91To Thomas Jefferson from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 5 December 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I Cannot Resist an Opportunity to write to You—there is for me the Heartfelt Consolation in Expressing the Anguish I feel to a friend Ever, and in this Instance more Than Ever Ready to Sympathise with me— My Wife is Under the pains and danger of a Malignant fever which Has Been preceded By a thermic desease of a Very obscure Nature— There Have Been for Some time fears of an Obstruction of the...
92To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 12 April 1782 (Washington Papers)
However Sensible I am that our Cause May Be Better Served By My Presence Here, than it Could Possibly Be at this Period By My Returning to America, I Cannot Refrain from A Painfull Sentiment at the Sight of Many french officers Who Are Going to Join their Colours in America—I Shall, thank God, follow them Before Any thing Passes that May Have Any Danger or Any Importance—But I am So far from...
93To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 8 September 1783 (Washington Papers)
Your wished for and Most Heartly wellcome favours Have not this long while Reached me, and I most warmly Request You, my dear General, not to forget writing to a friend who loves you with a Filial and Unbounded Affection. this letter is Going By the September Packet, and Hereafter there will Be one Sailing Every month, By Which, While in Europe, I Shall most Exactly Advise my dear and...
94To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 20 July 1781 (Washington Papers)
No Accounts from the North ward, No Letter from Head Quarters—I am utterly a Stranger to Every thing that passes out of Virginia—and Virginian Operations Being for the Present in a State of languor, I Have More time to think of My Solitude. in a Word, My dear General, I am Home Sick and if I Can’t go to Head Quarters wish at least to Hear from there. I am Anxious to know Your opinion...
95To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 7 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
Contrary Winds, Heavy Rains, Disappointments of vessels And Every Inconvenience to which we Had No Remedy Have Been from the day of My Arrival Combined Against our Embarkation. I Hope However we will Be on Board to Morrow Morning, and As Nothing Certain Has Been Heard from the french Ships, No time will be Lost on our part for the Celerity of the Expedition. The troops will embark five Miles...
96To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 8 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency’s Letters of the 5th and 6th Inst. are just Come to Hand, and Before I Answer to their Contents Beg Leave to Give You a Summary Account of the Measures I Have Lately taken— As to the Part of My Conduct You Have Been Acquainted with, I am Happy, My dear General, to find that it Has Met With Your Approbation. When the Return of the British Fleet put it out of Doubt that Nothing...
97To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 15 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
The Number of Small frigats and Privateers that Are in the Bay Has Made it impossible for me to Carry the Detachement farther down than Annapolis, and I Have Requested the Governor of Maryland as well as the principal officers of the detachement to give out that we were going to join General Greene. But the object of the Expedition is so perfectly known every where that our Sole dependance to...
98To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 25 June 1782 (Washington Papers)
How it is Possible for me to Be Here at this Period You Will Hardly Be able to Conceive, and I Confess I am Myself more and More Surprised at these Strange Delays. Both duty and Inclination Lead me to America, and tho’ it is Not probable You are Active in the field, Yet the Possibility of it is to me A torment. But from the Moment I Engaged in our Noble Cause, I Made it My Sole point to...
99To Thomas Jefferson from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 1 October 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
Here I am on My Visiting progress, delighted With the improvemens I Every Where Witness, and penetrated With Gratitude for the Welcome it Has Been My Happy Lot Every Where to Meet. The Extraordinary Circumstances of a Reception So Superior to Any individual Merit Have However, to My Great degree Mixed With Much delight, prevented My fulfilling the most pressing duties of a Correspondence With...
100To James Madison from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 15 November 1806 (Madison Papers)
Altho’ I have not this long while heard from you, I have Had very material proofs of your’s and our Beloved President’s Rememberance. Letters from Louisiana were brought to me by a Respectable merchant Late Mayor of New Orleans and particularly introduced by Governor Claiborne. He had a letter from M. Duplantier giving me Several informations and for the remainder refering me to the bearer...
