army, I found it stationed fifteen miles from Philadelphia; our northern
reinforcements had arrived; General Howe was much incommoded by two
forts, one on the Jersey side, the other on the little Island of Mud,
that you will find on your map, below the Schuylkill. These two forts
defended the chevaux de frise of the Delaware; they held out for a long
time, against all the efforts of the English troops, both by sea and
land. Two young Frenchmen, who were acting there as engineers, acquired
much glory by their conduct; MM. de Fleury, of the regiment of Rouergue,
and Mauduit Duplessis, who had also at the same time the command of
the artillery: he is an artillery officer in France. Some Hessians,
commanded by Count Donop, attacked the fort in which Mauduit was
stationed, and were repulsed with considerable loss. Count Donop was
taken and received a mortal wound. These forts, after having made a
vigorous resistance, were at length evacuated. Lord Cornwallis then
passed into Jersey with five thousand men. The same number of our troops
was stationed there, under one of our major-generals. As I was only
a volunteer, I went to reconnoitre the ground, and having met,
accidentally, with a detachment near the enemy's post, the good conduct
of my soldiers rendered an imprudent attack justifiable. We were told
that his lordship had been wounded. He then again re-crossed the river,
and we also did the same. Some days afterwards our army assembled at
Whitemarsh, thirteen miles from Philadelphia. The whole army of General
Howe advanced to attack us: but having examined our position on every
side, they judged it more prudent to retire during the night, after four
days of apparent hesitation. We then executed the project of crossing
over on this side of the Schuylkill, and after having been delayed on
the opposite side, from finding on this shore a part of the enemy's
army, (although they only fired a few cannon balls at us,) they left us
a free passage the next day, and we shall all repair unto our huts for
the winter.
Whilst remaining there, the American army will endeavour to clothe
itself, because it is almost in a state of nudity,--to form itself,
because it requires instruction,--and to recruit itself, because it is
feeble; but the thirteen states are going to rouse themselves and send
us some men. My division will, I trust, be one of the strongest, and I
will exert myself to make it one of the best. The actual situation of
the enemy is by no means an unpleasant one; the army of Burgoyne is fed
at the expense of the republic, and the few men they may obtain back,
for many will be lost upon the road, will immediately be replaced by
other troops; Clinton is quite at ease in New York, with a numerous
garrison; General Howe is paying court to the belles of Philadelphia.
The liberty the English take of stealing and pillaging from friends
as well as foes, places them completely at their ease. Their ships at
present sail up to the town, not, however, without some danger, for,
without counting the ship of sixty-four guns and the frigate which were
burnt before the forts, and without counting all those that I trust the
ice will destroy, several are lost every day on the difficult passage
they are obliged to undertake.
The loss of Philadelphia is far from being so important as it is
conceived to be in Europe. If the differences of circumstances, of
countries, and of proportion between the two armies, were not duly
considered, the success of General Gates would appear surprising when
compared to the events that have occurred with us,--taking into account
the superiority of General Washington over General Gates. Our General is
a man formed, in truth, for this revolution, which could not have been
accomplished without him. I see him more intimately than any other man,
and I see that he is worthy of the adoration of his country. His tender
friendship for me, and his complete confidence in me, relating to all
military and political subjects, great as well as small, enable me
to judge of all the interests he has to conciliate, and all the
difficulties he has to conquer. I admire each day more fully the
excellence of his character, and the kindness of his heart. Some
foreigners are displeased at not having been employed, (although it did
not depend on him to employ them)--others, whose ambitious projects he
would not serve,--and some intriguing, jealous men, have endeavoured to
injure his reputation; but his name will be revered in every age, by
all true lovers of liberty and humanity; and although I may appear to be
eulogising my friend, I believe that the part he makes me act, gives me
the right of avowing publicly how much I admire and respect him. There
are many interesting things that I cannot write, but will one day relate
to you, on which I entreat you to suspend your judgment, and which will
redouble your esteem for him.
America is most impatiently expecting us to declare for her, and France
will one day, I hope, determine to humble the pride of England. This
hope, and the measures which America appears determined to pursue, give
me great hopes for the glorious establishment of her independence. We
are not, I confess, so strong as I expected, but we are strong enough to
fight; we shall do so, I trust, with some degree of success; and, with
the assistance of France, we shall gain, with costs, the cause that
I cherish, because it is the cause of justice,--because it honors
humanity,--because it is important to my country,--and because my
American friends, and myself, are deeply engaged in it. The approaching
campaign will be an interesting one. It is said that the English are
sending us some Hanoverians; some time ago they threatened us with, what
was far worse, the arrival of some Russians. A slight menace from France
would lessen the number of these reinforcements. The more I see of the
English, the more thoroughly convinced I am, that it is necessary to
speak to them in a loud tone.
