51From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 3 July 1781 (Washington Papers)
The Count Ferchin will do me the Favor to deliver this to your Excellency—The Operations of this Day are over—but I am not so happy as to inform you that our Success has been equal to our Wishes—altho I have Reason to think that every essential Benefit will Result to our future Operations from the Opportunity I have had in a very full manner to reconnoitre the Position & Strength of the Enemy...
52From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 2 July 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have this morning received your Excellencys Favor of last Evening. I think it may be very well for your Excellency to proceed Tomorrow to North Castle—where you will continue untill you assemble your whole Force, unless you should hear further from me within that Time. Being at North Castle will put you in a direct Rout to receive your Provisions from Crompond—& will be a Direct Road for...
53From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 1 July 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with your Excellency’s Favor of last Night—and feel myself much obliged by the Readiness with which you comply to the Request I had the Honor to make to you in my last. The Information conveyed by your Excellency, I had before received; altho not in so pointed a View with Respect to Numbers. The Enemy’s Apprehensions of our Intention, & the Probability I had reason to...
54From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 30 June 1781 (Washington Papers)
I had last Evening the honor of your Excellency’s favor of the 28th with a postscript of the 29th. The enemy, by sending a detachment into Monmouth County in Jersey to collect Horses—Cattle and other plunder, have so weakened their posts upon the North End of York Island, that a most favorable opportunity seems at this moment to present itself of possessing them by a Coup de Main, which, if it...
55From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 27 June 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have had the Honor of receiving your Excellency’s Favor of the 23d Inst. from Hartford. It would have given me the greatest Pleasure could I have made it convenient to have met you at Newtown...but independant of many Arrangements which are necessary at the first taking the Field, I am detained by the hourly Expectation of His Excellency the Chevr de le Luzerne. I am pleas’d to find that...
56From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 24 June 1781 (Washington Papers)
I do myself the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Excellency’s letter of the 20th Instant, from which I have the pleasure to observe the progress you make in the March of the Army under your Command, and your intention to come on to my Camp in Person from Hartford. Be assured Sir I shall be very happy to see you whenever you arrive; you do not mention the route by which you shall come...
57From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 19 June 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have the Honor of your Excellency’s Letter of the 15th—Being fully persuaded of your active Zeal & Wish to join the Army under my Command, I have only to intimate to you my Desire that you will not hurry your Troops by too rapid a March—but suffer them to make such Halts on their Rout, as you shall find convenient & necessary. By Information received from the Enemy at N. York, It seems they...
58From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 17 June 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have the pleasure of inclosing Your Excellency copies of two letters from Major General Greene, which it appears that an agreeable train of successes have attended our affairs in South Carolina. The consequences will be important, but they would be more so, had we a sufficient force in that quarter to pursue the advantages we have gained. I have heard nothing further from the Marquis de la...
59From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 13 June 1781 (Washington Papers)
I am honored by your Excellency’s favors of the 9th and 10th instants, and with their very interesting communications, which you may be assured will be kept perfectly secret. I flatter myself that the whole Convoy will arrive in safety at some of the Eastern ports, as I believe all the British Ships are cruising off the Hook. The Count de Barras has furnished me with the result of the second...
60From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 7 June 1781 (Washington Papers)
I do myself the Honor to inclose Your Excellency a Martinico Gazette of the 3rd of May which announces the Arrival of the Count de Grasse and gives an imperfect Account of the Action between the Fleets. This was sent me by the Minister with a Desire that it might be forwarded to You. But by Intelligence as late as the 8th of May it appears that the Count, unable to overtake Hood, had returned...
61From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 4 June 1781 (Washington Papers)
I had, last Evening, the honor of receiving your favor of the 31st of May, by the Duke de Lauzun, who informs me, that he is authorised by your Excellency and the Count de Barras to enter into a free communciation with me, upon the subject of the Council of War held on board the Duke de Burgogne, and to request my opinion upon the propriety of their determination. I must confess to your...
62From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 3 June 1781 (Washington Papers)
I am sorry to inform you that one of our Messengers has been taken between this place and Morris Town. Among other Dispatches he had that which your Excellency enclosed in yours of the 28th of May for the Minister of France. The Enemy can gain no material information from my Letters and I Shall be happy to hear that they will be disappointed in yours. By Letters of the 24th of May from the...
