an immense time before I knew what to think of this fleet, and my
presence at this place was the speediest means of forwarding the
detachment either to Hampton or your excellency's immediate army.
By private letters, we hear that General Greene had, on the 19th, an
engagement with Lord Cornwallis. The honour of keeping the field was
not on our side. The enemy lost more men than we did. General Greene
displayed his usual prudence and abilities, both in making his
dispositions and posting his troops at ten miles from the first field of
battle, where they bid defiance to the enemy, and are in a situation to
check his progress.
FROM GENERAL WASHINGTON TO THE MARQUIS DE LAFAYETTE.
(ORIGINAL.)
New Windsor, 6th April, 1781.
MY DEAR MARQUIS,--Since my letter to you of yesterday,~[1] I have
attentively considered of what vast importance it will be to reinforce
General Greene as speedily as possible; more especially as there can be
little doubt that the detachment under General Phillips, if not part of
that now under the command of General Arnold, will ultimately join, or
in some degree co-operate with Lord Cornwallis. I have communicated
to the general officers at present with the army my sentiments on the
subject; and they are unanimously of opinion that the detachment under
your command should proceed and join the southern army. Your being
already three hundred miles advanced, which is nearly half way, is
the reason that operates against any which can be offered in favour of
marching that detachment back. You will therefore, immediately at the
receipt of this, turn the detachment to the southward. Inform General
Greene that you are upon your march to join him, and take his directions
as to your route, when you begin to approach him. Previously to that,
you will be guided by your own judgment, and by the roads on which you
will be most likely to find subsistence for the troops and horses. It
will be well to advise Governor Jefferson of your intended march through
the state of Virginia, or, perhaps, it will answer a good purpose were
you to go forward to Richmond yourself, after putting the troops in
motion, and having made some necessary arrangement for their progress.
You will take with you the light artillery and smallest mortars, with
their stores and the musket cartridges. But let these follow, under a
proper escort, rather than impede the march of the detachment, which
ought to move as expeditiously as possible without injury to them. The
heavy artillery and stores you will leave at some proper and safe place,
if it cannot be conveniently transported to Christiana River, from
whence it will be easily got to Philadelphia. You may leave to the
option of Lieutenant-Colonel Stevens to proceed or not, as he may think
proper; his family is in peculiar circumstances, and he left it with
the expectation of being absent for a short time. Should there be other
officers under similar circumstances, you may make them the same offers,
and they shall be relieved.
I am, my dear marquis, yours, &c.
Footnote:
1. This related merely to the expedition which had lately failed.
Washington deplored its result, which had been occasioned by maritime
events, but he approved and eulogised the conduct of M. de Lafayette.
TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.
(ORIGINAL.)
Elk, April 8th, 1781.
MY DEAR GENERAL,--Your excellency's letters of the 5th and 6th instant
are just come to hand, and before I answer their contents, I beg leave
to give you a summary account of the measures I have lately taken. As
to the part of my conduct you have been acquainted with, I am happy, my
dear general, to find it has met with your approbation.
When the return of the British fleet put it out of doubt that nothing
could be undertaken for the present against Portsmouth, I sent pressing
orders to Annapolis, in order to have everything in readiness, and even
to move the troops by land to the Head-of-Elk. I myself hastened back
to Maryland, but confess I could not resist the ardent desire I had of
seeing your relations, and, above all, your mother, at Fredericksburg.
For that purpose I went some miles out of my way, and, in order
to conciliate my private happiness to duties of a public nature, I
recovered by riding in the night those few hours which I had consecrated
to my satisfaction. I had also the pleasure of seeing Mount Vernon, and
was very unhappy that my duty and my anxiety for the execution of your
orders prevented my paying a visit to Mr. Curtis.~[1]
On my arrival at Annapolis, I found that our preparations were far
from promising a speedy departure. The difficulty of getting wagons and
horses is immense. No boats sufficient to cross over the ferries. The
state is very desirous of keeping us as long as possible, as they were
scared by the apparition of the _Hope_, twenty guns, and the _Monk_,
eighteen guns, who blockaded the harbour, and who (as appeared by
intercepted letters) were determined to oppose our movements.
