11To George Washington from Antoine-Jean-Louis Le Bègue de Presle Duportail, 27 October 1781 (Washington Papers)
when I am going to france it is so important for me to have here the rank of a major general that I Cannot easily give up the idea of getting it. it appears to be a plan of the french ministry to give to the officers who have served in this Country a Rank inferior to that which they had here, accordingly being only a brigadier general they may very well leave me a lieut. Colonel as I am now in...
12To George Washington from Antoine-Jean-Louis Le Bègue de Presle Duportail, 6 October 1783 (Washington Papers)
i beg that your Excellency be pleased to peruse the inclosed letter for Congress—it Contains the general Reasons i have for that new measure . if your Excellency does not disapprove of it i shall be much obliged to you to order it sealed up and sent to his address. i have the honour to be with the greatest Respect and attachment your Excellency’s the most obedient humble servant DLC : Papers...
13To George Washington from Antoine-Jean-Louis Le Bègue de Presle Duportail, 29 January 1783 (Washington Papers)
I have the honour of sending to your excellency a memorial from major villefranche by which he begs the Congress to grant him the rank of lieut.-Colonel. I thinck that major villefranche may justly pretend to that favour. he has served as a major these five years and always shown the greatest assiduity and zeal in his duty. I have justified what he says about officers of the army appointed...
14To George Washington from Antoine-Jean-Louis Le Bègue de Presle Duportail, 6 May 1783 (Washington Papers)
agreably to a Resolution of Congress of the 22th of march last I have the honour to inform your excellency that the officers of the Corps—have unanimously agreed to accept of the Commutation. I have the honour to be with Great Respect Your Excellency’s the most obedient and humble servant DNA : RG 59—ML—Miscellaneous Letters. The officers of the Corps of Engineers having met for the purpose of...
15To George Washington from Antoine-Jean-Louis Le Bègue de Presle Duportail, 29 April 1783 (Washington Papers)
I received the answer which you have honored me with, and I judge by it that I have not made myself understood, by your Exellency. I did not ask any thing about the affairs of my department, than if no appearence that those who belong to the french service shall have the liberty of Remaining here now and as for the others—my Connexion with them being broke up by the peace I have no wright to...
16To George Washington from Antoine-Jean-Louis Le Bègue de Presle Duportail, 24 December 1782 (Washington Papers)
Give me leave to assure you of the pleasure I feel of seeing me again in america and under your excellency’s Command. I wished to Return sooner but I was detained by many Reasons, and, principally by the hope of engaging the french ministry in an expedition if not against newyork, at least againts Charlestown. I suppose marquis de la fayette has informed your excellency of all that we have...
17To George Washington from Antoine-Jean-Louis Le Bègue de Presle Duportail, 15 October 1783 (Washington Papers)
gnl laumoy & Colonel gouvion have informed me of the Regret your Excellency has been pleased to express for our leaving this Country. I am exceedingly flattered with it and beg you to Receive my sincere thanks—I will ask only the permission of telling a word in defense of my last measure—you know, dear general, that there are in this Country great many men even among those who are at the head...
18To George Washington from Antoine-Jean-Louis Le Bègue de Presle Duportail, 24 November 1781 (Washington Papers)
I heard with great Concern the domestique misfortune which your Excellency had lately, and in the apprehension that sad event will Retard your arrival here, I take the Resolution to write to you. I beg your Excellency to Receive my most sincere thanks for the letters of Recommendation which you have been so good as to give me for Congress. they have obtained to me the succes of my demands. one...
19To George Washington from Antoine-Jean-Louis Le Bègue de Presle Duportail, 2 September 1781 (Washington Papers)
i arrived here this morning at five o clok after a long and tedious journey on many accounts. But the pleasure i have to see at last a French fleet of 27 Sails of line in Your Country makes me forget all the hardships i experienced. Something yet gives me some uneasiness. i am sorry not to find here admiral du barras. your excellency knows very well all the different inconveniency’s which were...
20To George Washington from Antoine-Jean-Louis Le Bègue de Presle Duportail, 22 August 1781 (Washington Papers)
I arrived here the day before yesterday in a very bad situation with a great head-hoax and tooth-hoax and fever. I was afraid to be detained a long while in this town. but I treated the distemper in so rough a manner yesterday with bloodletting, emetick, that it left me. so I propose to set off to day after dinner and to travel as fast as I shall be able or rather the horses. unless something...
