The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution Volume X Part 49

In answer to your Excellency's favor of this day, I have the honor to acquaint you, that the enlisting any deserter in the Continental army being expressly contrary to the direction of the Commander in Chief, the Hessian deserters are quite at liberty to enter into the service of his Most Christian Majesty, if his officers approve it, and they will in that case receive every encouragement from us to do.

I have the honor to be, &c.

JOSEPH REED, _President of Pennsylvania_.

TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

Translation.

Philadelphia, July 26th, 1780.

Sir,

Some Hessian deserters having come to me to obtain service in the body of French troops sent by the King to this continent, I have thought proper, before accepting their offers, to know the opinion of the State of Pennsylvania on this subject; and President Reed, whom I consulted, returned for answer the letter of which I annex a copy.

Particular arrangements, relative to the subsistence of these new recruits, will make it necessary for me to have recourse to the Board of War; and I request, Sir, that Congress would be pleased to authorise the members composing it to agree with me on such measures as circ.u.mstances shall render necessary.[39]

I have the honor to be, &c.

LUZERNE.

FOOTNOTE:

[39] _In Congress, July 31st, 1780._--"On a report from the Board of War, to whom the Minister's letter of the 26th was referred,

"_Resolved_, That, agreeably to the request of the Honorable the Minister of France, the Board of War be authorised to take such measures relating to the subsistence of the recruits, who shall be enlisted into the service of his Most Christian Majesty out of the German deserters from the enemy, as the said Board shall deem proper."

GEORGE WASHINGTON TO M. DE LA LUZERNE.

Head Quarters, July 27th, 1780.

Sir,

I have the honor to enclose to your Excellency a letter, which has just come to hand, from the Count de Rochambeau, of the 22d instant.

It is certainly of great importance, that the precaution he mentions should be taken without loss of time. I should think the Delaware the best place for the reception of the second division, though there ought to be cruisers off both bays. It is necessary that a plan should be previously fixed for the junction of the fleets after the debarkation. I shall immediately write to the Count for this purpose.

We have repeated accounts from New York, that General Clinton is making a large detachment for a combined attack upon the French fleet and army. This will be a hazardous attempt, and, therefore, though I do not regard it as impossible, I do not give it entire faith. The Count de Rochambeau has been some time since apprized of these demonstrations, and seems to have been preparing for what might happen.

I have the honor to be, with every sentiment of respect and attachment, &c.

GEORGE WASHINGTON.

TO GEORGE WASHINGTON.

Translation.

Philadelphia, July 30th, 1780.

Sir,

I enclose to your Excellency a letter for M. de Ternay, in which you will see what measures I have taken to fulfil the intentions, which you imparted to me on the 27th instant. I beg you will seal this packet and send it to his address by the first opportunity.

Congress have put under your orders the frigates, in directing them to come into the Delaware. You will be able to judge, after your arrangements with the Chevalier de Ternay, whether these vessels, or one of them, may not accomplish the commission desired. Their cruise may then be useful to the commerce of the United States. I know not whether M. de Ternay will communicate to them any signals, by means of which they may approach the coast without danger. Your Excellency may be able, should you think it necessary, to suggest it to him.

I have the honor to be, &c.

LUZERNE.

GEORGE WASHINGTON TO M. DE LA LUZERNE.

Peekskill, August 4th, 1780.

Sir,

Colonel Jamet arrived here last night, by whom I had the honor to receive your Excellency's request, that I would send instructions for the second division coming from France, with respect to the measures, which it should pursue for forming a junction with the first. I beg leave to inform your Excellency, that I wrote to the Count de Rochambeau, agreeably to my letter to you of the 27th ultimo, and requested that he, in concert with the Chevalier de Ternay, would communicate to me, that it might be transmitted to your Excellency, the line of conduct which they should judge proper to be pursued by this division.

As the Marine are concerned, and the junction in present circ.u.mstances is a matter of peculiar delicacy, I did not think myself qualified to decide on the point. I have not received their answer yet, and therefore I cannot pretend to determine what should be done; I will, however, take the liberty to observe, that if the ships of war with this division are superior, or even fully equal to those of the enemy, off Rhode Island, I should suppose it would be eligible for them to proceed there at once, should they be met by the cruisers your Excellency has sent out on the Southern coast. If this is not the case, they ought to make the Delaware as soon as possible. In this event the troops might be forwarded to Trenton in the first instance, and the ships might remain until ulterior measures, with respect to them, should be determined. These, however, I would not offer but as mere suggestions, and much it would seem must depend on circ.u.mstances and the discretion of the officer commanding the division.

Perhaps if the ships of war should proceed directly to Rhode Island, it will be best for them to disembarra.s.s themselves of their transports, and send them into the Delaware as in the other case. I take it for granted, that signals of recognisance have been preconcerted between the two divisions.

On the 31st ultimo, the enemy's fleet in the Sound returned from Huntington Bay to New York. From every information the Count de Rochambeau and his army were certainly their object, and they had embarked in considerable force, with a view of attacking him. I cannot determine with precision the reasons, which induced the enemy to relinquish their plan; but it is not improbable that the movements of our army, and the ulterior measures I was about to prosecute, operated in some measure to produce it.

I have the honor to be, &c.

GEORGE WASHINGTON.

GEORGE WASHINGTON TO M. DE LA LUZERNE.

Peekskill, August 6th, 1780.

Sir,

I had this morning the honor to receive your Excellency's letter of the 30th of July, with the one addressed to the Chevalier de Ternay, which I have sealed and forwarded by an express.

With respect to the Continental frigates, I beg leave to inform your Excellency, that I did not apprehend, from the resolution of Congress concerning them, that they were to be under my orders, or to receive any instructions from me, until they had joined the Chevalier de Ternay, after a.s.sembling in the Delaware. This being the case, I cannot give any directions about them at present, and would take the liberty to recommend to your Excellency to apply to Congress or the Board of Admiralty; to the latter of whom I have written to give their orders to the captains of the frigates, on the conduct they are to pursue. The employment for them, or at least for one which your Excellency has suggested, appears to me to be proper, and that it will answer the double purposes you mention.

I have, by my letter of today to the Chevalier de Ternay, requested him to advise me in what manner he thinks the frigates can be most usefully employed to a.s.sist his fleet, and that there might be no further delay, when matters with respect to them are ultimately fixed, I requested him also to communicate to the Captains of the frigates at Boston, as well as to myself, the signals of recognisance.

When I receive his answer I will embrace the earliest occasion to transmit the signals.