Lieutenant Colonel John Laurens to George Washington, 11 April 1781
From Lieutenant Colonel John Laurens
Passy near paris 11th April 1781.
My dear General.
Not to trouble Your Excellency with a detail of writings, conferences, attendances and importunities, I pass at once to the result as communicated to me by the Count de Vergennes—It is His most Christian Majestys determination, to guarantee a loan of ten millions of livres to be opened in Holland in favour of the United states—in addition to the gratuitous gift of six millions granted before my arrival—and four millions appropriated for the payment of bills of exchange drawn by Congress—The Value of Clothing, Ordnance, and military stores, of which articles I have delivered an estimate reduced in proportion to the quantities already obtained and forwarded by Doctor Franklin—is to be deducted from the six millions.1
The distance of the manufactoring towns from the sea, renders it impossible to procure the woolen cloths at a short notice—the marine department which the Marquis de la fayette imagined from the similarity of Uniforms might be able to give us some assistance, has no reserve stores of this kind—the different Regiments in the land service provide their own Clothing—so that there will be unavoidable difficulties and delays in procuring the quantity demanded.2
I am using my utmost efforts to prevail upon the Ministers, to advance the ten millions from the treasury of France, and avail themselves of the proposed loan in Holland for replacing the sum—this arrangement it appears to me can be attended with no possible inconvenience to the finances of France, and I need not add to Your Excellency how invaluable this gain of time will be to America.
I shall likewise endeavour to negotiate the Ordnance and other military effects, that may be supplied from the Kings Arsenals, on credit, to economise as much as possible of the six millions. The Marquis de Castries has promised to make immediate arrangements for forwarding the supplies—and has renewed his assurances that a naval Superiority will exist on the American Coast, the ensuing Campaign—but there are not those dispositions made for maintaining it that the success of the common cause demands—and I am sorry to inform Your Excellency that the Ministry do not seem to approve of the siege of New York as an operation for the ensuing Campaign—What may be the effect of farther and more particular conferences on the subject I cannot determine.3
Inclosed Your Excellency will receive Extracts of Letters intercepted in a packet bound from Falmouth to New York—they were communicated to me by the Marquis de Castries, but do not appear to have made that impression on him and the rest of the ministry, which was reasonably to be expected.4
It mortifies me much not to be able to announce to your Excellency the day of my departure from this Country—it is impossible to express the impatience which I feel to return to my military functions5—and to have opportunities of proving to Your Excellency that I am unalterably with the profoundest veneration and most tender attachment Your Excellencys faithful Aid.
John Laurens.
I must trouble Your Excellency to present my Respects to Mrs Washington—my love to the Marquis de la fayette Col. Hamilton and the rest of the family.6
ALS, DLC:GW; ALS (letterpress copy), DLC:GW.
1. Laurens wrote Samuel Huntington, president of Congress, from Versailles on 9 April: “The Count de Vergennes communicated to me yesterday his most Christian Majesty’s determination to guaranty a Loan of ten millions to be opened in Holland in addition to the six millions granted as a gratuitous gift—and the four millions appropriated for the payment of Bills of Exchange drawn by Congress on their Minister Plenipotentiary. The purchase money of the Cloathing, which must be an affair of private contract, and the value of the Military Effects which may be furnished from the Royal Arsenals, are to be deducted from the six Millions.
“I shall use my utmost endeavours to procure an immediate advance of the ten Millions from the Treasury of France to be replaced by the proposed Loan, and shall renew my solicitations for the supplies of ordinance and military Stores on credit that the present of Six millions may not be absorbed by those objects and the purchase of necessary Cloathing. The providing this article I fear will be attended with great difficulties and delays as all the woolen manufactories of France are remote from the sea, and there are no public magazines of Cloth suitable to our purposes. …
“The Marquis de Castries has engaged to make immediate arrangements for the safe transportation of the pecuniary and other succours destined for the United States and has repeatedly assured me that the naval superiority will be established on the American Coast the ensuing Campaign. …
“I do myself the honor to transmit your Excellency extracts of the most conspicuous Letters of an intercepted mail taken in a Packet bound from Falmouth to New York” (DNA:PCC, item 109; underlines signify decoded material; for the French gift and presumable code, see Laurens to GW, 24 March, and the source note to that document; see also n.4 below).