21To George Washington from Antoine-Jean-Louis Le Bègue de Presle Duportail, 27 June 1782 (Washington Papers)
I expected that no ship should go to america without us, but notwithstanding our impatience we are detained for two or three weeks longer. the minister of the navy Could not give any place to Colonel gouvion and myself in the frigate destined for the french officers but we have the assurance to have another with the marquis, the soonest possible. I wish you to be persuaded how much I long to...
22To George Washington from Antoine-Jean-Louis Le Bègue de Presle Duportail, 27 July 1781 (Washington Papers)
I was so much vexed two or three days ago by a Certain idea that i Cannot but submit it to your excellency. I that in the last Conference Count de Rochambeau to that admiral du barras and all the officers of the fleet pretended that it was not possible to force the entrance of the harbour of new york where there are some ships to defend it. if so, why would not admiral du barras in this...
23To George Washington from Antoine-Jean-Louis Le Bègue de Presle Duportail, 17 May 1783 (Washington Papers)
Major Murnan has made an application to me for a promotion. his demand appears to me well founded. that officer has now served five years as a major. your Excellency knows he was in virginia, it is true that he was not employed in the Siege, but Gnl Choisy who he served with gave him very honorable Certificates which attest his bravery and good Conduct. now the Conclusion of the war and the...
24To George Washington from Antoine-Jean-Louis Le Bègue de Presle Duportail, 16 September 1783 (Washington Papers)
The officers of my department and myself have waited patienly till now with the army that Congress be pleased to take a Resolution Concerning them and we would wait still longer if we were not in a particular situation—when the army or part of it shall be dismissed the american officers may go home when they please—but it is not so with us—your Excellency knows that we are almost all...
25To George Washington from Antoine-Jean-Louis Le Bègue de Presle Duportail, 25 May 1783 (Washington Papers)
I have the honour to present you the memorial mentionned in my last letter. I Composed it after the hints you have been pleased to give to me when at head quarters. I beg your Excellency to let me know if I have been happy enough as to meet with your ideas, willing not to propose any thing to Congress but trough you and what you approve of. If yor Excellency desires something more or different...
26To George Washington from Antoine-Jean-Louis Le Bègue de Presle Duportail, 24 October 1781 (Washington Papers)
My domestic affairs having long since Required my presence at home, I intreat your excellency, if you have not any plan in view for the winter in which I can be useful to him, to permit me to go to france and to support my application to Congress for a furlough of six or seven months. Colonel gouvion asks the same favor but—this is not the only one we ask. I shall explain myself freely to your...
27To George Washington from Antoine-Jean-Louis Le Bègue de Presle Duportail, 14 June 1781 (Washington Papers)
i have not Thought of any other thing but which occurred to me yesterday in the Conversation. but as i am more Convicted By Reflection of their advantage i will expose them again to your excellency. since the fleet is to Come so soon and to stay a short while i thinck there is no more occasion for Desitating for the proper situation of the fleet of Mr du Barras. he must absolutely, i believe,...
28To George Washington from Antoine-Jean-Louis Le Bègue de Presle Duportail, 27 July 1781 (Washington Papers)
Si l’on considere la nature du local dans la partie septentrionale de l’isle de newyork, on reconnoitra, je pense, que Ce n’est pas une Chose fort difficile que de prendre poste de l’autre Coté de Spitten duvil creek. on peut etablir sur la montagne qui est de Ce Cote cy du creek, des batteries si fortes que l’on voudra avec lesquels on forcera bientot l’ennemy d’abandonner le fort Charles et...
29To George Washington from Antoine-Jean-Louis Le Bègue de Presle Duportail, 1 December 1781 (Washington Papers)
Before I Sett off for france, I think it my Duty to propose to your Excellency Some Regulations concerning the Corps of Engineers. I hope, first of all, that Colel Laumoy will be Soon exchanged, & I wish it exceedingly for the good of the Service, & also because, having a Rank Superior to the other Engineers, there will be no difficulties about the Command, wich might otherwise probably be...