63From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 2 June 1781 (Washington Papers)
I am honored with your Excellency’s favor of the 28th ulto. I flatter myself the Count de Barras will meet with no interruption upon his passage, as I have reason to think the British Fleet are off the Hook. I have deferred writing to your Excellency, in hopes that I should have been able to have learnt, with certainty, whether there was any thing in the report which General St Clair forwarded...
64From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 14 May 1781 (Washington Papers)
I last night had the honor of receiving your Excellency’s favor of the 11th. As you request me to name the time of meeting, I appoint Monday the 21st of this month at Weathersfeild which I think is as soon as will be possible for you, with convenience. General Knox and General du portail will accompany me. I will endeavour to be at Weathersfeild on saturday afternoon myself, and have made...
65From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 13 May 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have this morning received your Excellency’s favor of the 8th. Give me leave most sincerely to congratulate you on the safe return of the Viscount de Rochambeau, who I hope is the Bearer of agreeable intelligences. A Copy of your letter has been instantly transmitted to His Excellency the Minister at Philadelphia. I will meet your Excellency at Weathersfield, at any time which you shall be...
66From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 11 May 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have this instant received a Letter from Colo. Dayton, (an officer of intelligence in the American army, near Elizabeth town) which contain the inclosed paragraph. His informant must, I conceive, have magnified the enemy’s force, both in ships of the line, and in the strength of the detachment—nor do I conceive that the fleet could have sailed on the 8th, as he mentions, on account of the...
67From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 7 May 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with Your Excellency’s favors of the 30th of April and 4th of this month. The first was delivered to me by Colo. Menonville, to whom I refer you for what has passed between us on the subject of his mission. I have received no particular intelligence from New York since that of the 29th ulto, which has been communicated to your Excellency. I very sincerely wish success to...
68From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 3 May 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have had the honor of receiving Your Excellency’s Letter of the 28th of April, and of forwarding the Dispatches for the Chevalier de la Luzerne, which were transmitted to my care. I will expect the pleasure of Mr De Menonville’s Company in his route to Philadelphia. Nothing Material has occurred since my last Letter. With the highest esteem & respect I have the honor to be Sir Your...
69From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 30 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have had the honor of receiving your Excellency’s and the Chevalier des Touche’s joint letter of the 25th and your own of the 26th. The absence of your light Frigates renders the plan which Major Tallmadge proposed impracticable for the present. We will, however, keep the enterprise in view, and may, perhaps, at some future time, find an opportunity of carrying it into execution with...
70From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 30 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
I assure your Excellency, that I feel extreme pain at the occasion of that part of your letter of the 26th Inst. which relates to an intercepted letter of mine published by the enemy. I am unhappy, that an accident should have put it in their power to give to the world any thing from me, which may contain an implication the least disagreeable to you or to the Chevalier Des-Touches. I assure...
71From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 26 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
Since my letter of the 22d, I have received intelligence, which I think may be depended upon, that Admiral Arbuthnot with this Fleet was in New York harbour, and that three or four of the Ships which suffered in the late action were near the town repairing their damage. Transport were fitting and preparations were making as if for an embarkation, but I can yet gain no satisfactory account upon...
72From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 22 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with your Excellency’s favors of the 15th and 18th instants. I am obliged by the care which you promise to take of my packet for Mr Laurens. Major Tallmadge, who your Excellency will have seen before this reaches you, has been upon Long Island, and there obtained intelligence that the British Fleet had returned to New York. From whence I conclude that the whole are there. I...
73From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 16 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
I was last night honored with a letter from your Excellency bearing date the 7th instant, which I presume must have been a mistake, as you acknowledge the receipt of mine of the 6th. The intelligence communicated in mine of the 10th respecting a further embarkation from New York is confirmed by a variety of accounts. The number or exact destination is not yet ascertained, but all agree that it...
74From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 10 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
I had the pleasure of receiving yr Excellency’s letter of the 6th instant only two hours ago. We are greatly indebted to The Chevalier Des Touches for the disposition he shows to undertake the expedition to Penobscot and to you for your readiness to furnish a detachment of troops for the same purpose. The object is certainly worth attention and if it can be effected will be very agreeable to...
75From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 8 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
Major Talmadge an Officer of great merit who will have the honor of delivering this letter, will inform your Excellencys minutely of the State of the Enemys Refugee Post on Loyds Neck (Long Island) and will suggest the practicability of cutting off this Corps, and destroying the Enemys Shipping in the Sound, while the British fleet is absent. This would be a very desireable event on every...
