To Benjamin Franklin from the Marquis Alexandre d’Hanache, 27 October 1777
From the Marquis Alexandre d’Hanache3
ALS: University of Pennsylvania Library
A l’hotel d’orléans rue de richelieu
27 8bre. 1777
Monsieur
Je prends la Liberté de vous adresser cy joint une Lettre par Duplicata pour Le Comte de Stirling que je vous prie de vouloir bien Lui faire parvenir j’aurais eü l’honneur de vous La remettre moi-même sans des affaires qui me retiennent a paris; dès que je serai Libre de disposer d’un moment j’aurai La satisfaction d’aller vous voir. J’ai l’honneur d’être avec une parfaite considération Monsieur Votre très humble et très obéissant serviteur
Le MIS. Alexandre d’hanache
Notation: D’Hanache 27. 8bre. 1782 [sic]
3. Hugues-Barthélemy Alexandre d’Hanache belonged to a family that was British by origin and settled in St.-Domingue: Dictionnaire de la Noblesse, I, 316–17. It was related, or so its members believed, to William Alexander, Lord Stirling; hence this inquiry, which was clearly not the first that the marquis had made. Another member of his family, who we presume was his younger brother Louis-Maximilien, known as the chevalier d’Hanache, made an almost identical one on July 18, 1778: University of Pa. Library. On Sept. 23, 1779, Stirling told the marquis that he has not heard from him for almost two years—in other words by the letter enclosed with this note—and had written him twice thereafter. Now that Lafayette had returned home, Stirling wished the marquis could meet his very dear friend. He himself hoped to come to France, once the war was over, and meet his relative. University of Pa. Library.