From George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 27 November 1780
To Samuel Huntington
Head Qrs [Preakness] Novr 27th 1780
Sir,
I have the honor to introduce to Your Excellency The Chevalier De Chatellux Major General in the French army. I was happy in the opportunity which his journey this way afforded me of making the acquaintance of a Gentleman as eminent in the literary world as distinguished for military merit and for the social qualities. The personal knowledge I have acquired of him confirms me in the sentiments with which his reputation had impressed me1—and induces me to recommend him particularly to Your Excellency’s esteem.2 I have the honor to be With perfect respect Sir Yr most Obedt & hum. Ser.
Go: W——n
DfS, in Alexander Hamilton’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. GW wrote the dateline on the draft.
GW also wrote Huntington from headquarters on this date: “I have the honor [to] introduce to your Excellency’s acquaintance the Vis-count De Noailles, Colonel in the French Army—You will find in him an officer of distinction—a Gentleman who possesses those talents and qualities which ornament birth and fortune—who has besides the advantage of being allied to the Marquis De la Fayette—and participates in the same zeal for the service of America” (DfS, in Alexander Hamilton’s writing; Varick transcript, DLC:GW; GW wrote the dateline on the draft).
GW again wrote Huntington from headquarters on this date: “I have the honor to introduce to your acquaintaince the Count de Damas, a Capt. in the guards of the King of France and Aide de Camt to the Count De Rochambeau. He is a Gentleman of the first distinction in his country, and to great personal merit adds a warm zeal for the service of America, which cannot fail to recommend him to your Excellency’s particular esteem and attentions” (DfS, in Alexander Hamilton’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW; GW wrote the dateline on the draft).
GW additionally wrote Huntington from headquarters on this date: “The Chevalier Du Plessis, who will have the honor of delivering you this, if not known to Yr Excellency personally is at least known to you by reputation—After having distinguished himself as an American officer he is now returned in the French army to give new proofs of his zeal and attachment to our cause. Titles like these, I am persuaded will sufficiently recommend him to your Excellency” (DfS, in Alexander Hamilton’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW; GW wrote the dateline on the draft).
Lieutenant General Rochambeau had authorized his subordinate officers to visit GW (see his letter to GW, 14 Nov.; see also Rochambeau to GW, 16 Nov., and GW to Rochambeau, 10 Dec.).
Major General Chastellux wrote in his journal entry for 21 Nov.: “The Vicomte de Noailles, the Comte de Damas, and the Chevalier Duplessis-Mauduit had reached West Point, which post they had intended to examine minutely; but the movements of the American army determined them to set out with me, in order to join M. de La Fayette the next evening or early the following morning” (, 1:95; see also GW to Rochambeau, 27 Nov., and General Orders, 23 Nov., source note).
GW subsequently wrote Huntington from headquarters at New Windsor on 7 Dec.: “I have the honor of introducing to your Excellency the Count de Custine a Brigadier General in the Army of France, and who is warmly recommended to me by the Count de Rochambeau. This Gentlemans Rank, exclusive of the amiable and valuable qualities which he is said to possess, intitles him to that polite attention which I am confident he will receive from your Excellency” (Df, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW).
GW again wrote Huntington from headquarters on 7 Dec.: “I have the honor to introduce to your Excellency the Marquis de Laval a Colonel in the French Army—This Gentleman is of the Family of Montmorenci, the most illustrious in France; which alone would intitle him to every mark of respect, did not his personal good qualities and the zeal with which he has sought the American service give him a further claim to our attentions. I am convinced Your Excellency will receive him in a manner suited to his merit and his Birth” (Df, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW).
GW also wrote Brig. Gen. Anthony Wayne from headquarters at New Windsor on 7 Dec.: “I have the pleasure of introducing to you the Count de Custine a Brigadier, and the Marquis de Laval a Colonel in the French Army—They are Gentlemen of the first distinction, which, added to their Rank, will, I am certain, ensure them every mark of attention from you.
“Should any Officer of the line, properly qualified to accompany them, have occasion to go to Philadelphia, I should be glad that you would make an offer of his services upon that occasion. I have assured them this will be the case” (LS, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, PHi: Dreer Collection; GW wrote the final sentence; the letter was addressed to Wayne near Morristown, N.J.). Wayne replied to GW on 10 December.
French chief commissary Claude Blanchard, then at Providence, wrote in his journal entry for 18 Nov. that Brigadier General Custine, Colonel Laval, and Colonel Deux-Ponts, “who were going to travel in the interior of America, passed through Providence” (, 76; see also Rochambeau to GW, 10 Nov.). Maj. Gen. William Heath wrote in his memoirs for 5 Dec.: “Marquis Laval, Count de Custine, and Col. Fleury, of the French army at Newport, arrived at West Point, on a visit” (, 280).
