41To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 12–13 June 1779 (Washington Papers)
Here is at lenght a Safe occasion of writing to you, here I May tell you What Sincere Concern I feel at our Separation—There was never a friend, my dear general, So much, so tenderly Belov’d, as I do love and Respect you—happy in our union, in the pleasure of living with you, in that So Charming Satisfaction of partaking any Sentiment of your heart, any event of Your life, I had taken Such an...
42To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 7 October 1779 (Washington Papers)
from those happy ties of friendship By which you were pleas’d to unite yourself with me, from the promises You So tenderly made me when we parted at fishkill, I had Such expectations of hearing often from you, that Complaint ought to be permitted to my affectionate heart—not a line from you, my dear General, is yet arriv’d into My hands, and tho Several Ships from America, several dispatches...
43To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 27 April 1780 (Washington Papers)
here I am, My dear General, and in the Mist of the joy I feel in finding Myself again one of your loving Soldiers I take But the time of telling you that I Came from france on Board of a fregatt Which the king Gave me for my passage —I have affairs of the utmost importance that I should at first Communicate to You alone—in Case my Letter finds you Any where this side of philadelphia, I Beg You...
44To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 17 May 1780 [letters not found] (Washington Papers)
Letters not found: from Major General Lafayette, 17 May 1780. On 20 May, GW wrote Lafayette: “I had written the inclosed my Dear Marquis previous to the receipt of yours of the 17th which arrived late yesterday. The dispatches accompanying them for the Eastward were sent off before day this morning.” For an indication of the contents of Lafayette’s letters, see GW to Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 19...
45To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 4 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
You know, My dear General, that I Am Very Anxious of Seeing the Army well Cloathed for this Campaign—the importance of Such A Measure is on every Account obvious, and from the knowledge I have of the Auxiliary troops that Are Coming I Can so well demonstrate its Necessity, that I shall for the present But Attend to the Means of executing it. in the Space of Six Month (we know from experience)...
46To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 16 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
You have desired, My dear General, I would put in writing a Summary of the ideas which I Gave as My opinion in our Conversation of last Night—This I am the More inclin’d to do, that, tho’ I feel for Your delicacy on the occasion, I would think it very wrong not to go the same length with the french forces as you would do with those of the United States. The idea of Starving Newyork has been By...
47To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 20 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
having heard of an express from Rhodeisland being Going through the Continental Village I sent for him as it would not delay him More than an hour —inclosed I have the honor to send You the letter from general heath which I have oppen’d and also two letters from the french Generals to me —it seems, My dear General, that they have Anticipated the desire you express’d Yourself of settling our...
48To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 21 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
As I find an express Going from hartfort to General Greene, I send this letter to him, that You Might hear some thing further about the Recruits of Connecticut. from the Colonel under general parsons who is intrusted with the Care of forwarding them I hear that By the first of August two thousand of them Will be at West point—But I had put in My head that they were to Bring arms with them and...
49To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 22 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
I hasten to inform you that the Missing transport is safely arriv’d on the 19th at Boston —she is said to be a two decker and to have on Board a vast deal of powder with pieces of ordinnance, and also the Baggage of the officers of Bourbonnois —The intelligence Came this instant By an officer of our Army who Saw the Men encamp’d on the Commons from where they were to March to providence—Two...
50To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 23 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
I had this Morning the honor to wait on his excellency the Governor, and took the liberty, thò in A private Capacity, to inform him of our Circumstances—the Result of our Conversation I will thearin transmit to You and to be More Certain of Conveying the Governor’s ideas, I am writing at his own house and will show him My letter Before I fold it up. to Begin By the Article of powder which is...
51To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 26 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
every private intelligence from long island, and also the letter from General howe and the officer on the lines do Agree with the Note I have Receiv’d from C[o]l[on]el hamilton, and are all positive upon it that General clinton With a Great part of his Army is Coming to Attak the french troops. in Consequence of this Count de Rochambeau is fortifying Both islands and Making preparations of...
52To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 26 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
I had this Morning the honor of writing to You By general heath’s express and inform’d you that we had from every official and private quarter minuted accounts of the ennemy’s Coming in Great force to attak this island—for my part, I have been long time a disbeliever of the intelligence—But So many letters Came to hand that at lenght I was forc’d to take the General opinion about theyr...
53To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 29 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 22d Came to hand last evening and I hasten to answer At least to a part of its Contents —I Shall Begin By the disagreable disappointement I met with on account of our cloathing —inclos’d, my dear General, you Will find the Return of what has been put on Board of the fleet which I have sent By a vessel to providence, and which will be forwarded to head quarters as soon as...
54To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 31 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
in Consequence of A Note from me the Admiral Came to Last evening, and defensive ideas Gave way to offensive plans—our Conversation was long and is not yet ended—But I hasten to write you a Summary of what past Betwen the Count, the Chevalier, and Myself. I first Began in My own name to Give them a pretty exact Account of the Situation we were in three Months Ago, of the Super natural efforts...
55To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 1 August 1780 (Washington Papers)
Your letter to Count de Rochambeau mentionning the ennemy’s embarkation, and your future movements Against Newyork, a positive letter from Governor Trumbull, and a positive one from General par[s]ons, have once more altered the dispositions, and Such of the Militia as had been dismiss’d have been again Sent for. in Consequence of those expectations my offensive Arrangements have been entirely...
56To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 14 August 1780 (Washington Papers)
You very well know that for Many and Many Reasons Both on account of the Country and on that of the french, I think it very important, Nay I might Say politically Necessary that Some thing Brillant Be at this time perform’d By our troops—to those Motives Which are very strongly impress’d on My Mind, and which I Might More fully explain in A Conversation, I will, add, My dear General, that I...
