George Washington Papers
Documents filtered by: Recipient="Laurens, Henry"
sorted by: relevance
Permanent link for this document:
https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-17-02-0523

From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 21 October 1778

To Henry Laurens

Head Quarters Fredericksburg Octor 21st 1778

Sir,

The Chevalier Mauduit Du Plessis will have the honor of delivering you this letter. In expectation that the war is at a conclusion in this Country and that another is kindling in Europe; he has determined to return to France to offer his service to his own Country. He waits upon Congress to obtain their concurrence for this purpose: I have given him a handsome certificate of his conduct in our service; and he flatters himself that Congress will be pleased to accompany it by a similar mark of their approbation.1 I have the honor to be with the greatest respect Sir Your most Obet Servt

Go: Washington

LS, in Richard Kidder Meade’s writing, NcD: Francis Warrington Dawson I and II Papers; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. Congress read this letter on 30 Oct. (JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 12:1078).

1. GW’s certificate for Mauduit du Plessis has not been identified. On 5 Nov. Congress granted Maudit Du Plessis’s request to return to France (JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 12:1104–5), and on that same date Laurens wrote him a letter commending his service in the Continental army (Smith, Letters of Delegates description begins Paul H. Smith et al., eds. Letters of Delegates to Congress, 1774–1789. 26 vols. Washington, D.C., 1976–2000. description ends , 11:174). Maudit Du Plessis sailed to France with Lafayette in January 1779. He served again in America from 1780 to 1783 as senior adjutant of artillery in Rochambeau’s army.

Index Entries

    You Are Looking At

    Source Project
    Washington Papers
    Title
    From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 21 October 1778
    Author
    Washington, George
    Recipient
    Laurens, Henry
    Date
    21 October 1778

    Reference

    Cite as
    “From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 21 October 1778,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-17-02-0523. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 17, 15 September–31 October 1778, ed. Philander D. Chase. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2008, p. 506.]

    More between these correspondents