To George Washington from Henry-Dominique d’Acary de La Rivière, 8 September 1793
From Henry-Dominique d’Acary de La Rivière
philadelphie le 8—7bre 1793.
d’Acary ler Lieutenant Colonel du 15e Regiment d’infanterie française demende a Son exellence le General Washington la permission de lui aller offrir ces respectueux homages et prendre ces ordres pour france ou il va Se rendre et come le Navire Sur lequel il S’embarque part demain il desire que Son exelence veuilt bien lui accorder un moment d’audience aujourdhuit.
AL, DLC:GW. This document is docketed in part, “Complimentary”; no reply has been found.
Henry-Dominique d’Acary de La Rivière (1745-1829), native of Montreuil-sur-Mer, was presently serving as lieutenant colonel of the 15th infantry regiment in Saint-Domingue. D’Acary embarked on his military career in 1763 as a sub-lieutenant in the Dauphine regiment and was promoted to lieutenant in the same regiment eight years later. Admitted as chevalier to the royal and military order of Saint-Louis in 1787, d’Acary became lieutenant colonel of 15th infantry regiment, formerly the Béarn regiment, on 6 Nov. 1791. Ten days later, he embarked for Saint-Domingue, and in May of the following year, d’Acary suffered an injury to his left foot during a battle against the rebelling slaves. The Frenchman must have travelled to Philadelphia before returning to Rochefort, France, where he was arrested upon his arrival, as a consequence of his noble birth, and placed in solitary confinement before being transferred to the prisons of Montreuil. Released from prison following the fall of Robespierre, d’Acary was granted a pension for his injury in 1796, and was later named commander of the 5th legion of the National Guards of Pas-de-Calais in 1806. Four years prior to his death, d’Acary was named honorary maréchal de camp.