To Benjamin Franklin from the Chevalier de Laumoy, 13 February 1785
From the Chevalier de Laumoy7
ALS: American Philosophical Society
A paris le 13 fevrier 1785.
Monsieur,
Messieurs du Portail Gouvion et moi avons regu dernierement des lettres de Mr. de Marbois Consul Genal. de france à Philadelphie, par lesquelles il nous mande que Mr. Millegan lui a dit vous avoir envoyé les nouveaux certificats des Sommes qui nous Sont dues par le Congrès,8 et dont l’Interest doit être d’orênavant payé à paris par Mr. Grand.—9 Oserois-je vous prier, Monsieur et au nom de ces Messrs. de vouloir bien me faire Savoir Si vous les avez reçus, ou Si vous en avez quelques nouvelles. Je vous en aurois une obligation infinie.
Je Suis avec un très profond Respect Monsieur, Votre très humble et tres obéissant Serviteur
Laumoy
Lt. Col. d’Infanterie, à l’hotel d’hollande rue du Bouloy,
A paris
Notation: Laumoy 13 Fevr. 1785.—
7. One of three engineers, along with Gouvion and Duportail, who had obtained a certification from BF the previous summer, confirming the deposit, in BF’s office, of the treasury certificates they had been issued by Congress as payment for their service in the Continental Army; see XLII, 468–9.
8. In fact, it was not until April 15 that James Milligan sent the replacement certificates to France. They were addressed to TJ and arrived in June: XLII, 469n; Jefferson Papers, VIII, 87–8.
Laumoy learned from Gouvion that the certificates were in TJ’s possession, and in early July he wrote to TJ from Pithiviers requesting that his certificate be sent by post to that city: Jefferson Papers, VIII, 268.
9. As of Jan. 1, 1785, Laumoy, Gouvion, and Duportail, collectively, were entitled to just over 11,095 l.t. in interest. Though Robert Morris had recently ordered Grand to make interest payments to sundry French officers (for which see the marquis de la Rouërie to BF, Jan. 14), he had not yet made provisions to pay Laumoy and his associates: Morris Papers, IX, 893.