To Benjamin Franklin from François-Jérôme de Foligné-Deschalonges, [after 9 August 1777]
From François-Jérôme de Foligné-Deschalonges1
AL: American Philosophical Society
[After August 9,2 1777]
Mr. De foligné Ancien Capitaine Du vaisseau Le Marquis de la Challotais, Le vraie ami des Ameriquains et des états unies, qui arrives presantement de saint Domaingue, est venû à 4. heures de L’apres Midÿ pour rendre cest respects et cest hommages à son Excellençe Monsier frankelin, et lui rendres quelques comptes rélativement aux Interets de l’amerique. Il aura l’honneur De Révenir demain matin à 9. heures pour lui remetres une Lettre de Mr. William, et le prier de lui accorder un Quart D’heure D’audiançe.3
1. A crotchety man, according to Beaumarchais, but an excellent one, who commanded ships of Hortalez & Cie. throughout the war. His recent voyage had been for Chaumont, Montieu, and Beaumarchais; he had escorted ships to St.-Domingue and then to Charleston, and had returned, all within five months: Lasseray, Les Français, II, 535; Naval Docs., VIII, 956–7; Foligné to BF, Aug. 9, 1779, APS.
2. He carried JW’s letter of introduction, dated the 6th, and the trip from Nantes normally took at least three days.
3. He was given it, and rendered an account of his voyage. BF promised to ask Congress to commission him an honorary captain in the U.S. Navy. This was done, Foligné told BF in the 1779 letter just cited, but the commission was captured at sea.