In these circumstances, I thought it better to continue my preparations
for a journey by land, which, I am told, would have lasted ten days, on
account of ferries, and, in the meanwhile, had two eighteen-pounders put
on board a small sloop, which appeared ridiculous to some, but proved to
be of great service. In the morning of the 6th, Commodore Nicholson went
out with the sloop and another vessel, full of men. Whether the sound
of eighteen pounders, or the fear of being boarded, operated upon the
enemy, I am not able to say; but, after some manoeuvres, they retreated
so far as to render it prudent for us to sail to this place. Every
vessel with troops and stores was sent in the night by the commodore, to
whom I am vastly obliged; and having brought the rear with the sloop and
other vessels, I arrived this morning at Elk. It is reported that
the ships have returned to their stations; if so, they must have been
reinforced; their commander had already applied for an augmentation of
force.
Before I left Annapolis, hearing that General Greene was in want of
ammunition, I took the liberty of leaving for the southern army four
six-pounders, with three hundred rounds each, nearly a hundred thousand
cartridges, and some small matters, which I left to the care of the
governor and General Smallwood, requesting them to have wagons and
horses impressed, to send them to a place of safety, where they must
be by this time. I also wrote to the governor of Virginia, to General
Greene, and the baron. These stores will set off in a few days,
under the care of a detachment, for the Maryland line, commanded by
Lieutenant-Colonel Stuart.
In consequence of previous orders, everything was in readiness for
our movement. The troops were ordered to march the next morning, and
I expect a sufficiency of vessels is now at Wilmington or Christiana
Creek; so that I am in hopes to join your excellency in a very few days.
Your letter of the 6th, ordering me to the southward, is just come to
hand. Had I been still at Annapolis, or upon the road by land, and
of course with the same means to return that I had to advance, your
commands should have been immediately obeyed; but necessity keeps us
here for some days, and as your letters arrived in two days, your answer
to this must be here before we are in a situation to move.
When your excellency wrote to me, I was supposed to be at Annapolis, or
very near that place, with the means of returning, which makes a great
difference. Another circumstance, still more material, is, that, instead
of joining either Arnold or Phillips (if Phillips be there), Lord
Cornwallis is so disabled as to be forced to a retreat, as appears from
General Greene's letter.
To these considerations I have added this one, which is decisive: that
being fitted only to march twelve miles, part of it in the State
of Delaware, and a part of our provisions being asked for from
Philadelphia, it is impossible to have the necessary apparatus to march
and subsist, or to cross ferries on our way to the southern army, so
as to leave this place under four or five days. As to a transportation
through the bay, we cannot expect the same good luck of frightening an
enemy, who must know how despicable our preparations are; and we
must, at least, wait for the return of look-out boats which, if sent
immediately, will not possibly return under five or six days.
In these circumstances, my dear general, I am going to make every
preparation to march to Virginia, so as to be ready as soon as possible.
I shall keep here the vessels, and will also keep those which have been
ordered to Christiana Creek. This state of suspense will distract
the enemy's conjectures, and put me in a situation to execute your
excellency's orders, which will be here before I can be able to move
with any degree of advantage towards the southward.
Had it been possible to obey to-morrow morning, I would have done it
immediately; but since I am obliged to make preparations, I beg leave
to make these observations, which I should have been allowed to present,
had I been at the meeting of general officers.
The troops I have with me being taken from every northern regiment, have
often (though without mentioning it) been very uneasy at the idea of
joining the southern army. They want clothes; shoes particularly; they
expect to receive clothes and money from their states. This would be a
great disappointment for both officers and men. Both thought at first
they were sent out for a few days, and provided themselves accordingly;
both came cheerfully to this expedition, but both have had already their
fears at the idea of going to the southward. They will certainly obey,
but they will be unhappy, and some will desert.
Had this corps considered themselves as light infantry, destined for
the campaign, to be separated from their regiments, it would be attended
with less inconveniences; and such a corps, in the course of the
campaign, might be brought there without difficulty, particularly by
water, as they would be prepared accordingly.
