1From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 10 May 1783 (Washington Papers)
It must, my dear Count, have been a pleasing event to you, to have landed on your native shore, crowned with Laurels after a perilous passage and the hazard of being taken—and to have received as I am perswaded you must have done the Smiles of a wise & generous Prince. On these happy events I sincerely congratulate you. To the generous aids of your Nation, & the bravery of its Sons, is to be...
2From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 29 December 1782 (Washington Papers)
It is with infinite satisfaction I embrace the earliest opportunity of sending to Philadelphia the Cannon which Congress were pleased to present to your Excellency in testimony of their Sense of the illustrious part you bore in the capture of the British Army under Lord Cornwallis at York in Virginia. The Carriages will follow by another Conveyance; but as they were not quite ready, I could...
3From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 14 December 1782 (Washington Papers)
I cannot, My dear Genl, permit you to depart from this Country without repeating to you the high sense I entertain of the Services you have rendered America by the constant attention which you have paid to the Interests of it. By the exact order & discipline of the Corps under your command—and your readiness, at all times, to give facility to every measure which the force of the Combined...
4From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 5 December 1782 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with your Excellency’s favor of the 30th ulto. I sincerely regret the disappointment of the Allies before Gibralter—more especially as it will serve to keep alive the spirits of the English. I enclose you the Copy of a letter which I recd last Night from the president of Congress—By this it appears that the evacuation of Charles town would take place as soon as the...
5From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 25 November 1782 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor of your Excellency’s Letter of the 22nd—The Packet for the Minister was immediately forwarded. We have yet no advices directly from Charles Town. I inclose your Excellency some of the latest New York and Philadelphia Papers. After you have read them be pleased to forward them to the Admiral—By the first it appears that Lord Howe’s Fleet had met with a severe gale of Wind,...
6From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 20 November 1782 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with your Excellency’s favors of the 9 t h 13 t h and 15 t h instants—We have yet no official accounts of the evacuation of Charles town, but there are a variety of reasons for believing that it has taken place. I never could learn that any troops embarked on board the Fleet that sailed the 26 t h of last month. By information from New York, the remainder of the British...
7From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 12 November 1782 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor of receiving your Excellency’s letter from Bolton in due time. The packet for the Minister of France which accompanied it was forwarded immediately. We have no intelligence of the actual evacuation of Charles town, but from some circumstances which have appeared in the New York Paper of the 5th instant, I think it probable that that event has taken place. The moment I receive...
8From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 3 November 1782 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with your letter of the 30th ulto from Hartford. In my last I informed your Excellency that 14 ships of the Line and 7 Frigates had sailed the 26th ulto from New York. I have not yet heard whether the remainder have sailed—neither have I received any intelligence respecting the evacuation of Charlestown—Your Excellency may be assured I shall give you instant information...
9From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 30 October 1782 (Washington Papers)
The inclosed Letter to the Marquis De Vaudreiul is left under a flying Seal for your Excellency’s Inspection—Information from Genl For-man of 24th & 26th instants part of British fleet Sailed—It contains the Intelligence which I have received from N. York respecting the Movement of the British fleet, part of which sailed the 26th inst. I have the Honor to be. DLC : Papers of George Washington.
10From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 25 October 1782 (Washington Papers)
The packet arrived at New York last Monday—Nothing has yet transpired but what is contained in the inclosed Paper—I likewise inclose your Excellency an extract from the latest intelligence which I have received from New York, but you will observe that it is prior to the arrival of the Packet—Accounts by Deserters confirm the intended division of the British Fleet. I beg the favor of your...
11From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 29 September 1782 (Washington Papers)
I did myself the honor to call at your Excellency’s Quarters this morning upon my return from an excursion as far as our old Camp at Philipsburg, but had not the pleasure of finding you at home—I wished to have communicated to you personally my observations upon the State of Forage in that part of the Country and the reasons which induce me to think a change of position may be attended with...
12From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 16 September 1782 (Washington Papers)
Agreeable to your Excellency’s request I have written to Governor Hancock to call out the Militia in the neighbourhood of Boston should the enemy threaten the Fleet under the command of the Marquis de Vaudreuil. I have the honor to be most sincerely yr Excellency’s obt and hble servt. DLC : Papers of George Washington.
13From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 13 September 1782 (Washington Papers)
Anticipating with much pleasure, your near Approach, I send Colo. Tilghman one of my Aides D. Camp, to meet & attend your Excellency to my Quarters, where, I presume you will be assured, that I shall embrace you with the highest Satisfaction. With much Regard & Esteem I am Dear Sir Your Excellency’s Most Obdt St DLC : Papers of George Washington.
14From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 10 September 1782 (Washington Papers)
I had last evening the honor of receiving your Excellencys favor of the 7th from Princetown containing the agreeable intelligence of your approach. I have immediately forwarded your letter to Monsr de la Tombe by our Chain of Expresses. I have constantly kept the Marquis de Vaudreuil advised of Admiral Pigots motions, from the first information of his arrival upon these Coasts to his arrival...
15From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 3 September 1782 (Washington Papers)
I had the pleasure to receive your Excellencys Letter of the 23d ulto at this place, where the American Army took their Encampment on the 31st. I am perfectly satisfied with the Route your Excellency has resolved to take in marchg your Army to the North River—and wish you to pursue it in the Mode that is most agreeable to yourself. I am glad to find you mention nothing of Your Fever & Ague—I...
