From Benjamin Franklin to George Washington, 10 September 1777
To George Washington
ALS (draft): Library of Congress
Passy near Paris, Sept. 10. 1777.
Sir
The Bearer, M. de Cambray proposes to go to America with a View of entring into our Service. He is strongly recommended to me by the Duke de Rochefoucauld, who is not only a warm Friend to our Cause, but an excellent Judge of military Merit.7 I enclose his Letter, with a State of M. de Cambray’s Services which I receiv’d from another Hand, whereby it appears that he is skill’d in Engineering; and as you cannot have too much of that Science in your Army, I have the greater Confidence that you will find this Gentleman useful. I therefore take the Liberty of recommending him to your Excellency’s Protection, and of expressing my hopes that our Service will be made agreable to him. With the greatest Respect I have the Honour to be Sir Your Excellency’s most obedient and most humble Servant
B Franklin
Gen Washington
Notation: Recommendation M. de Cambray
7. Louise-Antoine-Jean-Baptiste, chevalier de Cambray-Digny, came to the American army with recommendations not only from La Rochefoucauld but also from friends of Lafayette, and the marquis gave him his strong support: Idzerda, Lafayette Papers, II, 71. For the chevalier’s subsequent career see Lasseray, Les Français, I, 139–40.