76From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 7 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with your Excellency’s favor of the 31st ulto. Your remarks upon the uncertainty of operations which depend upon a combination of Land and sea Forces, except there is a decisive superiority over the enemy as to the latter, are judicious, and consonant to the Ideas which I had ever entertained upon the subject. Upon maturely considering the offer which your Excellency has...
77From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 3 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
In my Letter of the 31st Ulto I informed Your Excellency, that there had been an Action between General Greene and Lord Cornwallis on the 15th of March; the particulars of which had not then been received. I have now the honor of enclosing the Copy of a Letter from Major General Greene, in which he gives the circumstances of that Engagement in detail: from this, and other Accounts, I cannot...
78From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 31 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
I last night received your Excellency’s favor of the 27th announcing the return of the Squadron under the command of the Chevalier Des Touche to the Harbour of New-Port. A few minits before your Letter reached me, the inclosed, which His Excellency the Minister of France had the goodness to send under an open cover to me, informed me of the action which had happened on the 16th off the Capes...
79From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 29 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with your Excellency’s favor of the 21st: I have not received any intelligence from the Southward since the letter of the 15th from the Marquis de la Fayette, the substance of which I communicated to your Excellency in my last. I cannot but look upon this as very unaccountable; for, I think, had either Fleet reached the Chesapeak by the 20th, I should have heard of it,...
80From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 21 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
I arrived at this place yesterday at Noon. Upon my return I found intelligence contradicting that which I gave your Excellency from Hartford. The British Transports, I suppose, had made some change of disposition, which gave rise to the report of their having sailed and returned again to New York. I believe it may now be depended on that they sailed from the Hook the 13th instant. I am in...
81From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 18 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
I received intelligence last night from General Heath—that the British Transports which were supposed to have sailed from New York on the 9th returned again to the watering place on the 11th. Various are the conjectures and reports in New York upon the occasion, but I hope the true reason is, that finding the French Fleet a head of them, they did not chuse to risque the detachment. I shall...
82From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 16 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
By letters which I have met at this place from the Marquis de la Fayette I find that he was embarked and had determined to fall as low down the Chesapeak as Annapolis as the passage is more certain from thence than from Elk River. I have received advice from Colo. Dayton an intelligent Officer stationed near Elizabeth town that the British transports at New York fell down to the Hook on...
83From George Washington to Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 2 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
The third day after he left you, the Baron de Closen did me the pleasure of delivering me Your Excellency’s letter of the 25th. His diligence and zeal perfectly equalled your expectations. The important and agreeable intelligence, the dispatches by him contained, determined me to lose no time in setting out, to enjoy the satisfaction which I have been so long promising myself. I hope to arrive...
84From George Washington to Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 27 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
I thank you for the immediate communication contained in your letter of the 24th of the agreeable intelligence of the success of the naval detachment in Chesapeak bay—& I am happy to find at the same time that Mr Destouches was preparing a second detachment for an ulterior cooperation. I have renewed my orders to the Marquis De la Fayette who Commands the Corps sent from hence to push forward...
85From George Washington to Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 26 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to inclose Your Excellency under a flying seal my letter to the Chevalier Des Touches in answer to his of the 20th instant, in which I explain more precisely the grounds and import of the propositions which I had the honor to make to him through you. I shall add to the observations contained in this letter, that so far as related to my proposition for a detachment of land...
86From George Washington to Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 24 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
I am honored with Your Excellency’s letters of the 8th 12th and 18th since mine to you of the 19th. The important intelligence you do me the favour to communicate comes so many ways and with so many marks of authenticity that we have the greatest reason to hope it is true. If so, without the interference of other powers of which there seems to be no probability, I think we may regard it as an...
87From George Washington to Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 19 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to congratulate Your Excellency on the safe arrival of the Viscount De Rochambeau at the Court of Versailles. My authority is derived from the President of Congress who in a letter of the 14th instant writes me thus: “By letters just come to hand from Mr Carmichael at Madrid, I am informed that the son of Count De Rochambeau is safe arrived in France”—I hope every thing...
88From George Washington to Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 15 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
The Count de St Mesmes, last evening, did me the honor to deliver me your letter of the 3d instant. It appears by the report of the Naval Officer, that the enemy were inferior to the Chevr Des Touche, and from the situation of the Bedford and the America would probably remain so for some time—It appears also to have been your Excellency’s expectation that Mr Des Touche would either go with his...
