1From George Washington to Paul-François-Jean-Nicolas, comte de Barras, 23 May 1781 (Washington Papers)
I am sorry that the unexpected appearance of the British Fleet off the Harbour of New port deprived me of the pleasure of meeting you at this place—I must refer you to His Excellency the Count de Rochambeau for the plan of operations which has been settled between us and have the honor to be with very great consideration Yr Excellency’s Most obt Servt. DLC : Papers of George Washington.
2From George Washington to Paul-François-Jean-Nicolas, comte de Barras, 18 August 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with your Excellency’s favor of the 14th—Inclosed is the Copy of the latest intelligence I have recd from Genl Forman from which it appears that Admiral Graves was off the Hook on the 16th Inst. I have the honor to be Yr Excellency’s Most obt and hble servt. DLC : Papers of George Washington.
3From George Washington to Paul-François-Jean-Nicolas, comte de Barras, 27 June 1781 (Washington Papers)
I do myself the honor to transmit your Excellency the Copy of a piece of intelligence which I have just recd from the Minister of France. Should I gain any further account of the number of ships of war which convoyed the transports, or of their destination I shall immediately communicate it. I have the honor to be &a DLC : Papers of George Washington.
4From George Washington to Paul-François-Jean-Nicolas, comte de Barras, 13 June 1781 (Washington Papers)
I had yesterday the honor of receiving your Excellency’s letter of the 9th instant accompanied by the result of the second Council of War. I have so great a respect for the opinions of the Gentlemen who composed it, that I should have been satisfied, had they barely mentioned that they had, upon a reconsideration of the subject, thought it most conducive to the common interest to adhere to...
5From George Washington to Paul-François-Jean-Nicolas, comte de Barras, 16 August 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with Your Excellency’s several late favors and the Count de Rochambeau has been kind enough to communicate to me the very interesting and important particulars to which they refer. He has also informed you of our joint opinion upon the measures which seemed to us most expedient at the present moment. I have directed several small Vessels with about 1500 Barrels of Salt...
6From George Washington to Paul-François-Jean-Nicolas, comte de Barras, 14 May 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor of receiving your Excellency’s letter of the 11th. Give me leave to congratulate you upon your safe arrival and upon your appointment to the command of His Most Christian Majesty’s Fleet and sea forces upon these Coasts. It affords me no small degree of pleasure to find the command devolve upon an officer of your Excellency’s distinguished character. I have fixed upon Monday...
7From George Washington to Paul-François-Jean-Nicolas, comte de Barras, 19 June 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have been honord with your Excellency’s Favr of the 14th instant. Inclosed you will find an Extract of a Letter I have just received from Genl Sullivan at Phila. The Information it contains is of such Nature that I have thot of Importance to communicate to your Excellency, and altho it is not official yet I have too much Reason, from concurrent Circumstances, to suppose it may be true. If...
8From George Washington to Paul-François-Jean-Nicolas, comte de Barras, 4 June 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have had the honor of receiving your favor of the 31st of May. His Excellency The Count de Rochambeau transmitted to me the result of the Council of War held on Board the Duke de Burgoyne; and The Duke de Lauzun, who was kind enough to be the bearer of it having informed me that he was authorized by your Excellency and the Count de Rochambeau to enter into a free communication with me upon...
9From George Washington to Paul-François-Jean-Nicolas, comte de Barras, 21 July 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with your Excellency’s favor of the 15th Inst. I have no doubt but the reasons which induce you to decline the removal of the Squadron under your command to Chesapeak at this time are founded in propriety; but I am certain that could the measure have taken place, it would have been attended with most valuable consequences, more especially as from reports and appearances the...
10From George Washington to Paul-François-Jean-Nicolas, comte de Barras, 11 July 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with your Excellency’s letters of the 24th and 30th June and 2d Inst. I observe by a late New York paper that your missing transport has been taken and carried into Hallefax. The Reinforcement which arrived at Charlestown is not so considerable as was at first reported, it may perhaps amount to about 2000 Men. The ships of War which escorted this Convoy have arrived at New...
11From George Washington to Paul-François-Jean-Nicolas, comte de Barras, 3 August 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with your Excellency’s favr of the 25th ulto. The Count de Rochambeau communicated to me the contents of your letter to him of the same date. It having been proposed through, and strongly urged by, the Minister of France, that the Count de Grasse should come immediately to sandy Hook, I should conceive, if your Excellency has received no official account to the contrary,...
12From George Washington to Paul-François-Jean-Nicolas, comte de Barras, 10 August 1781 (Washington Papers)
I do myself the honor to inform your Excellency that by letters from the Marquis de la Fayette dated in Virginia the 26th and 30th of last Month it appears that the enemy had embarked a number of Infantry on board thirty transports and a detachment of Cavalry on board eight Brigs. They were still lying in Hampton Road under Convoy of the Charon of 44 Guns and six smaller Frigates. They had...
13From George Washington to Paul-François-Jean-Nicolas, comte de Barras, 15 August 1781 (Washington Papers)
The sentiments contained in the foregoing letter perfectly accords with my opinion, and I am more inclined to adopt them, as we have seen in the British Gazettes accounts of a Squadron under the command of Admiral Digby said to be intended to reinforce the British fleets in these Seas—Should this Squadron actually arrive—form a junction with Admiral Rodney & Graves—and find the French Naval...
14From George Washington to Paul-François-Jean-Nicolas, comte de Barras, 24 June 1781 (Washington Papers)
The information, I had the honor of communicating to your Excellency in my last Letter, as an extract from Genl Sullivans Letter, respecting the arrival of a large Fleet of Transports to Chesapeak Bay, is I believe intirely without foundation. My intelligence of the Enemies operations in Virginia is so vage & uncertain that I am not able to give your Excellency any particular information of...