—at Bergen 250—There was an alarm on the 15th at...
59To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 11 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
The Sails are just going to be hoisted, My dear General, and I have But the time of taking my last leave from you—I may now be Certain that Congréss did not intend to Send Any thing more By me—The Navy Board, and Mister Nevill write me this very morning from Boston that the North River is passable, that a gentleman from Camp Says he di’nt hear of any thing like an express for me—all agree to...
60Lafayette to Thomas Jefferson, 12 March 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
I Hope You Have Received my Letter of the 16 h Novem ber Complaining of Your silence—far I am from withdrawing the Complaint—Not one Line of Answer from You, Since You are at Monticelo , Has Reached me—I was Anxious to Hear Every particulars Relative to Your Retirement—the minute detaïls I Had presumed to pour upon You, with Respect to my private Concerns, needed to Be Countenanced By Your...
61Marquis de Lafayette to John Adams, 2 June 1784 (Adams Papers)
Altho’ I Have not Been Honoured with an Answer to My last letter, I will not lose time in Acquainting You that My departure from l’orient is fixed on the 22 d in sant — Any letter from You that Reaches Paris Before the 17 th will Be Carefully forwarded By me, and in Case You Had Any to send Clear of post offices, their Being put into My Hands will insure their Being Safely delivered to the...
62To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 28 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
The News I have got from france, the Reflexions I have made by myself, and these which have been Suggested to me by many people, particularly by the Admiral, increase more than ever the desire I had of Seeing again your excellency—I want to Communicate you my Sentiments, and take your opinion upon my present Circumstances—that I look upon as of An high moment to my private business and...
63To James Madison from Lafayette, 15–17 December 1784 (Madison Papers)
Lafayette arrived in New York on 4 August 1784 for a visit which lasted until 21 December 1784 when he sailed to France aboard the frigate La Nymphe . During his stay, he was greeted by Washington and other Virginians at Richmond on 18 November. After feastings, celebrations, and a visit to the State Assembly, the two Revolutionary heroes spent a few days at Mount Vernon and then went north,...
64To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 2 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
Your Letters of the 25th and 26th are Both Come Yesterday to Hand, which Shows that the Expresses Have Not Made Great dispatch —I would Have done Myself the Honor of writing to Your Excellency, Had I Not Every Minute waited for intelligences from the South ward. Your Excellency Remembers that our Shortest Calculation on the Arrival of the troops at Head of Elk Was for the 6th of March—I am...
65To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, [12 July 1788] (Jefferson Papers)
I thank You, My dear sir, on the Good News You Give me from S. Carolina . I Hope Virginia will not fail. Every thing Goes on well But the Point Relative to the Presidency which You and I Have at Heart. I Confess this Makes me Uneasy. Will the General Agree with You. The Moment He Adopts our Opinion, My fear is Gone. Our Internal trouble did take a decided turn. The late Arrêt du Conseil Missed...
66To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, [15 or 22 June 1782] (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Will You Please, My dear sir, to let me Have a Copy of the Paper I gave to Major Ross, that I May Enclose it to General Washington and get His approbation of the Measure? The Moment You get the Bill be pleased to Communicate it— I will do the same on my part, and am Very Anxious to see How that Piece is Manufactured. Notation: La Fayette The two Saturdays...
67To John Adams from the Marquis de Lafayette, 7 February 1787 (Adams Papers)
J’ai Recue, monsieur, avec bien de la Reconnoissance les detaïls que vous avis la Bonté de m’envoïer; ils sont alarmans même pour Ceux qui Connoissent l’amerique; ils ne peuvent que paroitre encore plus dangereux à Ceux qui ne la Connoissent pas; on nous dit qué la tempéte s’est appaisée; puissent les sages mesures que prendront le Congrès, les etats, et la Convention de philadelphie Retablir...
68To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, [13 December 1783?] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society The Inclosed is a Paper I intend to Present to the Several Ministers, with the Hope it May Give them some favourable ideas Upon the American trade— But Before I do it, I wish of Course to Have Your Approbation— Be so kind, My dear Sir, as to Read it Over, and if You think it May Answer a Good purpose, I will in My private Capacity Give it to Marechal de...
69To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 1 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
that there has been an action fought where I could have been and where I was not, is a thing which will seem as extraordinary to you as it seems so to myself—after a long journey and a longer stay from home (I mean from head quarters) the only satisfactory day I might have finds me in the middle of a town—there I had been sent, push’d, hurri’d by the board of general officers, and principally...
