Major General Lafayette to George Washington, 23 April 1781
From Major General Lafayette
Alexandria [Va.] April 23d 1781
My dear General
Great Happiness is derived from friendship, and I do particularly Experience it in the Attachement Which Unites Me to You—But friendship Has its Duties, and the Man that Likes You the Best Will Be the forwardest in Letting You know Every thing Where You Can Be Concerned.
When the Ennemy Came to Your House Many Negroes deserted to them—this piece of News did not Affect me Much as I Little Valüe those Concerns1—But You Cannot Conceive How UnHappy I Have Been to Hear That Mister Lund Washington Went on Board the Ennemy’s Vessels And Consented to Give them provisions—this Being done By the Gentleman Who in Some Measure Represents You At Your House Will Certainly Have a Bad Effect, and Contrasts With Spirited Answers from Some Neighbours that Had their Houses Burnt Accordingly.
You Will do What You think proper about it, My dear General, But, As your friend, it Was My duty Confidentially to Mention the Circumstances.2
With the Help of Some Waggons and Horses We Got in two days from the Camp Near Baltimore to this place—We Halted Yesterday, and Having Made a Small Bargain for a few Shoes Are Marching to frederis Burg—No official Account from philips, But I am told they Are Removing Stores from Richmond and peters Burg—I am Surprised No Body Writes to me, and Hope Soon to Receive intelligences.3
Our Men Are in High Spirits—Their Honor Having Been Interested in this Affair, they Have Made it a point to Come With us, and Discontents as well as Desertion are Entirely out of fashion.4
Requesting My Best Respects to Be presented to Mistress Washington and Compliments to the family5 I Have the Honour to Be With those Sentiments Which You know My Dear General Your Most obent Servant and friend
Lafayette
the Chevalier writes me that Count de Rochambeau is Going to join You—So that Both Armies Will Cooperate6—I Had Rather Remain in Virginia than Go to Carolina—this I Mention Because orders Are to Come from General Greene—But if the Detachement is to Go More Southerly I will Get there as fast as I Can.7
ALS, DLC:GW; copy, PEL.
1. Lafayette penned “those Concerns” over “property” on his ALS. Lafayette’s editors report that he wrote these words in his “later hand” (, 4:61).
2. For GW’s response to this incident, see his letter to Lund Washington, 30 April.
3. Lafayette had written Virginia governor Thomas Jefferson from Alexandria on 21 April to report that he had hastened his detachment “By forced Marches to the Support of Virginia. …
“Our Baggage, Artillery and Stores Are Left Behind us. In our Absolute want of Shoes and Cloathes of Every kind it is Impossible for the Men to Make Such Rapid Marches Unless we Have An Extraordinary Help of Horses and Waggons. This Method I knew to Be Bigg with Difficulties—But Every letter Urging the Necessity of our Going to the South ward, Representing the Vast and Immediate Danger which threatens this State, I Have flattered Myself that Her Inhabitants Could not Deny us the Means of Advancing to their Defense, And Have Been Encouraged By this Idea that in the whole Detachement (considering its Peculiar Circumstances) there is not one Soldier But who Sacrifices more in this Expedition than Would Be the very Loss of the Articles which we Borrow for two or three days.
“From what is Reported in this town, I am Led to Believe that General Philips is Expected into the Country And that Your Excellency Has Some Aprehensions of A visit to Richmond. Whatever May Be Your Intelligences of the Ennemy’s intended Movements I Beg Your Excellency will please to Give me a full knowledge of them that I May, As far as possible, Endeavour to Check Gal. Philip’s Plan, and Render our Services to this State” (, 4:48–50; see also , 5:522–24). Lafayette next wrote Jefferson on 25 April from Fredericksburg, Va., where his detachment had “Arrived this after Noon after A March of twenty five Miles which the Extreme Heat of the day and absolute want of Waggons for the transportation of the Men Have Rendered Very fatiguing. Want of Waggons Has also detained our Ammunition which Cannot Be Here Untill to Morrow. As soon as we get this Necessary article the detachement will Rapidly proceed to Richmond, and Not wistanding the fatigues of the March will on their Arrival Be Ready for Serious Operations. …
“As Soon as I Have fixed Matters for the March of this Corps, I Shall Myself Hasten towards Richmond where I Can Get Intelligences Relating to the Situation of the ennemy and that of the Country and where I May Better form a plan for the Cooperation of the Militia with the Continental troops” (, 4:62–63; see also Jefferson to Lafayette, 23 April, in , 5:541).
4. Lafayette had addressed desertion in his detachment (see his second letter to GW, 18 April; see also Lafayette to GW, 15 April, and GW’s first letter to Lafayette, 22 April).
5. Lafayette means GW’s military family (see General Orders, 7 March, source note).
6. The letter from French minister La Luzerne to Lafayette has not been identified, but see Rochambeau to La Luzerne, 4 April, in DLC: Rochambeau Papers, vol. 9. Rochambeau had begun preparations for his army to implement plans to join GW’s army in New York (see Rochambeau to GW, 31 March and 12 April, and GW to Rochambeau, 7 and 16 April; see also Jeremiah Wadsworth to GW, 19 and 20 April).
7. GW replied to Lafayette on 4 May.