To Alexander Hamilton from Marquis de Fleury, 18 August 1779
From Marquis de Fleury
L. infantery1 Camp [near West Point] 18th. August. 79
Dr. Colo.
Ye officers of the two 1st Batellons of L. infantery which I actually Comand, have applied to me, for ceasing to Run over those Craggy Montains barefooted, & beg that I would write to head quarters, to have an order from his excellency to get one pare shoes for each. the shoes they hint to are at N. windsor & their intention is to pay for. Do not be so greedy for shoes as for my blanket, & think that the most urging necessity has determined their application: they’re quite barefooted.
I am very Respectfully sir Your Most obedient servant
L. Fleury
N.B. as his excellency Could form a very advantageous idea of ⟨our being in shoes⟩2 by the appearance of the officers who dined to day at head quarters, & were not quite without, I beg you would observe to him if necessary, that each company had furnished a shoe for their dressing.
si vous savez un mot de Mr. de la luzerne Dites le moi.
ALS, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress.
1. I.e., “Light Infantry.”
2. Material within broken brackets is taken from , I, 81.