George Washington to Major General Lafayette, 5 May 1781
To Major General Lafayette
Head Quarters New Windsor May 5th 1781
My Dear Marquis.
I have received, with exceeding great satisfaction & pleasure your favor of the 18th of April, and am extremely rejoiced to learn, that the spirit of discontent had so entirely subsided & that the practice of desertion would probably be totally stopped, among the Troops under your Command.1
The Measure you had taken to obtain on your own Credit a supply of cloathing & necessaries for the Detachment, must entitle you to all their gratitude & affection, and will, at the same time that it endears Your Name (if possible still more) to this Country; be an everlasting Monument of your Ardent Zeal & attachment to its cause & the establishment of its Independence—For my own part, My Dear Marquis, altho I stood in need of no new proofs of your exertions & sacrifices in the Cause of America; I will confess to you, I shall not be able to express the pleasing sensations I have experienced at your unparellel’d & repeated instances of generosity & zeal for the Service, on every occasion. Suffer me only to pursue you, with my sincerest wishes; that your successes & glory may always be equal to your Merits.
I was troubled to be informed of the loss of your Baggage, but am happy to find that your private & interesting Papers were not with it: Should the Map of the Harbour of New York with remarks made on it by the Pilots, not have been lost, I could wish you would be so obliging as to forward it or a copy2 to me by some safe conveyance, as it may be eventually advantageous to have it here.3
Colonel Tupper (who goes to releive Col. Vose) will have the honor to deliver this Letter to You.4 With every sentiment of affection & esteem, I am My Dear Marquis.
Df, in David Humphreys’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. GW refers to Lafayette’s second letter on 18 April.
2. GW wrote the preceding three words on the draft above the line.
3. For related remarks on Lafayette’s baggage, see GW to Lafayette, 4 May.
4. Col. Joseph Vose had expressed a desire to return to the main army in New York but then decided to remain with Lafayette’s corps (see Lafayette to GW, 10 [first letter] and 12 April and 4 May; see also GW to Lafayette, 14 and 22 April and 31 May, the last in MiU-C: Clinton Papers). Vose’s decision upset Col. Benjamin Tupper (see Lafayette to GW, 10 June, DLC:GW).