George Washington Papers
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https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-14-02-0244

To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 22 March 1778

From Major General Lafayette

[Albany, N.Y., 22 March 1778]

dear General

I can never miss an opportunity of rembembering to your excellency the mighty Commander in chief of the irruption into Canada, and I seize with the greatest pleasure the first occasion of telling you how happy I have been to see in your last favor a new assurance of those sentiments of yours so dear to my heart1—as soon as I have got intelligence by G[ener]al Schuyller that you were desirous of having Some indians, I have dispatch’d three french men with black belts and yellow guineas to bring down as many as possible2—I dare hope theyr love for theyr father schall engage some to Come with me and I’l bring them to your excellency, for my only actual scheme is to join you, and get clear of many people—I have promis’d to those indians they schould have with ’em french officers if they would and I am bold enough to believe your excellency will not disapprouve any engagement of mine—I schall be very happy to forward the execution of a business you seem desire, very happy also to See you again, and present myself to your excellency the assurances of the most profond respect I have the honor to be with Your excellency’s the most obedient humble servant

the Marquis de lafayette

I am told my division will be six thousand strong—god may grant it!

ALS, DLC:GW. Tench Tilghman docketed the undated letter: “Albany 22d March 1778 from General Schuyler and Marquis la Fayette”; see also Philip Schuyler’s letter of this date.

1Lafayette evidently is referring to GW’s letter of 10 March.

2For the Indian recruitment scheme, see GW to the Commissioners of Indian Affairs, 13 March. The three Frenchmen included Lt. Col. Jean-Baptiste Gouvion, Capt. Anne-Louis de Tousard, and possibly Lt. Paul-Louis de Céloron de Blainville. Céloron de Blainville (b. 1753), a sous-lieutenant in the regiment of Martinique since 1775, appeared at Congress in late January 1777 with a letter of recommendation and was referred to GW (JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 7:66, 68). At that time he apparently was given a lieutenant’s commission. Promoted to captain of Pulaski’s Legion in 1778, he was captured at Charleston on 12 May 1780. His resignation was accepted by Congress in July 1782 (ibid., 22:361). After the war Céloron de Blainville served as a captain and aide major in the French army at St. Christophe and Guadeloupe until 1791, and he later served in the Guadeloupe national guard.

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