Benjamin Franklin Papers
Documents filtered by: Recipient="Vergennes, Charles Gravier, comte de"
sorted by: date (descending)
Permanent link for this document:
https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Franklin/01-36-02-0043

From Benjamin Franklin to the Comte de Vergennes, 19 November 1781

To the Comte de Vergennes

LS:7 Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Library of Congress

Passy Nov. 19. 1781.

Sir,

I have the honour of sending to your Excellency some Advices I have just received.8 As the Letter from Virginia was received at New-Caste,9 a Town on the Delaware 40 Miles below Philadelphia, and probably after the Date of your Letters from thence, perhaps you may not have heard before, that M. De Barras had joined M. de Grasse,1 and that the Northern Troops under the Generals Rochambeau and Washington, had joined the Marquis de la Fayette, & invested Cornwallis at York.—

I am, with Respect, Sir, Your Excellency’s most obedient and most humble Servant

B Franklin

His Exy Count de Vergennes

Endorsed: M. de R2 Rep

[Note numbering follows the Franklin Papers source.]

7In WTF’s hand except for the last six words of the complimentary close, which are in BF’s hand.

8He sent an extract from Barclay’s Nov. 15 letter, above, and a copy of its enclosure (AAE).

9The copy has New Castle spelled correctly.

1See XXXV, 566n.

2Premier commis Joseph-Mathias Gérard de Rayneval handled Vergennes’ American correspondence.

Index Entries