Francisco Rendon to George Washington, 14 June 1781
From Francisco Rendon
Philadelphia June 14th 1781.
Sir
With the date of the 12th Inst. I had the honour of writing and acquaint Your Excy of the agreable News of the Conquest of Pensacola by the King my Master’s Arms; under the Command of General Galvez, the particulars of which have not as yet come to hand, no other Vessell having arrived Since.1
Having received by the Last Ship from the Havana Sundry Sorts of Provisions of the Produce of that Place, a Present made me by His Excy the Governour and Captain General of it; I have taken the Liberty to Stow Some of them in a Box as ⅌ the Inclosed Note, they being of an uncommond kind. I hope they’ll prove to be of Mrs Washington & Your Excellency’s Liking2—all which I beg the Acceptance of, praying Your Excellency’s goodness will dispence me with the Liberty I have taken on this Occation, it only being a token of the esteem and respect I proffess Your Excellency and Mrs Washington.3 I have the honour to be Sir Your Excellencys most Obedt and Most Hble Servt
Francisco Rendon
LS, DLC:GW.
1. See Rendon to GW, 12 June, and n.2 to that document.
2. Don Juan Manuel de Cagigal, governor and captain general of Cuba, sent provisions to Rendon, who enclosed an undated list that described what he shipped to the Washingtons: oranges, sweetmeats, limes, pineapples, guavas, mameys, six pounds of chocolate, twelve cakes of sugar, a box of “fine” Havana cigars, and two canisters of “fine Havana Snuff” (DLC:GW).
3. GW replied to Rendon from headquarters “near Dobbs Ferry,” N.Y., on 13 July: “I do myself the Honor to acknowlege the Receipt of your Agreable Favor of the 14th ulto—with the Invoice inclosed—I have also the Pleasure to inform you ⅌ this Conveyance, that the Articles mentioned in the Invoice, & which you have been so kind as to present to Mrs Washington & me, are safely arrived.
“Be assured Sir! I receive with particular Satisfaction this mark of your Attention & Politeness—and that it claims my most sincere Thanks.
“I have not yet been honored with the particulars of the Subjection of Pensacola to the Arms of his Catholic Majesty—nor with the Terms of its Capitulation—as soon as these should be within your Power, I am perswaded you will be pleased to give me a Copy” (Df, in Jonathan Trumbull, Jr.’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW). Rendon replied to GW on 31 July (DLC:GW).