Supposing the Jersey line were to join the detachment of their troops
at this place, it would hardly make any difference, as we have been but
five days coming from Morristown to the Head-of-Elk.
These considerations, my dear general, I beg you to be convinced, are
not influenced by personal motives. I should most certainly prefer to
be in a situation to attack New York, nor should I like, in an operation
against New York, to see you deprived of the New England light infantry;
but I think with you, that these motives are not to influence our
determination, if this be the best way to help General Greene.
By the letters I have received from my two friends, Marquis de Castries
and Count de Vergennes, I am assured that we shall soon get an answer
to our propositions against New York, and am strongly led to hope that,
having a naval superiority, the army under your immediate command will
not remain inactive.
At all events, my dear general, I will use my best endeavours to be
ready to move either way as soon as possible; and have the honour to be,
with the highest respect and affection, &c.
Footnote:
1. Son of Mrs. Washington by a former marriage.
TO COLONEL HAMILTON.
(ORIGINAL.)
Susquehannah Ferry, 18th April, 1781.
Dear Hamilton,~[1]--You are so sensible a fellow, that you can certainly
explain to me what is the matter that New York should be given up; that
our letters to France go for nothing; that when the French are coming,
I am going. This last matter gives great uneasiness to the minister of
France. All this is not comprehensible to me, who, having been long from
head-quarters, have lost the course of intelligence.
Have you left the family, my dear sir? I suppose so. But from love to
the general, for whom you know my affection, I ardently wish it was not
the case. Many, many reasons conspire to this desire of mine; but if you
do leave it, and if I go to exile, come and partake it with me. Yours,
&c.
Footnote:
1. The 11th of April, Washington renewed, with more detail, his
instructions upon the movement to the south, and General Greene,
desiring to carry the theatre of war into South Carolina, urged General
Lafayette to march upon the capital of Virginia. The latter made his
preparations accordingly, and with great activity, in spite of the
regret he experienced, and the difficulties he encountered. He deplored,
in truth, that long-promised expedition on New York being abandoned; and
he had to combat the repugnance of the troops, who threatened to become
weakened by desertion. This was the subject of several long letters we
have thought proper to suppress. He wrote, also, frequently, to Colonel
Hamilton, and we may see some of those letters in the life of the
latter. We have only inserted this one letter, which expresses all he
felt. Hamilton, at that period, having had a coolness with Washington,
wished to quit his staff; and it was in reality as an officer of the
line that he took part in the siege of Yorktown.--(See his Life, vol.
i., chap. xiii.)
TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.
(ORIGINAL.)
Baltimore, April 18th, 1781.
MY DEAR GENERAL,--Every one of my letters were written in so lamentable
a tone, that I am happy to give you a pleasanter prospect. The anxiety
I feel to relieve your mind from a small part of those many solicitudes
and cares which our circumstances conspire to gather upon you, is the
reason of my sending this letter by the chain of communication, and with
a particular recommendation. When I left Susquehannah Ferry, it was the
general opinion that we could not have six hundred men by the time we
should arrive at our destination. This, and the shocking situation of
the men offered the more gloomy prospects, as the board of war have
confessed their total inability to afford us relief. Under these
circumstances, I have employed every personal exertion, and have the
pleasure to inform you that desertion has, I hope, been put to an end.
On my arrival on this side of the Susquehannah, I made an order for the
troops, wherein I endeavoured to throw a kind of infamy upon desertion,
and to improve every particular affection of theirs. Since then,
desertion has been lessened. Two deserters have been taken up; one of
whom has been hanged to-day, and the other (being an excellent soldier)
will be forgiven, but dismissed from the corps, as well as another
soldier who behaved amiss. To these measures, I have added one which
my feelings for the sufferings of the soldiers, and the peculiarity of
their circumstances, have prompted me to adopt.
The merchants of Baltimore lent me a sum of about 2,000_l_., which will
procure some shirts, linen, overalls, shoes, and a few hats. The
ladies will make up the shirts, and the overalls will be made by the
detachment, so that our soldiers have a chance of being a little more
comfortable. The money is lent upon my credit, and I become security for
the payment of it in two years' time, when, by the French laws, I
may better dispose of my estate. But before that time, I shall use my
influence with the French court, in order to have this sum of money
added to any loan congress may have been able to obtain from them.
