Paris, March 30 1780. RC in John Thaxter’s hand ( PCC , No. 84, I, f. 383–384). printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 3:581–582. Read by Congress on 11 Sept., this letter contained an account of a confrontation in February between several corps of Irish volunteers and a...
I have the Honor to inclose to Congress Copies of certain Letters, which I have had the Honor to write to the Comte de Vergennes, and of others which I have recieved from him. It seems that the Presentations of the American Commissioners and Ministers Plenipotentiary have not been inserted in the Gazette, which occasioned some Uneasiness in the Minds of some of our Countrymen, as they thought...
3To John Adams from William Lee, 30 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have had the Honor of Receiving yours of the 21st. instant. The Name of the person you wish to know is, the Duke of Brunswick, Brother to Prince Ferdinand, Field Marischall and Commander in cheif of the Dutch Land Forces. He is not liked by his Family as they conceive, he is too much attach’d to the House of Austria. The Quintuple Alliance that you mention, I conceive is only the conjecture...
4To John Adams from the Comte de Vergennes, 30 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
J’ai reçu, Monsieur, la lettre que vous m’avez fait l’honneur de m’écrire le 21 de ce mois. Je me rappelle très bien de vous avoir dit que votre présentation seroit insérée dans la gazette de France; Mais d’après les informations que j’ai prises, je me suis convaincu que jamais les présentations, soit des ambassadeurs, soit des Ministres Plénipotentiaires, n’ont été annoncées dans notre...
5Enclosure: Draft of an Article, 30 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
Le S. Adams que le Congrès des Etats Unis de l’Amérique a désigné pour assister aux conférences pour la paix lorsqu’il y aura lieu, est arrivé depuis quelque tems ici et a eû l’honneur d’être présenté au Roi et à la famille royale.
I have received, sir, the letter that you did me the honor to write on the 21st of this month. I recall very well having told you that your presentation would be inserted in the Gazette de France . But further investigation has convinced me that never have the presentations of either ambassadors or ministers plenipotentiary been announced in our Gazette , so that to do so in your case would...
7Enclosure: A Draft of an Article: A Translation, 30 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Adams, whom the Congress of the United States of America has appointed to participate in the peace conferences whenever they may occur, arrived here sometime ago and has had the honor of being presented to the King and the royal family. This notice, which appeared virtually without change in the 8 April issue of Mercure de France , “Journal Politique de Bruxelles” (p. 88), was the second...
8From John Adams to the Comte de Vergennes, 30 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have the honour of your Excellency’s letter of this day, in answer to mine of the 21st. of this month. Untill the receipt of it, I had taken it for granted that the presentation of every Ambassador was regularly inserted in the Gazette of France; and untill very lately, several days since the date of my letter to your Excellency of the 21st. of this month, I had supposed that the...
9From Alexander Hamilton to Lieutenant Colonel John Laurens, [30 March 1780] (Hamilton Papers)
I have received lately two letters from you, the last dated the 24th of February and am much obliged to you for the detail you give me. I hope your expectations may not be disappointed, though I confess to you my fears are very much up about your situation. The enemy will push the point at every hazard; and I am apprehensive after all you will be vulnerable on the water-side. If they will cut...
10George Washington to Major General Benjamin Lincoln, 30 March 1780 (Hamilton Papers)
Morristown [ New Jersey ] March 30, 1780 . Introduces and recommends Brigadier General Du Portail. Df , in writing of H, George Washington Papers, Library of Congress.
11From Benjamin Franklin to Rodolphe-Ferdinand Grand, 30 March 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress M. Dumas has written a Long letter to M. Bowdoin [Baudouin] Acquainting him, that the Ambassador had sent for him, produc’d and read to him his Letter to Mr. Charmichael cover’d him with reproches, and menaced his Ruin he has also written to me disiring to know how I dispos’d of that letter he having sent it under Cover of a Letter to me dated Feb. 25. which last was...
12To Benjamin Franklin from Peter Blackit, 30 March 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society This is to acquaint you that I was lately Boatswain of the Princess Privateer belonging to america. I must give to understand that about two month ago we took a Prize, a brigg belonging to Wales the mate of which was brought on board the Princess Privateer & about forty or fifty prisoners more being on board; & about three weeks after the taking of the Said...
13To Benjamin Franklin from Pierre Roussille, 30 March 1780 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society Je me trouve malgré moi dans La nécessitte demprunter une plume etranger pour réclamer vos bontés, quelque jours avant mon depart pour me rendre a bordeau il m’est Survenu une indisposition qui ma totalement privé de Cet avantage pour une maladie qui Sest déclaré, dans Le principe est très Serieuse Ce qui me retient encore au Lit. Mes jours ont été pendant...
