To John Jay from William Carmichael, 25 May 1780
From William Carmichael
Aranjues 25th. May 1780
Sir
I did myself the honor of writing to you the 18th and 23d. instant inclosing in my first letter one from the Ct de Florida Blanca1 and also a summary of news from America which the French Ambassador received via Cadiz; In the last I gave you an acct of the sailing of the Ferrol Squadron, and of Fleet under Monsr Ternay having doubled Cape Finister, with news of the departure of an expedition from the Havannah supposed to be destined against Florida.2 Last Night a courier arrived from Cadiz which brought letters from Monsr. Miralles of the 8th 9th and 10th of April.3 These confirm the Loss sustained by Clinton in his long passage to the Southward, & say that he had sent to N. York for a reinforcement of 2500 men, which sailed from the last mentioned City the fourth of April. This circumstance had determined General Washington to form the seige of N. York to assist him in which He had applied to the Commander in chief in the French Islands to send Him five or six sail of the Line. Congress had taken measures to send Strong reinforcements to the Southward. The paper money was in bad credit & the French Captain of the Polacre by which These advices are received declares publicly at Cadiz That Congress was bankrupt. I have not had the pleasure of hearing from you, which surprises me the more, as I am told you have written to his Excellency the Ct. de Florida Blanca and as I supposed that all communications from you to the Minister would have been made thro’ me. The King as I am told, appeared satisfied with the Advices, abovementioned, as there is nothing which shows the least want of vigor or unanimity in the States. I was at court yesterday & this day there has been a grand procession at which the King assisted, which gave me an opportunity of observing his Majestys great piety and devotion. I beg you to present compliments for me to Mrs. Jay the Colonel & Harrison & to believe me your Most Obedt. & Most Humble Sert
Wm. Carmichael
P.S.
Ct. will go into mourning for the Electress Dowager of Saxony in a day or two. I purpose to come to Town on Saturday for my suit of black & to take leave of Mr Gardoqui If I do not hear from you to the Contrary, I put my letters for you in the Poste myself for fear of Accidents—
ALS, NNC (EJ: 7534). Addressed: “Al Sigr. Don Juan Jay / Carrera del’ San Francisco”. Endorsed: “ . . . recd. 26 Inst.”
1. Floridablanca to JJ, RC, NNC (EJ: 8267), and Carmichael to JJ, ALS, NNC (EJ: 7533), both 18 May. Carmichael’s letter of 23 May has not been found. In his reply to this letter of 26 May, Dft, NNC (EJ: 7648), : 760–61, JJ informed Carmichael that he had not received the letter of 23 May.
2. A Spanish convoy under José Solano had left Cádiz on 28 Apr. Carmichael wrote JJ on 27 May that persons “who ought to be well informed” told him that the fleet and troops that had sailed from Cádiz two days earlier were destined for the Windward Islands, “to act in concert with the Squadron of the Ct. de Guischen.” Solano did not arrive in time for combined operations with Guichen.
Charles Louis d’Arsac, chevalier de Ternay (1722–80), commanded the fleet that escorted Rochambeau’s forces to America in 1780. Ternay’s squadron, destined for Newport, Rhode Island, sailed on 2 May and on 11 July reached Newport, where his fleet was penned in until after his death in December by the arrival of British fleets under Admirals Thomas Graves and Marriot Arbuthnot. On these operations, see Carmichael to JJ, 27 May, ALS, NNC (EJ: 7535), and 14 Aug., below; , 190–94; , 32: 70n; 33: 12n, 498n; and , 135–39.
3. Not found.