To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel John Laurens, 14 February 1780
From Lieutenant Colonel John Laurens
Charles Town [S.C.] 14th Feby 80.
Dear General.
I should have done myself the honor of writing to you earlier, but postponed my intention in hopes of obtaining satisfactory intelligence of the force and designs of the enemy in this quarter—Altho’ my expectations are far from being answered, I must entreat your Excellencys acceptance of what I have been able to collect on those subjects, lest the expected siege prolong my silence beyond the proper bounds. The day before yesterday we had certain intelligence of the arrival of 45 sail at North Edisto—a debarkation immediately commenced on Simmons’s Island—and an advanced corps it is said of five hundred proceeded the following day to Johns Island1—The Vigilant and two Galleys are at Port-Royal2—Private accounts say that General prevost is left to command at Savanna, that his troops consist of the Hessians and loyalists that were there before, reinforced by a Corps of blacks and a detachment of Savages—It is generally reported that Sir H. Clinton commands the present expedition—It appears to me to be the british policy to transfer the theatre of the War to this vulnerable part of the Continent—and should their Commander in chief be here—I hope you will do him the honor to meet him—The Command of your winter Quarters might very well be left to a Major General—and the appearance of Your Excellency in person would produce such effects, as would decide the American Contest—The Carolinians as usual have been superior to foresight and precaution—the delay of the enemy produced no other effect than to increase their supineness—and finally to introduce a disbelief of the enemys intentions—but they begin to be roused.
My Father desires his most respectful compliments to Your Excellency and Mrs Washington—he has been detained here by Mr Durumain’s having taken french leave—this Gentleman who commanded the french frigates in this harbour engaged to accommodate my father with a passage to France—but previously undertook a cruise in company with our American Frigates—as soon however as he had passed the bar he made the best of his way for Europe—A brace of two deckers and a frigate are constantly standing off and on our harbour—but my father is determined at all hazards to prosecute his voyage and fulfil his Engagements to the public.3
I prefer’d a hasty letter to a total silence; Your Excellency will be so indulgent as to excuse me for it—and assure Mrs Washington of my respects. I have the honor to be with the greatest veneration and attachment Your Excellencys faithful Aid.
John Laurens.
I take the liberty of requesting Your Excellency to present my love to my Colleagues, as time will not permit my writing to any of them.
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. British general Henry Clinton actually landed his expeditionary army on Wadmalaw Island, which is northwest of Seabrook (Simmons) Island (see Lincoln to GW, 11–12 Feb., n.4; see also Map 7).
2. Port Royal Sound, S.C., on the coast of that state about twenty-five miles northeast of Savannah, is at the outlet of the Broad River. The sea islands of Hilton Head, on the south, and Port Royal (Beaufort), St. Phillips, Parris, and St. Helena, on the north, form the boundaries of the sound.
3. Charles-Marie de Trolong, chevalier du Rumain (1743–1780), commanded the French frigate Chimère. In September 1778, Louis XVI named him a chevalier of the Order of Saint Louis for his command of the corvette La Curieuse during the Battle of Ushant the previous July. Rumain arrived in the Americas in early 1779 as lieutenant-commandant of the sloop of war Lively, part of the fleet of Vice Admiral Charles-Hector Théodat, Comte d’Estaing. In March 1779 he recaptured the French part of the island of St. Martin in a surprise attack. The following June, du Rumain led the expedition that captured the island of St. Vincent in the West Indies. Appointed to the command of Chimère in August 1779, Rumain participated in the joint French and American attack on Savannah in September and October 1779.
Later in 1780, he was promoted to captain and given command of the frigate Nymphe. Rumain was killed in August 1780 while leading his crew in boarding the British frigate Flora.
Congress had appointed Henry Laurens as their agent to negotiate a loan in the Dutch Republic and, as their commissioner, to negotiate a treaty of amity and commerce with that country (see 15:1196–98, 1232; see also 15:192, 198–201). Rumain did not join the American frigates on their cruise, and instead sailed immediately for France on 25 Jan. without waiting for Laurens (see Henry Laurens to Nathaniel Peabody, 5 Feb., n.2, in 15:234). Laurens was unable to find passage to Europe and returned to Philadelphia in late June to await further instructions from Congress (see Henry Laurens to Committee for Foreign Affairs, 1 July, in 15:307–9).