French foreign minister Vergennes wrote French minister La Luzerne from Versailles on 11 May regarding “insurmountable obstacles” to securing the Dutch loan “because the Americans are without credit in Holland” and “because the province of Holland fears being compromised, in effect, by lending to the United States. It recognized their independence indirectly, and this step would be contradictory with the obligations that Republic has contracted with the neutral powers. To put an end to this difficulty, the King has decided to represent himself as the principal borrower, and to remain solely responsible for the Sums furnished. We await the result of this proposition. I think, Sir, that I do not need to describe to you His Majesty’s general and beneficent proceedings, and that it will suffice to explain them to the Americans so that they may be imbued with gratitude for them, if they are susceptible to this sentiment, and that they may then make every effort in their power to second those which His Majesty is making to sustain their cause. We flatter ourselves especially, Sir, that Congress not only will not share but that it will highly condemn the discontent that Mr. Laurens shows, and that he will seek to inspire in it. This officer, little familiar with our usages and with the attentions that are due to the ministers of a great power, has formulated many demands not only with importunate entreaties, but even by employing menace. … I transmit these details to you, Sir, so that you may be in a position to enlighten Congress, and to prevent it from yielding in the direction of Mr. Laurens. Moreover, Sir, as my intention is not to occasion disagreement for Mr. Laurens, I pray you to use with much discretion all that I am writing to you on this Subject: the only thing that matters to us is to prevent Congress from being ungrateful by not perceiving the full extent of His Majesty’s kindnesses. It will be for Mr. Washington to explain the lesson to his aide de camp, and it is in that view that I indicate something of his conduct to M. the Marquis de La Fayette. You will perceive in addition, Sir, that such an effort as we are making cannot be repeated and that it will be quite useless again to repeat acute demands.“ Turning to John Adams, who surprisingly and distressingly sought “to display the character of Minister near the States-General,” Vergennes added: “It would be very desirable for Congress to stipulate once and for all to all its agents in Europe not to permit any conduct having reference to politics without having consulted us beforehand: we are too interested in the Fate of the United States for our Counsels not to have their dignity and their advantage at heart above all” (, 1:176–78; see also n.3 below). For the League of Armed Neutrality, see GW to Huntington, 6 July 1780, n.6.
2. Major General Lafayette had written French minister of marine Castries from New Windsor on 30 Jan. about obtaining “clothing, arms, and ammunition” from “the king’s stores. I confess to you that I am counting a bit on those of the navy, and if there were some hope from that quarter you would do us a great service by so indicating to Colonel Laurens” (, 3:294–301, quotes on 297). Laurens subsequently learned that no surplus clothing was available because French regiments individually contracted for uniforms, but he eventually procured warehoused clothing intended for Lieutenant General Rochambeau’s army (see , 181).
3. Laurens prepared a memorial at Paris dated 18 April: “The underwritten special Minister of the United States of America, has the honor to represent to his most Christian Majesty in behalf of Congress and by their orders, that the Crisis is extreme and that it demand prompt and decisive succours. …
“The Underwritten being informed by the Count de Vergennes of the Kings intentions with regard to pecuniary succours, earnestly offers in the name of Congress the hommage of the most lively gratitude, but at the same time it is his duty to represent that although this succour tends to the object which his Majesty has in View it is nevertheless demonstrated in the present State of Affairs that it is insufficient considering the urgent necessities of the Army, and the Administration its engagements and debts, the exhausted condition of America, the absolute deficiency of resources and specie and the enormous expence essential to the vigorous support of the War. It is on this account that the underwritten earnestly entreats his Majesty to grant on credit to the United States of America the Artillery, Arms, Am[m]unition &c. which shall be drawn from his Majesty’s Arsenals and Magazines, as a very considerable sum must be absorbed for the payment of Cloathing and other articles to be collected in France.
