1From George Washington to François-Jean de Beauvoir, marquis de Chastellux, 12 October 1783 (Washington Papers)
I have not had the honor of a line from you, since the 4th of march last, but I will ascribe my disappointment to any cause, rather than to a decay of your friendship. Having the appearance, & indeed the enjoyment of peace, without a final declaration of it; I, who am only waiting for the ceremonials, or ’till the British forces shall have taken leave of New York, am placed in an awkward and...
2From George Washington to Chastellux, 1 February 1784 (Washington Papers)
I have had the honor to receive your favor of the 23d of August from L’Orient. I hope this Letter will find you in the circle of your friends at Paris, well recovered from the fatigues of your long & wearisome inspection on the frontiers of the Kingdom. I am at length become a private citizen of America, on the banks of the Potowmac; where under my own Vine & my own Fig tree—free from the...
3From George Washington to Chastellux, 2 June 1784 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor to receive a short letter from you by Majr L’Enfant —My official letters to the Counts D’Estaing & Rochambeau (which I expect will be submitted to the members of the Society of the Cincinnati in France) will inform you of the proceedings of the Genl Meeting held at Philada on the 3d inst:; & of the reasons which induced a departure from some of the original principles and rules...
4From George Washington to Chastellux, 20 August 1784 (Washington Papers)
The Marqs de la Fayette, who I had been long looking for with the eyes of friendship and impatience, arrived here on Tuesday last and presented me your favor of the 16th of June. I thank you My Dr Sir, for every testimony of your recollection of me, and every fresh assurance you give me of the continuation of your friendship is pleasing: it serves (to borrow an Indian phraze) to brighten the...
5From George Washington to Chastellux, 5 September 1785 (Washington Papers)
I am your debtor for two letters—one of the 12th of Decemr—the other of the 8th of April. Since the receipt of the first, I have paid my respects to you in a line by Majr Swan; but as it was introductory only of him, it requires an apology, rather than entitles me to a credit in our epistolary correspondence. If I had as good a nack my dear Marquis, as you have at saying handsome things, I...
6From George Washington to Chastellux, 18 August 1786 (Washington Papers)
I cannot omit to seize the earliest occasion, to acknowledge the receipt of the very affectionate letter you did me the honor of writing to me on the 22d of May; as well as to thank you for the present of your Travels in America and the Translation of Colonel Humphreys’ Poem, all of which came safely to hand by the same conveyance. Knowing as I did, the candour liberality & philanthropy of the...
7From George Washington to Chastellux, 6 June 1787 (Washington Papers)
This letter will be handed to you by Mr Rutledge, Son to Govr Rutledge of So. Carolina—a young Gentleman of merit who is about to visit France. It is so long since a letter has passed between us, that I am not at this moment, able to determin which of us is the Debtor, nor is it essential as the only purpose of the present trouble is to introduce Mr Rutledge to your Civilities and to present...
8From George Washington to Chastellux, 16 September 1787 (Washington Papers)
Mr Pinkney will do me the favor of presenting this letter to you —He is a Gentleman of fortune, family & character in South Carolina—A member of Congress, and delegate to the Fœderal Convention, now sitting in this City. As he proposes to visit your Country I take this liberty of introducing him to your acquaintance and attentions—and this I do with pleasure⟨.⟩ I persuade myself that you will...
9From George Washington to Chastellux, 25 April–1 May 1788 (Washington Papers)
In reading your very friendly and acceptable letter of the 21st of December 1787, which came to hand by the last mail, I was, as you may well suppose, not less delighted than surprised to come across that plain American word—“my wife.” A wife! well my dear Marquis, I can hardly refrain from smiling to find you are caught at last. I saw, by the eulogium you often made on the happiness of...
10From George Washington to Chastellux, 27 November 1788 (Washington Papers)
Although I know you are well acquaited with Mr Gouverneur Morris yet finding he was about to embark for France, I thought it might not be unacceptable for you to hear from me, and of the wellfare of my connections, by a person for whom I entertain so good a regard. Besides I thought I should have a convenient opportunity of addressing the Compliments of Mrs Washington and myself, to you, to...