After having wearied you with public affairs, you must not expect
to escape without being wearied also with my private affairs. It is
impossible to be more agreeably situated than I am in a foreign country.
I have only feelings of pleasure to express, and I have each day more
reason to be satisfied with the conduct of the congress towards me,
although my military occupations have allowed me to become personally
acquainted with but few of its members. Those I do know have especially
loaded me with marks of kindness and attention. The new president, Mr.
Laurens, one of the most respectable men of America, is my particular
friend. As to the army, I have had the happiness of obtaining the
friendship of every individual; not one opportunity is lost of giving
me proofs of it. I passed the whole summer without accepting a division,
which you know had been my previous intention; I passed all that time at
General Washington's house, where I felt as if I were with a friend of
twenty years' standing. Since my return from Jersey, he has desired me
to choose, amongst several brigades, the division which may please me
best; but I have chosen one entirely composed of Virginians. It is weak
in point of numbers at present, just in proportion, however, to the
weakness of the whole army, and almost in a state of nakedness; but I
am promised cloth, of which I shall make clothes, and recruits, of which
soldiers must be made, about the same period; but, unfortunately, the
last is the most difficult task, even for more skilful men than me. The
task I am performing here, if I had acquired sufficient experience to
perform it well, would improve exceedingly my future knowledge. The
major-general replaces the lieutenant-general, and the field-marshal, in
their most important functions, and I should have the power of employing
to advantage, both my talents and experience, if Providence and my
extreme youth allowed me to boast of possessing either. I read, I study,
I examine, I listen, I reflect, and the result of all is the endeavour
at forming an opinion, into which I infuse as much common sense as
possible. I will not talk much, for fear of saying foolish things; I
will still less risk acting much, for fear of doing foolish things;
for I am not disposed to abuse the confidence which the Americans have
kindly placed in me. Such is the plan of conduct which I have followed
until now, and which I shall continue to follow; but when some ideas
occur to me, which I believe may become useful when properly rectified,
I hasten to impart them to a great judge, who is good enough to say that
he is pleased with them. On the other hand, when my heart tells me that
a favourable opportunity offers, I cannot refuse myself the pleasure
of participating in the peril, but I do not think that the vanity of
success ought to make us risk the safety of an army, or of any portion
of it, which may not be formed or calculated for the offensive. If I
could make an axiom, with the certainty of not saying a foolish thing,
I should venture to add that, whatever may be our force, we must content
ourselves with a completely defensive plan, with the exception, however,
of the moment when we may be forced to action, because I think I have
perceived that the English troops are more astonished by a brisk attack
than by a firm resistance.
This letter will be given you by the celebrated Adams, whose name must
undoubtedly be known to you. As I have never allowed myself to quit the
army, I have not been able to see him. He wished that I should give him
letters of introduction to France, especially to yourself. May I hope
that you will have the goodness of receiving him kindly, and even of
giving him some information respecting the present state of affairs. I
fancied you would not be sorry to converse with a man whose merit is so
universally acknowledged. He desires ardently to succeed in obtaining
the esteem of our nation. One of his friends himself told me so.
Footnotes:
1. Madame Charles de Latour-Maubourg.
2. A son of the Viscount de Noailles, who was the son of Marshal de
Mouchy, and married the eldest daughter of the Duke d'Ayen.
TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.~[1]
(ORIGINAL)
Camp, 30th December, 1777.
MY DEAR GENERAL,--I went yesterday morning to head-quarters with an
intention of speaking to your excellency, but you were too busy, and I
shall lay down in this letter what I wished to say.
I don't need to tell you that I am sorry for all that has happened
for some time past. It is a necessary dependence of my most tender and
respectful friendship for you, which affection is as true and candid
as the other sentiments of my heart, and much stronger than so new an
acquaintance seems to admit; but another reason, to be concerned in the
present circumstances, is my ardent and perhaps enthusiastic wishes for
the happiness and liberty of this country. I see plainly that America
can defend herself if proper measures are taken, and now I begin to fear
lest she should be lost by herself and her own sons.