101To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 8 September 1781 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor to write you lately giving an account of every thing that came within my knowledge, I was evry hour expecting I might be more particular but if you new how slow things go on in this Country, that still I have done the best in my power, I have written and received twenty letters a day from Government and every department whatever. the Governor does what He can the Wheels of His...
102To Thomas Jefferson from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 19 June 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Your Good Letter inclosed in the Official dispatches by the St. Michael Has Afforded me Great Comfort. No Balm Can Be Applied to a Suffering Heart More Soothing than the Sympathising Affection and Regrets of Such a friend as You—While I Have So often with Her Lamented the Loss of Your Happiness I did not foresee that Before Long I should Be Entitled to a Reciprocity of Your Condoling Pity—and...
103To Thomas Jefferson from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 26 January 1825 (Jefferson Papers)
Your Letter Has found me at Richmond where I Came in obedience to a kind invitation from the assembly of Virginia, and I now am on my way to meet another kind Call from the assembly of pennsylvania at Harrisburg, so that I cannot Be Returned to Washington Before the 5 th or 6 th February, and on the 24 th I Contemplate to set out for the Carolinas, georgia, alabama, new orleans, and the...
104To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 25 August 1781 (Washington Papers)
Independant of the Answer to Your letter of the 15th, I Have Been Very Particular in a Second letter Instrusted to Clel Moriss. But at this Moment Wish to Send you Minuted and Repeated Accounts of Every thing that Passes in this Quarter. The Ennemy Have Evacuated their forts at Ivy, Kemp’s Landing, Great Bridge and Portsmouth. Their Vessels with troops and Baggage went Round to York. Some...
105To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 24 May 1781 (Washington Papers)
I request you will receive My Affectionate Aknowledgement for your kind letters. Every mark of friendship I receive from you Adds to my Happiness as I love you with all the sincerity and Warmth of My Heart, and the sentiment I feel for you goes to the very extent of my affections. Inclosed I send you, my dear General, two Copies of letters to General Greene which I also have sent to Congress...
106To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 8 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 1st Inst. did Not Come to Hand Untill Last Evening, and I Hasten to Answer to His Contents, tho’ I will in a few Hours Be Better able to inform you of My Movements. From what I Hear of the difficulties to Convoy us down the Bay, I very much Aprehend the Winds will not permit any frigate to Come up. Comte de Rochambeau thinks His troops Equal to the Business, and wishes that...
107To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 5 February 1783 (Washington Papers)
Were You But Such a Man as julius Cæsar or the king of Prussia, I should Almost Be sorry for You at the End of the Great tragedy Where You are Acting Such a Part—But With My dear General I Rejoice at the Blessings of a Peace Where our Noble Ends Have Been Secured—Remember our Valley forge times, and from a Recollection of Past dangers and labours, We still will Be More pleased at our Present...
108To James Madison from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 26 September 1807 (Madison Papers)
The Last Vessels have brought me nothing from you, Unless some miscarriage has taken place which I would not Wonder at, But I have received two Letters from our respected President, and as I have by this Opportunity aknowledged them, I will not repeat what he will, no doubt Communicate. The State of Public affairs You will find fully explained in your official Dispatches, Nor do I Know at this...
109To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 12 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
Owing to a very Heavy Rain and a Most Stormy Night I was yesterday obliged to Counter Mand the orders I Had Given to the troops, and Upon the Representation that the Roads to the Susquehana would be Impassable, I differed our departure to this Morning—We shall encamp on a Ground Near the Ferry and Be as Expeditious as possible in Crossing the River—In Consequence of Your Excellency’s...
110To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 18 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
Every one of My Letters Was writen Upon So Lamentabl a tone that I Am Happy to Give you a Pleasanter Prospect the Anxiety I feel to Relieve Your Mind from a Small part of those Many Sollicitudes And Cares which our Circumstances Conspir to Gather upon you, is the Reason of My Sending this Letter By the Chain and With a Particular Recommendation. When I left Susquehana Ferry it was the General...