16From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 16 August 1782 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with your Excellency’s favor of the 13th by Mr Lauberdiere who made so much dispatch that he delivered it last night about 11 o’clock. Were we certain that a pacification had advanced so far as Your Excellency thinks it has, or could we be assured that the British Ministry were really sincere in their offers which have been communicated thro’ their Commander in Chief Sir...
17From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 11 August 1782 (Washington Papers)
I was yesterday honored with your Excellency Letter by Genll de Choisey inclosing Copies of your Correspondence with the Marquis de Vaudruiel on the subject of his proposed Expedition, and requesting my opinion upon that enterprize, to be transmitted to the Marquis on his arrival at Boston. A Copy of my Letter to the Marquis de Vaudruiel, which is inclosed, will shew your Excellency my...
18From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 4 August 1782 (Washington Papers)
I ask you ten thousand pardons for breaking the Seal of the Inclosed Letter, to your Address. It was put into my hands with other dispatches, and was opened before I discovered the mistake—It happened too, in the moment I was expecting Letters from Sir Guy Carleton. I have the honor to be with Sentiments of the most perfect esteem & regard Yr Excellys Most Obt Servt P.S. The Enemy were about...
19From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 3 August 1782 (Washington Papers)
Agreeable to my promise I now inclose to your Excellency the Route by Coriell’s Ferry—the particular Stages & Distances I have noted, from which you will form your own Estimation for each Days march. I was yesterday favored with a Philadelphia paper of the 30th of July, wch mentions the Arrival of 13 Ships of the Line 2 frigates & a Cat under Comd of Monr Va u dreuil at the Capes of...
20From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 16 July 1782 (Washington Papers)
In a Letter which I have this Day received from the Secretary at War, in the followg paragraph—"When our Troops retired from York Town in Virginia, a large Quantity of Ordnance & Ordnance Stores were left for the Use of the French Troops, who were to occupy that post—As the french Troops have left Virginia, I suppose our Artillery & Stores will be no longer wanted, if they are not, I think it...
21From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 16 July 1782 (Washington Papers)
The french corps having staid at Williamsburgh, untill the first of July, without any plan of campaign being received from France, and none of the officers who had been sent to take his majesty’s orders being returned, and the time fit for the operations being so much advanced, it has been necessary to put the french corps in motion, having beforehand consulted the conjectures and the greatest...
22From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 24 June 1782 (Washington Papers)
I have looked with anxious impatience my dear count, for those dispatches from your court, the arrival of which to you was to be the moment of our interview at Phila. I have been in such dayly expectation of this event that I have not Ventured more than fifteen miles from this place Lest your summons should arrive here in my absence. the season of operating in this quarter is flying away...
23From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 24 June 1782 (Washington Papers)
At the moment of sending off the inclosed Letter to you of this same date, Your favor of the 8th of this Month, which had been long on the way came to hand. Your Idea of not moving the French Troops, in our present state of anxious uncertainty, is quite coincident with mine; but it is left entirely to your Judgment to maintain or alter that opinion as you may find necessary on further...
24From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 28 May 1782 (Washington Papers)
I have the Honor of your Letter of the 13th of this Mo. Since the Information I conveyed to your Excellency, by the Baron Closen, the Amusement of peace held out by our Enemies has been much augmented by the Arrival of Sir Guy Carleton in N. York, who enounces himself as Commander in Chief in America—with powers of Conciliation to these States—pleasg as their first prospect might have been,...
25From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 5 May 1782 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency’s favor of the 20th of Apl by Baron Closen arrived at my Quarters last Evening. If the Enemy ever had an intention to evacuate Charles Town, that Idea, I believe is now given up—Great revolutions in the British Councils have lately taken place—the particulars which are brought by the March Packet, will be conveyed to you by the inclosed New York Gazette which I send for your...
26From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 23 April 1782 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored by your Excellency’s Letter of the 6th instant—and thank you for the Communication of Genl Green’s of the 10th ulto—I think he need not be much alarmed on Account of the movement of the Legion—from the present Situation of the Enemy, I am persuaded no Reinforcement will be sent from N. York to Carolina. I am equally impatient with your Excellency, for Intelligence from...
27From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 19 March 1782 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with your Excellencys favor of the 27th ulto. Under present appearances I think Genl de Choissy should not move beyond Charlotte Court House—There are several reasons to induce a belief that the enemy mean to evacuate south Carolina and Georgia—If such an event is to take place we must soon know it. I requested His Excellency the Minister of France to inform you that...
28From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 23 February 1782 (Washington Papers)
I was yesterday honored with your Excellencys favor of the 10th Inst. I am extremely sorry to hear of the loss at the Diligente—The Chevalier Clonard appears to have done every thing that could have been expected from an active intelligent Officer. In a former Letter I expressed my approbation of the exchange of a number of the British Convalescents left a Gloucester for those taken in the...
29From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 21 February 1782 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with your Excellency’s favor of the 5th instant, to which, my letters of the 9th and 12th of this month will have served for an answer. In my letters of the 14th of January and 9th of February, I requested the favor of your Excellency to negotiate the exchange of Brigr Genl Lord Rawdon for Brigr Genl Moultrie. I since find, that Gentleman has been exchanged, by composition,...
30From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 12 February 1782 (Washington Papers)
In my letter to your Excellency of the 10th of December last, I requested you to grant passports upon the application of David Ross Esqr. for any Vessells which might be laden with Tobacco for the payment of Goods purchased of the British Merchants at York Town. It has been since suggested, that Passports of Merchandize of every kind, if granted by any other power than that of Congress or...