In case you are told, my dear general, that my whole baggage has been
taken in the bay, I am sorry I cannot discountenance the report. But
when the mention of papers and maps is made, do not apprehend anything
bad for the papers or maps you have put in my possession. Nothing has
been lost but writing paper and printed maps. The fact is this: when
at York, I had some continental soldiers and my baggage to send up in
a safe barge and an unsafe boat. I, of course, gave the barge to the
soldiers, who easily went to Annapolis. The baggage was put into the
boat, and has not been since heard of. But being aware of the danger; I
took by land with me every article that was, on public accounts, in the
least valuable. By a letter from Baron de Steuben, dated Chesterfield
Court House the 10th of April, I find that General Phillips has at
Portsmouth 1500 or 2000 men added to the force under Arnold. Proper
allowance being made for exaggerations, I apprehend that his whole
army amounts to 2800 men, which obliges me to hasten my march to
Fredericksburg and Richmond, where I expect to receive orders from
General Greene.
The importance of celerity, the desire of lengthening the way home,
and immense delays that would stop me for an age, have determined me
to leave our tents, artillery, &c., under a guard, and with orders to
follow as fast as possible, while the rest of the detachment, by
forced marches, and with impressed wagons and horses, will hasten to
Fredericksburg or Richmond, and by this derange the calculations of the
enemy. We set off to-morrow, and this rapid mode of travelling, added
to my other precautions, will, I hope, keep up our spirits and good
humour.~[1]
I am, my dear general, &c.
P. S. The word _lessened_ does not convey a sufficient idea of what
experience has proved to be true, to the honour of our excellent
soldiers. It had been announced in general orders, that the detachment
was intended to fight an enemy far superior in number, under
difficulties of every sort. That the general was, for his part,
determined to encounter them, but that such of the soldiers as had an
inclination to abandon him, might dispense with the danger and crime of
desertion, as every one of them who should apply to head-quarters for
a pass to join their corps in the north might be sure to obtain it
immediately.
Footnote:
1. This letter announces the real commencement of the Virginian
campaign. M. de Lafayette marched upon Richmond, and thus wrote on the
4th of May:--
"The leaving of my artillery appears a strange whim, but had I waited
for it, Richmond had been lost. It is not without trouble I have made
this rapid march. General Phillips has expressed to a flag officer the
astonishment he felt at our celerity; and when on the 30th, as he was
going to give the signal to attack, he reconnoitred our position, Mr.
Osburn, who was with him, says, that he flew into a violent passion, and
swore vengeance against me and the corps I had brought with me."
The subsequent operations are given in detail, both in the Memoirs,
and in a relation of the campaign; it was, therefore, thought proper to
suppress the greatest part of the letters in which M. de Lafayette gave
an account of them to General Washington. To each of those letters is
usually annexed a copy of his official reports to General Greene.
TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.
(ORIGINAL.)
Alexandria, April 23rd, 1781.
My Dear General,--Great happiness is derived from friendship, and I
experience it particularly in the attachment which unites me to you. But
friendship has its duties, and the man who likes you best, will be the
first to let you know everything in which you may be concerned.
When the enemy came to your house, many negroes deserted to them. This
piece of news did not affect me much, as I little value these matters.
But you cannot conceive how unhappy I have been to hear that Mr. Lund
Washington went on board the enemy's vessels, and consented to give them
provisions.
This being done by the gentleman who, in some measure, represents you
at your house, will certainly have a bad effect, and contrasts with
spirited answers from some neighbours that have had their houses burnt
accordingly.
You will do what you think proper about it, my dear general; but, as
your friend, it was my duty confidentially to mention the circumstances.
With the help of some wagons and horses, we got, in two days, from the
camp, near Baltimore, to this place. We halted yesterday, and having
made a small bargain for a few pair of shoes, are now marching to
Fredericksburg. No official account from Phillips, but I am told they
are removing stores from Richmond and Petersburg. I am surprised nobody
writes to me, and hope soon to receive intelligence.
