To Alexander Hamilton from Brigadier General Louis Le Beque Du Portail, [July–November 1778]
From Brigadier General Louis Le Bèque Du Portail1
[July–November, 1778.] Asks Hamilton to assist the Chevalier de Villefranche.2
ALS, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress.
1. This letter is in French.
In
, I, 198 this letter is dated 1780. This very vague undated letter discusses a dispute in which the Chevalier de Villefranche was involved. Du Portail thought that Washington was not doing all that was possible for the Chevalier and therefore asked H to speak to Washington. In the very last line of the letter the Marquis de Chouin, messenger for Comte d’Estaing, is mentioned. Since the Marquis was in the United States, as far as it can be ascertained, only during Comte d’Estaing’s stay (July 13 to November 4, 1778), the above letter has been given the inclusive date of July–November 1778.2. Jean Louis Ambroise de Genton, Chevalier de Villefranche, was a major of Continental Engineers.