I Have Received Your Excellency’s Letter Relating to Clel Gouvion—it Would Have Been Very Agreable to Me to keep this Officer—Your orders Have Been Sent To philadelphia Where He is for the present1—However distant I May Be from the Scene, I am Happy to find that Your Excellency Hopes to Undertake the Grand object We Have Had in Contemplation.2

By a Letter just Received from the Board of War it Seems that Representations of Wants Have Been Made Which they Have Mistaken for objections from me to our journey South Ward3—I Have Said to Some officers that our proximity to the Southern states Was the Reason Which Had induced Your Excellency to Send this Detachement—But I Hope I Need not Assuring You that Never I thought of insinuating the least idea of Alteration to Your Excellency’s projects, But Such as You Could think of Making Yourself after Your own ideas and intelligences—perhaps My letter to the Board Will Appear Di[s]respectfull or impolite4—But Nothing Could Stop Me in An instance Where it Might Be Suspected I objected to Your plans, or Even differed in Opinion—You know me too perfectly Not to think An Explanation Useless.

it is Confidently Reported that the Second Division is Arrived to the Capes of Delaware Consisting of Nine Ships of the Line5—this Was the Number Mentionned to me By Marquis de Castries to Be in Harbour,6 Your Excellency Would in that Case Have A Brillant Campaign to the Northward.7 With the Highest And Most Affectionate Respect I have the Honor to Be Your Excellency’s Most obedient Humble Servant