111To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 18 January 1782 (Washington Papers)
I Thank My Stars there is a good Opportunity to let You know that After an Happy Voyage of 23 days I am Safely Arrived in L’orient, and that, My Family and friends are In a Very Good Health, Which Circumstance, My Dear General, I am sure will Afford You some Satisfaction. We Are Arrived Last Night, and are Setting out this Morning in Great Speed For Versailles and Paris, so that I Have But the...
112To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 15 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
Clel Gouvion By whom I Have Received Letters and Intelligences from Philadelphia is just Going to Head Quarters—This Opportunity Being Safer than Common Expresses I Beg Leave to Adress a few Lines to Your Excellency. The Board of War Cannot Supply our Wants—Indeed they Nor Congress did not think we would Be ordered to the Southward and of Course Have not Been So Much in Earnest for giving us...
113To Thomas Jefferson from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 25 February 1826 (Jefferson Papers)
Altho I Have Not Since My Return to france Received any direct letter from Monticello, I Have the Gratification to Conclude from Several Reports, namely from An Account of Your Visit to the University that Your Health is Much improved from what I Have left it. it is a pleasing thought to me that when these lines Will Reach You there Will be a short time to Wait before Your dear Helen Has...
114To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 4 December 1782 (Washington Papers)
My former Letters Have Acquainted You that, However talkative were Politicians About Peace, an Expedition Was Going to take place the Command of Which is Given to Count d’Estaing—I Have Also Added that Upon Being Requested to Go, I Have Willingly Accepted of it, as I thought it the Means, the only Means in the World to Bring About What You Have directed me to obtain Clel Gouvion Must Be With...
115To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 11 November 1783 (Washington Papers)
However scarce are American letters, yet as the eyes of the world Are fixed upon you, I Now and then Hear what Becomes of My dear General—Your Visit to Congress, Your Stay with the Army Untill the Treaty Arrives, Your Having Been Voted a Statue, are Events Which Are known to Every one, and felt By me, So that What To Europe is an information, To me proves to Be a Cause for the Most tender...
116To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 11 August 1781 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency’s Public and Private letters of the 30h july Have Safely Come to Hand for which I Return you My warmest thanks. Be Sure, My dear General, that the Pleasure of Being with You will Make me Happy in Any Command You will think proper to Give—But for the present Am with You of opinion I Had Better Remain in Virginia—the More So as Lord Cornwallis does not chuse to live us, and...
117To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 24 May 1781 (Washington Papers)
My official letter a Copy of which I Send to Congress will let you know the Situation of Affairs in this Quarter—I ardently wish My Conduct May Meet with Your Approbation—Had I followed the first Impulsion of My temper, I would Have Risked Some thing More—But I Have Been Guarding Against My Own Warmth, and this Consideration that a General defeat which with Such a proportion of Militia Must Be...
118To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 26 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
As I Hope My letters of the 23d and 25th Have Been Safely transmitted and this will Be Accompagnied By a letter of the Same date forwarded through the Hands of the President of Congress, I Shall only Add such parts of My Information as I Mean to Be Confidential. From My Late Intelligences I am led to Suppose that our Allies Are Gone to Cape Fear—the first Engagement was in their favor and I am...
119To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 14 October 1782 (Washington Papers)
Since the time of Cle Gimat’s Arrival not a Line from You Has Come to My Hands, Which Misfortune I Have Much Lamented, and I do assure You, My dear General, that when I Have not the Happiness to Be With You, it is Necessary for me to Receive Some of Your Letters. This Will be delivered By Gnl du Portail and Cel Gouvion Who are Returning to America—I Wish I Could do the Same, But You Must By...
120To Thomas Jefferson from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 28 July 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
The Necessity of an Active Correspondance with the U.S. Has never been Better Evinced than on the Arrival of a West India Rumour which would Have dreadfully Alarmed us, Had we not Been in the Blessed Possession of Your Own Letters. I Hope You will never leave Your friends in Europe Without Regular Intelligence of Your personal Welfare. the Want of it I feel, the More, My dear Jefferson, as It...