When I was in Europe I thought that here almost every man was a lover of
liberty, and would rather die free than live a slave. You can conceive
my astonishment when I saw that toryism was as openly professed
as whiggism itself: however, at that time I believed that all good
Americans were united together; that the confidence of congress in you
was unbounded. Then I entertained the certitude that America would be
independent in case she should not lose you. Take away, for an instant,
that modest diffidence of yourself, (which, pardon my freedom, my dear
General, is sometimes too great, and I wish you could know, as well as
myself, what difference there is between you and any other man,) you
would see very plainly that if you were lost for America, there is no
body who could keep the army and the revolution for six months. There
are open dissensions in congress, parties who hate one another as much
as the common enemy; stupid men, who, without knowing a single word
about war, undertake to judge you, to make ridiculous comparisons;
they are infatuated with Gates, without thinking of the different
circumstances, and believe that attacking is the only thing necessary to
conquer. Those ideas are entertained in their minds by some jealous men,
and perhaps secret friends to the British Government, who want to push
you in a moment of ill humour to some rash enterprise upon the lines,
or against a much stronger army. I should not take the liberty of
mentioning these particulars to you if I did not receive a letter about
this matter, from a young good-natured gentleman at York, whom Conway
has ruined by his cunning, bad advice, but who entertains the greatest
respect for you.
I have been surprised at first, to see the few establishments of this
board of war, to see the difference made between northern and southern
departments, to see resolves from congress about military operations;
but the promotion of Conway is beyond all my expectations. I should
be glad to have new major-generals, because, as I know, you take some
interest in my happiness and reputation it is, perhaps, an occasion for
your excellency to give me more agreeable commands in some interesting
instances. On the other hand, General Conway says he is entirely a man
to be disposed of by me. He calls himself my soldier, and the reason
of such behaviour to me is, that he wishes to be well spoken of at the
French court, and his protector, the Marquis de Castries, is an intimate
acquaintance of mine; but since the letter of Lord Stirling I inquired
in his character. I found that he was an ambitious and dangerous man.
He has done all in his power, by cunning manoeuvres, to take off my
confidence and affection for you. His desire was to engage me to leave
this country. Now I see all the general officers of the army against
congress; such disputes, if known by the enemy, would be attended with
the worst consequences. I am very sorry whenever I perceive troubles
raised among the defenders of the same cause, but my concern is much
greater when I find officers coming from France, officers of some
character in my country, to whom any fault of that kind may be imputed.
The reason of my fondness for Conway was his being by all means a very
brave and very good officer. However, that talent for manoeuvres, and
which seems so extraordinary to congress, is not so very difficult a
matter for any man of common sense who applies himself to it. I must pay
to General Portail, and some French officers, who came to speak me, the
justice to say, that I found them as I could wish upon this occasion;
for it has made a great noise among many in the army. I wish, indeed,
those matters could be soon pacified. I wish your excellency could let
them know how necessary you are to them, and engage them at the same
time to keep peace, and simulate love among themselves till the
moment when those little disputes shall not be attended with such
inconveniences. It would be, too, a great pity that slavery, dishonour,
ruin, and unhappiness of a whole world, should issue from some trifling
differences between a few men.
You will find, perhaps, this letter very useless, and even inopportune;
but I was desirous of having a pretty, long conversation with you upon
the present circumstances, to explain you what I think of this matter.
As a proper opportunity for it did not occur, I took the liberty of
laying down some of my ideas in this letter, because it is for my
satisfaction to be convinced that you, my dear general, who have been
indulgent enough to permit me to look on you as upon a friend, should
know the confession of my sentiments in a matter which I consider as a
very important one. I have the warmest love for my country and for
every good Frenchman; their success fills my heart with joy; but, sir,
besides, Conway is an Irishman, I want countrymen, who deserve, in every
point, to do honour to their country. That gentleman had engaged me by
entertaining my head with ideas of glory and shining projects, and I
must confess, to my shame, that it is a too certain way of deceiving me.
I wished to join to the few theories about war I can have, and the
few dispositions nature gave, perhaps, to me, the experience of thirty
campaigns, in hope that I should be able to be the more useful in the
present circumstances. My desire of deserving your satisfaction is
stronger than ever, and everywhere you will employ me you can be certain
of my trying every exertion in my power to succeed. I am now fixed to
your fate, and I shall follow it and sustain it as well by my sword as
by all means in my power. You will pardon my importunity in favour of
the sentiment which dictated it. Youth and friendship make me, perhaps,
too warm, but I feel the greatest concern at all that has happened for
some time since.
With the most tender and profound respect, I have the honour to be, &c.
