To Benjamin Franklin from Leveux, 20 March 1779
From Leveux
ALS: American Philosophical Society
Calais March 20th 1779.
Sir
I have had the honour of writing to you the 8th of this month.8 Since that time I have taken proper informations about the americans detained here as prisoners. Here inclosed you will find a proper Note of their names, the places they are born in, the Ships they was taken upon & how they came to be in the English Service.9 The Commissaire de la Marine1 has sent such a Note to the Ministre de la Marine & as asked his orders about it. I believe those people are true americans, by their saying & by the other people saying. If you will ask for an order for them to be set at Liberty & send it to me I will make a proper use of it. I will glad to know, if I am to give those people any money & how much, for they are quite Naked.
As to Mr Rousseaux which has wrote to you;2 such person is not to be found here & there is nobody of this name, so that I am not able to give you the wanted information on him.
I remain with Due respects Sir Your most obedient & very humble Servant
Jes Leveux
8. Missing.
9. The enclosure is missing. BF had requested the information on March 1.
1. D’Anglemont, ordonnateur for Dunkirk and Calais. His correspondence with Sartine is in the Archives de la Marine, B3DCLX.
2. See BF’s letter of the 1st.