57To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 28 August 1780 (Washington Papers)
I alwais forgot Mentionning to You what has past Betwen duke of Lauzun and Myself on account of the diminution that had been Made in his horses —from what he told me I Saw that it has been put upon this footing that You thought A greater number of horses than was necessary for Carrying letters &c. would be quite Useless—I explain’d the Matter to him, told him You had decided that No less than...
58To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 2 September 1780 (Washington Papers)
to My Great disappointment M. p——is Return’d this Morning and Brings no details with him—I Wanted him to go again, But You alone Can induce him to do it—from what he Says, the Ennemy are going to undertake A Great Movement—he will himself wait on You and tell you what had been Said to him about Rhode island, and what about improving the Opportunity of theyr fleet’s going to London—tho I do not...
59To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 10 September 1780 (Washington Papers)
After having Stated the few facts that have taken place Betwen this and the last Meeting of General Officers, and After having Given to the Council a Return of the Ennemy’s and our own force on this Continent, Your Excellency Wishes to know what plan in our present Circumstances and in the Suppositions We Can Make I Would think Better to pursue. In Case We have that Naval Superiority which We...
60To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 7 October 1780 (Washington Papers)
Mr Ward’s Corps being Situated on the end of Bergen Neck, two and thirty Miles from our Army, Major lee Began to move Yesterday after Noon and to Execute the plan which he had propos’d; he March’d Conceal’d through the Woods So as to Arrive on the Ground By the Breack of the day. he had with him his own Corps, Mjor parr’s Riflemen, and a piquet of light infantry under Captain Abbot. having...
61To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 12 October 1780 (Washington Papers)
From Major Lee I just Now hear that he has seen A Man Who has been in Newyork and told him that An Embarkation has Certainly taken place, Said to be going to Virginia—that he Got the intelligence In the City on Monday last, and that dragoons were on Board. A Young man that Went into the City has Lately Sent Word to his family that he had been press’d on Board a fleet which Was Going to Sail....
62To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 27 October 1780 (Washington Papers)
From what you have heard from dr hagen about the Boats when on your way to head quarters, I don’t Believe that You may have kept any hope for our Succes—the Boats have been it Seems Reduc’d to five, and from the Time when they were yet at the little falls you May See that they Could not be here at the appointed hour. I will not permit Myself to Reflect on this Moment upon the Many Blunders...
63To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 27 October 1780 (Washington Papers)
I Am Sorry to hear from Major Gibs that My letter of last Night did not Reach You Before your departure from head quarters—it had been writen at one o’clock, as Soon as I took My position for the Night, and intrusted to Clel ogden who promis’d to Send it By An officer Acquainted with the Roads. depending upon your Communication of the Sad intelligence to Chevalier de la luzerne, I did not Send...
64To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 28 October 1780 (Washington Papers)
if I have properly Understood your letter you had not An immediate Occasion for me, and the Matters You wanted to talk of with me are Not to be So Soon put in Execution as to Require my Going this day to head quarters —I have therefore defered the Moving of My troops and that of My person till to Morrow—if on the Contrary there Was the Least occasion for My Going to head quarters I Beg You...
65To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 30 October 1780 (Washington Papers)
In our Conversations upon Military operations, You often have told me that Since the Beggining of the Campaign Your Eyes Were turn’d towards a project upon which I Generally Agree in Opinion With you, and Beg Leave to offer Some Observations. Far from lessening My desire of finishing the Campaign By Some Brillant Stroke, the project of Staten island, tho’ Miscarried, has Strengtened My...
66To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 1 November 1780 (Washington Papers)
In Consequence of Your excellency’s orders I am to Give you My opinion upon these three points—1st when it Will be proper to go into winter Quarters 2d where those winter Quarters are to be taken 3dly if Any thing further May be done to oppose the ennemy’s operations in the South ward. the Month of November Being Generally Good in America, I would not Advise Your excellency to Go into winter...
67To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 8 November 1780 (Washington Papers)
here is a letter from Mercereau Which Says very little, and the little which is Said in it I don’t take to be true—But thought I had better Send his scrole to head Quarters—I have sent him Word that there Was No Monney for Such intelligences as these. Captain Ogden told me that one of our jersay Spies had lately writen to you—I have directed him to go to head quarters and Report of Something...
68To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 11 November 1780 (Washington Papers)
From Doctor B⟨illegible⟩ I have Receiv’d intelligence that there has been a very hott press in New york, and that Admiral Rodney is Going to Sail—If we Believe the Report, the Mayor himself was with the press gang; And the Cartmen were taken in the Streets which shows that they are in hurry to Set out —I am taking the Best Measures I can to hear from the islands, But Nothing May be so Certain...
69To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 13 November 1780 (Washington Papers)
In Revolving into My Mind the Chances of discovery By the Moon light, and on the other hand the inconveniences of staying longer than you Wish under our tents, I have thought if there was Some position which Might enable us to take the advantage of the first hours in the Night—how far the Sending of the pensilvanians towards Aquakanac, and Going ourselves to the hakinsac position May Awaken...
70To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 13 November 1780 (Washington Papers)
On My Return from Your Quarters, I found here One of My Spies from Newyork, and after having taken down his information I have Sent him Again to the Ennemy’s lines from which he is to Bring fresh intelligences On Wenesday Morning —the fellow is Sensible Enough, But how far we May depend upon him I Cannot tell. he left Newyork friday evening, and on Saturday Was at Bergen point—the British Army...