Franklin and Chaumont to Dumas, 2 September 1779
Franklin and Chaumont to Dumas1
ALS: Pierpont Morgan Library; copy:2 National Archives
Passi ce 2 7bre. 1779.
Du 2. 7bre. 1779
Notte pour Monsieur Dumas agent du Congres des etats unis d’amerique et pour Luy Seul:
Je prie Monsieur Dumas de Se Rendre incessament a amsterdam pour Rendre tous les Services qui pouront dependre de luy a unne Escadre Sous Le Commandement de M. Jones portant pavillon americain qui doit Se Rendre au texel.
Les Vx. qui Composent Cette Escadre Sont3
Il est essentiel que M. Dumas Exige des Commandans de Ces vaisseaux La plus grande Circonspection pour ne pas offenser Les hollandois et ne donner Sujet a aucune plainte.
Si Cette Escadre a Bezoing de quelques Rafraichissemens ou Secours, M. Dumas voudra bien S’adresser a M. Jean de Neuville pour les procurer.
Aussitost L’arrivée de la ditte Escadre Je prie M. Dumas de m’en prevenir pour que Je prenne Les Mezures Necessaires pour envoyer aux américains Les Secours dont ils peuvent avoir Bezoing; Sans quil puisse estre question d’aucun objet qui puisse mettre les hollandois en Contradiction avec les Menagements qu’ils Croyent devoir observer avec les anglais.
Leray de Chaumont.
Approuvé, B Franklin
1. As Chaumont was the liaison between Sartine and Jones, the French naval minister was probably involved in preparing these orders. On the following day BF and Vergennes furnished passports for Dumas; certified copies of them in Dumas’ hand are at the National Archives. BF’s, in French, was good for six months and was countersigned by JW on behalf of WTF.
2. In Dumas’ hand and attested by him to be a true copy. He made a paraphrase of this letter and sent it to Jones on Oct. 9: Bradford, Jones Papers, reel 4, no. 763.
3. Here he made a table of the vessels of the squadron: the Bonhomme Richard (Capt. Jones), 42; the Alliance (Capt. Landais), 36; the Pallas (Capt. Cottineau), 30; the Cerf (Capt. Varage), 18; the Vengeance (Capt. Ricot), 12; the Monsieur, 40; the Grandville, 12; and the Mifflin, 22. For the first five vessels and their captains see XXIX, 493n. The American privateer General Mifflin did not accompany the squadron even though according to a July 21 letter from JW to Schweighauser (APS) she was nearby at Paimboeuf, downriver from Nantes. By the beginning of September the French privateers Monsieur and Grandville had parted company from the squadron and the cutter Cerf had inadvertently become separated from it: Jones to BF, Oct. 3, below.