From George Washington to La Luzerne, 11 May 1780
To La Luzerne
Morris-Town 11th of May 1780
Sir,
The attention and honors paid to Mr De Miralles after his death were a tribute due to his character and merit, and dictated by the sincere esteem which I always felt for him.1
I am much obliged to your Excellency for your intention of sending me a detail of the land & Sea forces arriv’d at Martinique, which I beg leave to inform you, you forgot to inclose in your letter.2
You will participate in the joy I feel at the arrival of the Marquis de la Fayette3—No event could have given me greater pleasure on a personal account, and motives of public utility conspire to make it agreeable. He will shortly have the honor to wait upon your Excellency and impart matters of the greatest moment to these States. He announces a fresh & striking instance, of the friendship of your Court and which cannot fail to contribute greatly to perpetuate the gratitude of this Country.4
I am always happy to repeat to you the sentiments of respect and inviolable attachment with which I have the honor to be Yr Excellency’s Most Obedt Hble Servt
Go: Washington
ALS, FrPMAE; Df, in Alexander Hamilton’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. For the death of Juan de Miralles, Spain’s unofficial representative to Congress, and his funeral proceedings, see GW’s first letter to La Luzerne, 28 April, source note.
2. See La Luzerne to GW, 4 May, and n.3 to that document.
3. Major General Lafayette arrived at Boston from France on 28 April and reached Morristown on 10 May (see William Heath to GW, 30 April, and n.9, and GW to Lafayette, 8 May, and n.2 to that document).
4. Lafayette, carried a commitment of significant French military and naval reinforcements (see his letter to GW, 27 April, n.2). See also La Luzerne to GW, 21 May (DLC:GW), and GW to La Luzerne, 5 June (FrPMAE).