From George Washington to John Hancock, 19 January 1781
To John Hancock
Head Quarters [New Windsor] 19th Jany 1781.
Dear Sir.
My Aide de Camp Col. Laurens is charged with a commission of the most critical importance from Congress to the Court of Versailles.1 The Alliance Frigate is ordered to convey him to France, but from the exhausted state of our continental resources in every department, delays which would be fatal to the objects of his mission are to be apprehended unless the influence of yr Exy or2 assistance of your state can be obtained in manning and fitting the Vessel for sea—In these circumstances there is new reason to rejoice that Your Excellency fills a station which gives efficacy to your constant desire of promoting the general interest3—The urgency of the present business demands every effort of influence and authority, and gives Yr Excellency an opportunity of rendering the most essential service to the United States, by interposing as far as may be consistent4 such measures as will give instant dispatch to the Frigate.
Persuaded that it is sufficient to apprise Yr Excellency of the occasion, to engage you to correspondent exertions5—I will only add the assurances of esteem and respect with which I am Dr Sir Yr Most Obedt and Most Hbe Servt6
Go: Washington
DfS, in John Laurens’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. Congress had named GW’s aide-de-camp John Laurens special minister to the court of France (see his letter to GW of 6 Nov., and n.2 to that document; see also GW to Laurens, 15 Jan., first letter).
2. GW wrote the previous five words above the line on the draft.
3. Hancock again sat as governor of Massachusetts (see his letter to GW, 17 Nov. 1780, and GW to Hancock, 9 Jan. 1781).
4. GW wrote the previous six words above the line on the draft.
5. For the report of Laurens on the readiness for sea of the Continental frigate Alliance, see his letter to GW of 4–7 Feb.; see also Hancock to GW, 5 February.
6. GW wrote the previous thirteen words on the draft.