30To George Washington from Antoine-Jean-Louis Le Bègue de Presle Duportail, 30 September 1783 (Washington Papers)
according to the demand of the Committee I have the honour to send to your excellency my ideas about the establishment of my department. I wish I may be so happy as to meet with your own—I had a peculiar attention not to say any thing more than what is necessary—to take a determination upon the matter without defending to particulars which should have fuelled the memorial without any advantage...
31To George Washington from Antoine-Jean-Louis Le Bègue de Presle Duportail, 16 April 1783 (Washington Papers)
I take the liberty of sending to your Excellency a letter from Cap. bushnell to general lincoln Concerning Mr Reckless . you will see what is the subject of the application of this gentleman. gel lincoln believes that the only thing necessary in that affair is to ascertain the facts mentionned in the letter and to Know if the intention of your exellency was to appoint Mr Reckless in the Corps...
32To George Washington from Louis Le Bègue de Presle Duportail, 10 February 1790 (Washington Papers)
new Connexions which I have formed with america make me take the liberty of writing to your excellency. twenty three persons and myself we have acquired some lands on the ohio and we propose to make a setlement there. for that purpose we agreed to Carry or send over a certain number of Cultivators. this is a kind of experiment, which if successful, will be followed by a much greater one, so...
33To George Washington from Brigadier General Duportail and Lt. Col. Alexander Hamilton, 1 November 1779 (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Brigadier General Duportail and Lt. Col. Alexander Hamilton, 1 Nov. 1779 . Duportail and Hamilton wrote GW on 8 Nov. : “We hope before this you will have received our two letters of the 26th of October and 1st instant.”
34To George Washington from Brigadier General Duportail, 7 April 1778 (Washington Papers)
It is by no means doubtful that the addition of a few Redouts will increase the strength of our position—but in my opinion they may be regarded as a superfluous exertion of Strength—if in order to make a proper estimation of the advantages of our position, we take notice that the Enemy begins to be subject to our fire at the extreme range of Musket and Case-Shot—that in order to join us; they...
35To George Washington from Major General Nathanael Greene and Brigadier General Duportail, 16 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
To locate the army to any particular spots, may facilitate the Enemies getting possession of advantageous grounds, either upon one or the other of our flanks. It appears to us more proper therefore, that we move the troops upon the high and advantageous grounds, according as the motions of the enemy may indicate an intention to make an impression at particular places. Having examined the...
36To George Washington from Brigadier General Duportail, 18 June 1778 (Washington Papers)
I think we ought not to quit our position of Valley forge—before the enemy has evacuated Philadelphia—he must have lost his reason, to remain in that city without being in a condition to defend it. Thus either the intelligence which says there are no more than 2 or 3000 men there, is false—or the English have it in their power by the measures which they have taken, Signals agreed upon, number...
37To George Washington from Brigadier General Duportail, 2 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
The English fleet finding itself by the arrival of six vessels greatly superior to the French fleet, it seems to me that the English may now project a decisive operation. This is to block up the port of Boston with their fleet—to embark all the troops at NewYork—conduct them to Rhode Island—debark them there and march directly towards Boston. To prevent them—this is briefly what I should think...
38To George Washington from Brigadier General Duportail, 22 April 1779 (Washington Papers)
i Receive just now your excellency’s letter and Conformably to your orders i have the honour to propose major mernan for the expedition on susquehanna. i write to him to take your further orders for that Country. i have the honour to be with great Respect your excellency’s the most obedient and very humble servant ALS , DLC:GW . See GW to Duportail, 9 April . GW wrote to Major Murnan on 4 May...
39To George Washington from Duportail, 16 June 1784 (Washington Papers)
I thank you for the kind letter you have honored me with by Count de laval —I wish I Could Carry you the answer my self and accompany the marquis, but I am detained here—however I do not renounce to the pleasure of seeing your Exellency again and my american friends, even if we are not happy enough to receive you here—in two or three years I intend to pay a visit to america. I am Really sorry...
40To George Washington from Brigadier General Duportail, 27 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
je m’étois engagé a suivre de près mr de laumoy a philadelphie, mais j’avoueray a votre excellence que j’ai une Repugnance singuliere a faire le voyage voisy pourquoy. Cette Campagne-cy est peut estre la derniere qui se fera dans le Continent de L’amerique. si elle etoit Donc terminée par quelque action, je serois desespéré de ne m’y estre pas trouvè. je ne Crains pas Certainement que les...