“The Underwritten farther entreats his Majesty to consider that the operation of a Loan in Holland cannot be terminated in less than three months—that the delay of this result may commit the safety of America and the common cause—lose the fruit of all the expence and sacrifices hitherto made—a single instant is precious the least delay becomes of the most dangerous consequence. …
“The Underwritten flatters hiimself therefore that his Majesty will find no inconvenience in ordering the immediate advance of ten millions, to be delivered at the disposal of the United States, which will be returned to his royal Treasury by means of the Loan in question. …
“The arrival of this Sum is necessary to give a vigorous impulse to the organization of administration in the present state of things—renew the tone of parts which have lost their Energy, and revive public credit by making the resources of the Country concur in the expences of the war, which resources cannot be turned to account without coin to determine them.
“If it is impossible to make it a part of the general arrangement, to grant safe means of conveyance for the totality of this sum, the underwritten entreats his Majesty to cause as considerable a portion as possible to be remitted immediately and to fix a very early date for the departure of the remainder.
“The Underwritten further earnestly solicits that a Naval Superiority be permanently maintained on the American Coast. The practicability and success of all military operations and the event of the war depend directly and even exclusively on the State of the maritime force in America. …
“The Underwritten renews the assurances of the most inviolable attachment on the part of the United States whatever may be the decision of his Majesty on these representations, his goodness towards his allies will never be effaced from their Hearts, they will support the common cause with the same devotion to the last extremeity, but their success must necessarily depend upon their means” (DNA:PCC, item 109).
Vergennes then wrote Lafayette from Versailles on 19 April: “You may tell General Washington that the king has decided to underwrite a loan of 10 million livres tournois, which will be floated in Holland, payable to the United States. Consequently, sir, His Majesty will have given or procured for the Americans by the end of this year a sum of 20 million. I dare say that General Washington will realize the extent and importance of this favor, especially if he considers, as he should, the support of a squadron and a corps of troops that the king has placed at his disposal, and the exorbitant expenditures of a war we support only for the sake of the Americans.
“Congress estimated its needs and requests at 25 million. I am quite willing to admit the truth of this calculation, but the king for his part must take into account the extent of his resources; you will easily conceive that they are consumed by the extraordinary expenses required by his efforts on behalf of the American cause. I beg you to make General Washington fully aware of the strength of this consideration. He is too enlightened to be unmoved by it or to allow himself any feeling other than gratitude. I have done what I could to inspire his aide-de-camp with this attitude, but I have not succeeded at all. Mr. Laurens shows zeal, but I tell you in confidence that he did not express it in a manner suited to the nature of his mission. We did not take offense, because we attributed his behavior only to his inexperience in public affairs. I think I should speak to you about this officer because it is possible that, because he was annoyed at not obtaining everything he asked for, or rather insisted upon—that is, weapons, clothing, munitions, and 25 million besides—he may give a biased account to his chief. I feel I must prepare you to caution General Washington against the prejudices he could form. …
“The extraordinary means with which the king provides the American, sir, lead him to hope that they will put the greatest energy into the operations they undertake during the next campaign; I beg you to tell General Washington that, in this respect, His Majesty has the greatest confidence in his experience, his activity, and his patriotism. …
“Moreover, sir, I hope that if the war continues beyond this campaign, as seems rather likely, we shall not be approached again with such requests. I warn you that it would be totally impossible to satisfy them. France is not an inexhaustible mine” (, 4:47–48; see also n.2 above, and , 180–83).
Laurens eventually agreed with Vergennes to have 2 million livres sent to the United States in specie (see , 183–84).
4. The enclosures have not been identified, but Laurens probably transmitted the same extracts from intercepted letters when he wrote Huntington on 9 April (see n.1 above). When he wrote Huntington a letter dated 12 March–12 April, Benjamin Franklin, U.S. minister to France, also sent “Copies of sundry Letters taken in a Packet from England” (, 34:443–48, quote on 448; see also Franklin to John Adams, 7 April, in , 34:516–17). Acknowledging these intercepted letters on 16 July, Congress ordered the ones that “relate to military plans, be transmitted to the Commander in Chief and commanding officer in the southern department” (, 20:750–51; see also Thomas McKean to GW, 17 July, DLC:GW). The transmitted extracts came from George Germain to Henry Clinton, 7 Feb.; Germain to “the Commissioners for restoring Peace,” 7 March; and Germain to Clinton, same date (, 17:412–15).
5. Laurens left France on 1 June and arrived in Boston on 25 Aug. (see , 188–90).
6. Laurens means GW’s military family (see General Orders, 7 March, source note).