Footnote:
1. This letter was occasioned by the momentary success of an intrigue,
known in American history under the name of Conway's cabal. Conway,
who wished to oppose Gates to Washington, had written to the former a
letter, in which he attacked the general-in-chief. An aide-de-camp of
Lord Stirling gained knowledge of that letter, and communicated its
contents to Washington, who entered immediately into an explanation with
Conway, in consequence of which the latter sent in his resignation,
and announced the intention of re-entering the service of France.
The resignation was not accepted by congress, and Conway was, on
the contrary, named inspector-general of the army, with the rank of
major-general, and the formation of the war office in relation to the
mercenary troops. We see, by a letter from General Washington, that
M. de Lafayette was the only person to whom he shewed General Conway's
letter, transmitted by Lord Stirling's aide-de-camp.--(Letter to Horatio
Gates, of the 4th of January, 1778, written from Washington. V. 1st,
Appendix No. 6.)
FROM GENERAL WASHINGTON.
(ORIGINAL)
Head-quarters, December 31st, 1777.
MY DEAR MARQUIS,--Your favour of yesterday conveyed to me fresh proof of
that friendship and attachment, which I have happily experienced since
the first of our acquaintance, and for which I entertain sentiments of
the purest affection. It will ever constitute part of my happiness to
know that I stand well in your opinion; because I am satisfied that you
can have no views to answer by throwing out false colours, and that you
possess a mind too exalted to condescend to low arts and intrigues to
acquire a reputation. Happy, thrice happy, would it have been for this
army and the cause we are embarked in, if the same generous spirit had
pervaded all the actors in it. But one gentleman, whose name you have
mentioned, had, I am confident, far different views; his ambition and
great desire of being puffed off, as one of the first officers of the
age, could only be equalled by the means which he used to obtain them.
But finding that I was determined not to go beyond the line of my
duty to indulge him in the first--nor to exceed the strictest rules of
propriety to gratify him in the second--he became my inveterate enemy;
and he has, I am persuaded, practised every art to do me an injury, even
at the expense of reprobating a measure that did not succeed, that he
himself advised to. How far he may have accomplished his ends, I know
not; and except for considerations of a public nature, I care not; for,
it is well known, that neither ambitious nor lucrative motives, led me
to accept my present appointments, in the discharge of which, I have
endeavoured to observe one steady and uniform system of conduct, which I
shall invariably pursue, while I have the honour to command, regardless
of the tongue of slander, or the powers of detraction. The fatal
tendency of disunion is so obvious, that I have, in earnest terms,
exhorted such officers as have expressed their dissatisfaction at
General Conway's promotion, to be cool and dispassionate in their
decision about the matter; and I have hopes that they will not suffer
any hasty determination to injure the service. At the same time, it must
be acknowledged, that officers' feelings upon these occasions are not to
be restrained, although you may control their actions.
The other observations contained in your letter have too much truth in
them; and, it is much to be lamented, that things are not now as they
formerly were. But we must not, in so great a contest, expect to meet
with nothing but sunshine. I have no doubt that everything happens for
the best, that we shall triumph over all our misfortunes, and, in the
end, be happy; when, my dear marquis, if you will give me your company
in Virginia, we will laugh at our past difficulties and the folly of
others; and I will endeavour, by every civility in my power, to shew
you how much, and how sincerely, I am your affectionate and obedient
servant.
TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.
(ORIGINAL.)
Valley Forge, December 31st, 1777.
My Dear General,--I should have much reproached myself the liberty I
took of writing to your excellency, if I had believed it could engage
you in the trouble of answering that letter. But now, as you have
written it, I must tell you that I received this favour with the
greatest satisfaction and pleasure. Every assurance and proof of your
affection fills my heart with joy, because that sentiment of yours is
extremely dear and precious to me. A tender and respectful attachment
for you, and an invariable frankness, will be found in my mind as you
know me better; but, after those merits, I must tell you, that very few
others are to be found. I never wished so heartily to be entrusted by
nature with an immensity of talents than on this occasion; I could be
then of some use to your glory and happiness, as well as to my own.
What man do not join the pure ambition of glory with this other
ambitious of advancement, rank, and fortune? As an ardent lover of
laurels, I cannot bear the idea that so noble a sentiment should be
mixed with any low one. In your preaching moderation to the brigadiers
upon such an occasion, I am not surprised to recognise your virtuous
character. As I hope my warm interest is known to your excellency, I
dare entertain the idea that you will be so indulgent as to let me know
everything concerning you, whenever you will not be under the law of
secrecy or particular circumstances.
With the most tender and affectionate friendship--with the most profound
respect--I have the honour to be, &c.
TO MADAME DE LAFAYETTE.
Camp, near Valley-Forge, January 6th, 1778.