1. Chastellux left Newport on 11 Nov. for “a long tour upon the continent” (, 1:65). He arrived at Providence on 12 Nov. “in the morning” and “departed the next day” (, 75–76). Chastellux wrote in his journal entry for 23 Nov. about arriving at “the headquarters of ‘his Excellency,’ for it is thus that Mr. Washington is called in the army and throughout America.” He found Major General Lafayette conversing with a man “of a noble and mild countenance. It was the General himself.” Chastellux dismounted and exchanged brief greetings, “the feelings which animated me and his kindly disposition towards me were not feigned.” GW then introduced subordinate generals and his military family. “I soon felt myself at my ease near the greatest and best of men. The goodness and benevolence which characterize him are evident in all that surrounds him; but the confidence he calls forth is never familiar, for the sentiment he inspires has the same origin in every individual, a profound esteem for his virtues and a high opinion of his talents.” Chastellux stayed with GW after “the general officers withdrew to their quarters” for the evening because “the General wished me to make mine in his own house.” Chastellux’s chamber “represented the fourth part” of GW’s lodgings, and he apologized “for the little space he had at his disposal, but always with a noble politeness, which was neither embarrassing nor excessive” (, 1:105–6).
Chastellux wrote in his journal entry for 24 Nov. that following dinner with GW, “apples and a great quantity of nuts were served, which General Washington usually continues eating for two hours, ‘toasting’ and conversing all the time.” GW “was pleased to enter with me into the particulars of some of the principal operations of the war, but always with a modesty and conciseness, which proved that it was from pure politeness that he consented to speak of himself.” Chastellux was then surprised that GW expected him at supper. “I returned to the dining room, protesting strenuously against this supper; but the General told me he was accustomed to take something in the evening; that if I would be seated I should only eat some fruit and take part in the conversation. I desired nothing better, for there were then no strangers, and nobody remained but the General’s ‘family.’ The supper was composed of three or four light dishes, some fruit, and above all, a great abundance of nuts, which were as well received in the evening as at dinner. The cloth being soon removed, a few bottles of good Bordeaux and Madeira were placed on the table. … I observed that there was more solemnity in the toasts at dinner: there were several ceremonious ones; the others were suggested by the General and given out by his aides-de-camp, who performed the honors of the table at dinner, for one of them is seated each day at the head of the table, near the General, to serve all the dishes and distribute the bottles. The toasts in the evening, however, were proposed by Colonel Hamilton, as they occurred to him, without order or formality. After supper the guests are generally asked to propose a ’sentiment,’ that is to say, a lady to whom they are attached by some sentiment, either of love or friendship, or perhaps from preference only” (, 1:109–10).
Chastellux wrote in his journal entry for 25 Nov. that, due to foul weather, he enjoyed “a great luxury to pass a whole day with General Washington, as if he were at home in the country, and had nothing to do” (, 1:110). In his journal entry for 26 Nov., Chastellux remarked that after breakfast he rode a horse from GW that he found “perfectly well broken and well trained, having a good mouth, easy in hand, and stopping short in gallop without bearing the bit. I mention these minute particulars, because it is the General himself who breaks in all his own horses, and because he is a very excellent and bold horseman, leaping the highest fences, and going extremely quick, without standing upon his stirrups, bearing on the bridle, or letting his horse run wild” (, 1:111). After conversing with various generals, Chastellux returned to headquarters to dine with “a great many general officers and colonels” before spending the rest of the day in “the company of General Washington, whom I was to leave the next day. He was so good as to map out my journey himself, to send on ahead to have lodgings prepared for me, and to give me a colonel to accompany me as far as Trenton.” Chastellux then identified GW’s “strongest characteristic” as “the perfect harmony which reigns between the physical and moral qualities which compose his personality. … Brave without temerity, laborious without ambition, generous without prodigality, noble without pride, virtuous without severity, he seems always to have confined himself within those limits, where the virtues, by clothing themselves in more lively, but more changeable and doubtful colors, may be mistaken for faults. This is the seventh year that he has commanded the army, and that he has obeyed Congress; more need not be said, especially in America, where they know how to appreciate all the merit contained in this simple fact. … It will be said of him, At the end of a long civil war, he had nothing with which he could reproach himself. If anything can be more marvellous than such a character, it is the unanimity of the public suffrages in his favor. Soldier, Magistrate, People, all love and admire him; all speak of him only in terms of affection and veneration.” Chastellux also described GW’s “exterior form. His stature is noble and lofty, he is well built, and exactly proportioned; his physiognomy mild and agreeable, but such as to render it impossible to speak particularly of any one of his features, so that on leaving him, you have only the recollection of a fine face. He has neither a grave nor a familiar air, his brow is sometimes marked with thought, but never with worry; in inspiring respect, he inspires confidence, and his smile is always the smile of benevolence” (, 1:112–14). Chastellux departed for Philadelphia with Col. Stephen Moylan on 27 Nov. (see , 1:115–16).
2. Huntington acknowledged “the polite Manner in which you have been pleased to introduce to my Acquaintance” Chastellux “and other french Officers” when he wrote GW on 9 Feb. 1781 (DLC:GW; see also the source note above).