70The Marquis de Lafayette to the American Commissioners, 8 April 1785 (Adams Papers)
In Consequence of Your desire, I Have Endeavoured to Collect informations, Relative to the presents which the African Powers Usually Receive from European Nations. By the inclosed Summary, You will get Every intelligences I Could obtain of what Has been done By Holland, Sweden, danmark, Venise, Spain, Portugal, and England. The Returns N õs 2, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, are Minuted Accounts of the...
71To George Washington from Lafayette, 16 April 1785 (Washington Papers)
To My Great disappointement I Had no letter from You By this packet—it is However the only Regular Way to Get intelligences, and Mercantile Opportunities are not By far So much to Be depended on—I warmly Beg, my dear General, you will not let me Be Uneasy for want of a line from You—the distance is already so great in itself, and So much Greater for the feelings of the tenderest friendship,...
72To George Washington from Lafayette, 26 April 1798 (Washington Papers)
This letter will be presented to You By Mr Forster whose father, The Celebrated professor and Captain Cooke’s fellow traveller Has Requested In Behalf of His Son these Recommandatory Lines—I am sure His Name Was to You a Sufficient Introduction—and in His personal merit there is also a Sufficient inducement to wish for his wellfare—Yet I should be Highly pleased to Hope that My Recommandation...
73To George Washington from Lafayette, 15 October 1787 (Washington Papers)
This letter will Be delivered By Mr du Pont the Son of a Very Sensible and Honest Gentleman, who Has Been Much Emploied in Affairs of Administration, and is Now Very zealously Engaged in drawing Up A Report for our Commercial affairs. His Son Goes out for His instruction, and With a wiew to fit Himself for future Emploiement. I Beg leave to Recommend Him to Your patronage and Advices, and am...
74To Thomas Jefferson from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 1 November 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
The kind invitation from the citizens of Charlottesville is on Every account gratifying to my feelings, and Amidst the Motives that contribute to my Eagerness to pay to them in person my Respectful thanks, I know they will with pleasure admire my afectionate sense of the ties which Unite them to my Excellent friend. I expect, at last, to Reach Monticello Next Thursday, and shall there ait for...
75To George Washington from Lafayette, 10 January 1784 (Washington Papers)
The departure of the Washington Has Been So Sudden that I Could not get in time on Board the Particular letter which you ought to Have Received—So that My Correspondance Has Been Confined to an official Cincinnati letter, and a Bill of plated wares, which was not By Any means my intention —inclosed I Send you a duplicate of the letter Respecting our Assossiation —Major L’enfant tells me a...
76To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 27 October 1780 (Washington Papers)
From what you have heard from dr hagen about the Boats when on your way to head quarters, I don’t Believe that You may have kept any hope for our Succes—the Boats have been it Seems Reduc’d to five, and from the Time when they were yet at the little falls you May See that they Could not be here at the appointed hour. I will not permit Myself to Reflect on this Moment upon the Many Blunders...
77To James Madison from Lafayette, 6 July 1812 (Madison Papers)
The Repeal of the orders in Council Has Been Announced to us. I Rejoice at the Success of Your Spirited Measures, and Am Not Less Happy in the Maintenance of peace. Our friend and worthy Minister will tell you How matters are Going in Europe. My Letters of Yesterday Say that Hostilities are begun on the Niemen . This one Goes with the public dispatches. I shall therefore Confine myself to...
78To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 27 March 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
Since the Return of the British fleet in the Bay, With A Number of Vessels supposed to Be transports from Newyork, I Have Entirely lost Every Hope of An immediate Operation Against Portsmouth. How Much the disappointement is felt By me, Your Excellency Will Better judge than I Can Express. This However May Be A satisfaction that On our part, We Have Been perfectly Ready And that With A Naval...
79To James Madison from Lafayette, 10 October 1804 (Madison Papers)
I have two days ago written a long Letter to M. Jefferson which as it will be communicated to you leaves me nothing here to Speack of but Landed Property & pecuniary Plans—The last matter among so many, I would have wanted to entertain you upon, had not every other been debated in that first part of my correspondence. You will no doubt feel with me, when in my Answer to our respected friend I...
80To George Washington from Lafayette, 20–21 August 1798 (Washington Papers)
However uncertain I am of the fate of My Letters, I am Happy in the Opportunities to Let you Hear from me, and altho’ the filial and Grateful Sentiments which from my Youth Have Animated My Heart Need Not Being Remembered to you, it is to me, while so unwillingly Separated from you a Great and Necessary Consolation to Express them—in Case you Have Received Some of the accounts of myself and...