89From George Washington to Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 14 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with your Excellency’s favor of the 2d, and am much obliged by the confidential communication of your dispatches from St Domingo. It is with pleasure I transmit your Excellency the Copy of a letter from Brigadier General Morgan to Major Genl Greene, giving an account of a decisive Victory gained by him over Lt Colo. Tarleton on the 17th of January. I am in hopes that this...
90From George Washington to Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 7 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
I am much obliged to you for the agreeable intelligence contained in your letter of the 29th of January. I hope the confirmation will have enabled Mr Des-touches to take advantage of the event, in a manner as advancive of his own glory, as of the good of the service. I impatiently wait further advices. By the last accounts from Virginia which come down to the 20th Arnold had reimbarked from...
91From George Washington to Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 29 January 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have the pleasure to inform your Excellency that the detachment sent against the Mutineers as Mentioned in my last, surrounded them in their Quarters on the Morning of the 27th and demanded an immediate surrender, which was complied with on their part without the least attempt to resist—Two of the principal actors were executed on the spot & the remainder pardoned. From the appearances of...
92From George Washington to Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 24 January 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have been duly honored with your Excellency’s letter of the 10th and 13th instant. The 20th I had the pleasure of writing to you fully, principally on the subject of the Pensylvania line. It is with equal mortification and regret, I find myself obliged to add to that, the account of a second mutiny, which I had apprehended and which has lately taken place in the Jersey troops—When the...
93From George Washington to Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 20 January 1781 (Washington Papers)
I should have done myself the honor of writing sooner to your Excellency on the late disturbance in the Pennsylvania Line, had I not relied, that General Knox first, and afterwards Count Des Deux ponts would give you the most accurate account of this affair —and had I not been waiting to hear the event of it and collect the particulars to enable me to give you a more perfect idea of it. The...
94From George Washington to Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 9 January 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with your Excellency’s favors of the 22d and 25th of December and 1st instant. The reasons assigned by your Excellency for declining, at this time, the enterprize, which I took the liberty to refer to your consideration, are weighty, but the representation made by the Chevalier Destouche, of the impossibility of going to Sea for want of Bread, renders the measure...
95From George Washington to Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 3 January 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have received your Excellency’s favor of the 19th of December. Since my last, which was on the 23d of December, I have gained intelligence, thro’ a channel on which I can depend, that the detachment which sailed from New York the 20th of last Month consisted of about 1600 Men, and was chiefly composed of drafts from the different British—German—and provincial Regiments. The Queens Rangers...
96From George Washington to Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 23 December 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have been honoured with your Excellency’s favors of the 8th Instt from Newport and 13th from Boston—I am obliged by your communication of the Letter from the commanding Officer at St Domingo but cannot help being anxious for the safety of Monsr Monteiuls Squadron. The intelligence brought by the Vessel from Nantes to Boston is very interesting I am in hopes that the Captn has good grounds...
97From George Washington to Lieutenant General Rochambeau and Rear Admiral Ternay, 15 December 1780 (Washington Papers)
Two days ago, I did myself the honor to inform His Excellency the Count de Rochambeau, that Sir Henry Clinton was making another embarkation —this is since confirmed by other accounts, but I have received none yet which fix the particular Corps or numbers, with certainty—though all agree, that this detachment is intended as a reinforcement to Lord Cornwallis—that it is to consist of about 2500...
98From George Washington to Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 13 December 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have to inform your Excellency, that I have received an account from New York, that another embarkation was preparing at that place. The detachment which appears to be about 2500 Men is to be commanded by Generals Knyphausen and Phillips. The destination was not publicly known, but supposed to be to the Southward. This information does not come to me thro’ a Channel on which I perfectly...
99From George Washington to Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 10 December 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have recd your Excellency’s favors of the 14th 16th 24th and 27th of November and 1st of this month. In apology for suffering so many of your letters to remain so long unanswered, I must assure you, that I have been constantly employed, since I broke up my Camp near passaic Falls, in visiting the winter Cantonments of the Army between Morristown and this place. I have experienced the highest...
100From George Washington to Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 27 November 1780 (Washington Papers)
I am much obliged to your Excellency for the interesting particulars you do me the honor to communicate in your letters of the 18th & 20th. We may now hope everything for the safety of your valuable envoy and the important dispatches with which he is charged. Since the confirmation of Ferguson’s defeat & the retreat of Cornwallis to Camden, we have nothing new from the South, except an...