Our men are in high spirits. Their honour having been interested in this
affair, they have made a point to come with us; and murmurs, as well as
desertion, are entirely out of fashion. Requesting my best respects to
Mrs. Washington, and my compliments to the family, I have the honour to
be, with those sentiments which you know, &c.
FROM GENERAL WASHINGTON TO MARQUIS DE LAFAYETTE.
(ORIGINAL.)
New Windsor, May 4, 1781.
MY DEAR MARQUIS,--The freedom of your communications is an evidence to
me of the sincerity of your attachment, and every fresh instance of
this gives pleasure and adds strength to the bond which unites us in
friendship. In this light I view the intimation respecting the conduct
of Mr. Lund Washington. Some days previous to the receipt of your
letter, which only came to my hands yesterday, I received an account of
this transaction from that gentleman himself, and immediately wrote
and forwarded the answer, of which the enclosed is a copy. This letter,
which was written in the moment of my obtaining the first intimation of
the matter, may be considered as a testimony of my disapprobation of his
conduct, and the transmission of it to you, as a proof of my friendship;
because I wish you to be assured, that no man can condemn the measure
more sincerely than I do.
A false idea, arising from the consideration of his being my steward,
and in that character more the trustee and guardian of my property than
the representative of my honour, has misled his judgment and plunged
him into error, upon the appearance of desertion among my negroes,
and danger to my buildings; for sure I am, that no man is more firmly
opposed to the enemy than he is. From a thorough conviction of this, and
of his integrity, I entrusted every species of my property to his care,
without reservation or fear of his abusing it. The last paragraph of my
letter to him was occasioned by an expression of his fear, that all the
estates convenient to the river would be stripped of their negroes and
moveable property.
I am very happy to find that desertion has ceased, and content has taken
place, in the detachment you command. Before this letter can reach you,
you must have taken your ultimate resolution upon the proposal contained
in my letters of the 21st and 22nd ultimo, and have made the consequent
arrangements. I shall be silent, therefore, on the subject of them, and
only beg, in case you should not return to this army, and the papers
were not lost with your other baggage (on which event give me leave to
express my concern) that you would permit M. Capitaine to furnish me
with copies of the drafts, and the remarks of the pilots (taken at
Colonel Day's) on the entrance of the harbour of New York. It is
possible they may be wanted, and I am not able to furnish them without
your assistance.
Mrs. Washington and the rest of my small family, which, at present,
consists only of Tilghman and Humphreys, join me in cordial salutations,
and, with sentiments of the purest esteem and most affectionate regard,
I remain, my dear marquis, &c.
FROM GENERAL WASHINGTON TO LUND WASHINGTON.
(ORIGINAL.)
New Windsor, April 30, 1781.
Dear Lund,--I am very sorry to hear of your loss; I am a little sorry to
hear of my own; but that which gives me most concern is, that you should
go on board the enemy's vessels, and furnish them with refreshments. It
would have been a less painful circumstance to me to have heard that, in
consequence of your non-compliance with their request, they had burnt
my house and laid the plantation in ruins. You ought to have considered
yourself as my representative, and should have reflected on the bad
example of communicating with the enemy, and making a voluntary offer of
refreshments to them, with a view to prevent a conflagration.
It was not in your power, I acknowledge, to prevent them from sending a
flag on shore, and you did right to meet it; but you should, in the same
instant that the business of it was unfolded, have declared explicitly,
that it was improper for you to yield to the request; after which,
if they had proceeded to help themselves by force, you could but have
submitted, and, being unprovided for defence, this was to be preferred
to a feeble opposition, which only serves as a pretext to burn and
destroy.
I am thoroughly persuaded that you acted from your best judgment,
and believe that your desire to preserve my property, and rescue the
buildings from impending danger, was your governing motive; but to go on
board their vessels, carry them refreshments, commune with a parcel of
plundering scoundrels, and request a favour by asking a surrender of my
negroes, was exceedingly ill judged, and, it is to be feared, will be
unhappy in its consequences, as it will be a precedent for others, and,
may be, become a subject of animadversion.