Benjamin Franklin Papers
Documents filtered by: Author="American Commissioners" AND Correspondent="Franklin, Benjamin"
sorted by: date (ascending)
Permanent link for this document:
https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Franklin/01-23-02-0215

Agreement between the American Commissioners and Louis-Guillaume-Servais des Hayes de La Radière, 17 February 1777

Agreement between the American Commissioners and Louis-Guillaume-Servais des Hayes de La Radière6

AD (draft)7: American Philosophical Society

At Paris, this 17th Day of February, 1777.

Whereas le Sr. Laradiere Major du Corps Royal du genie, in the Service of his most Christian Majesty, not having obtain’d his Leave of Absence when the Agreement between us and Messieurs le Chevalier du Portal, de Laumoy, and Gouvion, was concluded, viz. on the 13th of this Instant, could not become a Party by signing the said Agreement, but having now that Leave, is ready to enter into the same Engagements; We the undersigned do hereby agree that the same Terms and Stipulations entred into between us and the Gentlemen above mentioned, and contained in the said Agreement, shall be granted and observed, with Regard to M. Laradiere, in every Respect, he performing the same Duties therein engaged to be performed by them, which he hereby promises accordingly.

Agreemt. with M. Laradiere

Notation: Laradiere

[Note numbering follows the Franklin Papers source.]

6La Radière (1744–79) was, like Duportail, a graduate of the military school at Mézières, and was commissioned captain of engineers in 1775. Duportail clearly recruited him after writing his letter above of Jan. 12, but when is not clear. La Radière, like Laumoy, was breveted major before his departure, and went to America as a lieutenant colonel although this agreement, surprisingly enough, says nothing about his rank. He was promoted to colonel in November, 1777, and was in charge of fortifying the Hudson Highlands; he died in service in the autumn of 1779. JCC, IX, 932; Lasseray, Les Français, I, 181–2; Elisabeth S. Kite, Brigadier-General Louis Lebègue Duportail . . . (Baltimore, etc., 1933), pp. 21 n, 79–90, 159–62.

7In WTF’s hand.

Index Entries