14To Benjamin Franklin from Jonathan Williams, Jr., 30 March 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : University of Pennsylvania Library; copy: Yale University Library I informed you in my last that the Farmers insisted on the payment of the Duties, & even made a merit of not seizing the Goods. I am sure this is because they do not understand the nature of my Request for it is not an exemption from any Duty which I ask, but I ask not to pay a Duty which I am only liable to by having...
15[Diary entry: 30 March 1780] (Washington Papers)
30th. Clear & cool—Wind continuing to blow from the same pt.—Ground froze again.
16General Orders, 30 March 1780 (Washington Papers)
Varick transcript , DLC:GW .
17From George Washington to the Board of War, 30 March 1780 (Washington Papers)
Upon receiving information that the enemy are preparing to send a reinforcement to the southward, I have determined to detach Major Lees Corps, both Horse and Foot to that quarter, and have written to the commanding Officer to put them in readiness as expeditiously as possible. As they will undoubtedly want many matters to equip them for so long a march, I have directed the Officer to repair...
18To George Washington from the Board of War, 30 March 1780 (Washington Papers)
The great distress of the Army for want of Blankets induced the board sometime since to attempt to import them from New York. this however they would have been very averse to, if they had not been absolutely certain there were no other possible means of procuring them. Previous to their taking this step, they applied to Congress for a secret Committee to confer with them on the measure; and...
19From George Washington to Major General Robert Howe, 30 March 1780 (Washington Papers)
From the diminution of our force at the Highlands by the expiration of the service of many of the Troops & which will become still greater from the same cause, and the possibility that the Enemy may attempt to enterprize something against the posts there—I have determined to bring the New-Hampshire Brigade from Danbury to reinforce you—The inclosed Letter to the Commanding Officer there, You...
20To George Washington from Major Moses Knap, 30 March 1780 (Washington Papers)
As General Howe cannot determine the matter, I am obliged to trouble your Excellency to know, whether the Light Dragoons have a right to recruit out of the Infantry. Last Fall a Cornet of Colonel Sheldons Regiment reinlisted a number of men out of General Glovers Brigade & was about to furlough them. As soon as General Glover hear of it, he immediately ordered the Men to their Regiments, &...
21From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., or the Officer Commanding His Corps at Burlington, N.J., 30 March 1780 (Washington Papers)
You will be pleased, upon the receipt of this, to take the most expeditious measures for putting the whole Corps both Horse and Foot in readiness to march. If you move, your destination will be South Carolina. The Horse will go the whole way by land—the Foot will go down Chesapeak Bay by Water and meet the Horse at Petersburg—As soon as you have given the necessary orders at Burlington you had...
22To George Washington from the Maryland Council, 30 March 1780 (Washington Papers)
Mr Robert Mundell is recommended by this Board to his Excellency General Washington, or the Commanding Officer at Elizabeth Town, for his License to go into the City of New York, for the purpose of obtaining a passage to Great Britain. ALS , DLC:GW . The Maryland Council again wrote GW on 1 April. The letter, in the hand of Gov. Thomas Sim Lee, reads: “Doctor Gustavus Brown is recommended by...
23From George Washington to John Mathews, 30 March 1780 (Washington Papers)
I am much obliged to you for your favor of the 24th of this month. It would seem pretty evident from the enemy’s inactivity, from which we derive so many advantages, that some very considerable derangement has happened in their affairs. Whether this arises from the want of horses—the loss of military stores, or an insufficiency in the article of small craft for the transportation of troops or...
24From George Washington to John Mitchell, 30 March 1780 (Washington Papers)
Your Letter of the 25th did not come to my hands till yesterday Afternoon. I will take the Chariot at the price of Two hundred and ten pounds in gold, provided you have examined it yourself with a critical eye or will get some good judge or judges to do it and they shall be of opinion that it is made in the present taste—well fashioned—composed of seasoned wood well put together. and also that...
25To George Washington from Major General Stirling, 30 March 1780 (Washington Papers)
The Questions which your Excellency has been pleased to State to the Council of war, are of the Utmost importance; so very great as to involve the Event of this War, and the fate of North America, and therefore demand our most Serious Attention and fullest Consideration. The Enemy very early in this Controversy saw that while we could keep up an Army in the Middle Colonies we should Command...
26To Thomas Jefferson from Riedesel, 30 March 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
New York, 30 Mch. 1780 . Cannot “refrain from once more addressing Your Excellency, and repeating my invariable Esteem for you, your Lady, and amiable Family, also testifying the lively rememberance i , and all mine have of your many Civilities and particular politeness to us.” Announces “the happy recovery of Madame de Riedesel after having presented me a fourth Daughter, near three Weeks...