November 22d, 1780.
Inclosed, my dear Hamilton, I send you a letter for Mr. De Marbois,
wherein are contained two exemplaires of my dispatches to Doctor
Franklin. In the hurry of our arrangement, I forgot to mention them
to the General. Be pleased to give him a summary of their contents,
to which I have added the southern news of yesterday. Tell him that,
knowing from experience, how negligent we were in sending accounts to
Europe, I take upon myself to forward such as may influence mediating
powers in case of a negotiation.
I have made a calculation about boats, and think that if _we act upon
a large scale_ in the Staten Island expedition, we ought to have
forty boats--about a thousand (the hundred artillery included) for
the watering place and Richmond; your attack should have two hundred.
In this calculation I put the staff and other officers, &c., twelve
hundred men, or thirty per boat, makes forty boats; at least we ought
not to have much less.
Let me know, my dear friend, if what we were speaking of last night,
and the night before last, will be complied with. In consequence of
what was said by the General, I was set at liberty to speak fully to
G., who was charmed with the beauty and propriety of the thing. I am
fully, fully of opinion that we would be very sorry not to go (at least
conditionally), upon that plan, which perhaps will be as easy as any
thing else: we may even say, il est beau même d’en tomber. Adieu; write
me upon what scale, that I may prepare my troops. To-morrow we must
carry your private affair. Show me your letter before you give it.
Yours,
La Fayette.