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PROPERTY OF THE LATE COMTE LOUIS DE CHASTELLUX
WASHINGTON, George. Autograph letter signed (“Go:Washington”) as Commander-in-Chief, to François-Jean de Beauvoir, Chevalier de Chastellux, Newburgh, 10 August 1782.
Details
WASHINGTON, George. Autograph letter signed (“Go:Washington”) as Commander-in-Chief, to François-Jean de Beauvoir, Chevalier de Chastellux, Newburgh, 10 August 1782.
Four pages, 225 x 185mm, bifolium, blindstamped "ARCHIVES DE CHASTELLUX" at top of first page.
While, “The enemy talk loudly, and very confidently of Peace," Washington suspects the British might still be buying time "to prepare for a more vigorous prosecution of the War." A fine letter from Washington, underscoring the reality that although the British had been humiliated by yet another surrender of a large army (first at Saratoga in 1777 and then at Yorktown in 1781), the conflict appeared far from concluded. Washington had planned to utilize his French allies again to place pressure on British-occupied New York City during the 1782 campaign. As it happened, Chastellux was in Baltimore preparing to march north with French forces to rendezvous with Washington's army encamped in the Hudson Highlands as Washington wrote to him from Newburgh:
"I love & thank you for the Sentiments contained in your letter of the 5.th – I look forward with pleasure, to the Epocha which will place us as conveniently in one Camp, as we are congenial in our sentiments. – I shall embrace you when it happens, with the warmth of perfect friendship. My time, during my Winters residence in Philadelphia, was unusually (for me) divided between parties of pleasure, and parties of business. – The first, – nearly of a sameness, at all times & places in this Infant Country, Country – is easily conceived; at best, is too unimportant for description. – The second, – was only diversified by perplexities,; and could afford no entertainment. – Convinced of these things myself, & knowing that your intelligence with respect to foreign affairs was better, & more interesting than mine, I had no subject to address you upon; – thus do I account for my silence. –
"My time, since I joined the Army in this Quarter, has been, occupied – principally, – in providing for, and disciplining, and & preparing, – under many embarassments – the Troops for the Field. – Cramped as we have been, and still are, for the want of money, every thing moves slowly; but as this is no new case, I am not discouraged by it. – The enemy talk loudly, and very confidently of Peace; – but whether they are in earnest, or whether it is to amuse, & while away the time till they can prepare for a more vigorous prosecution of the War, time will evince: – certain it is, the Refugees at New York are violently convulsed by a letter which ‘ere this, you will have seen published from Sir Guy Carleton & Admiral Digby to me, upon the subject of a general pacification and acknowledgement of the Independency of this country. –" Published from the letter book copy in Fitzpatrick, Writings, vol. 24, pp. 495-496. Provenance: François-Jean de Beauvoir, Marquis de Chastellux (1734-1788) – by descent to the consignor.
Four pages, 225 x 185mm, bifolium, blindstamped "ARCHIVES DE CHASTELLUX" at top of first page.
While, “The enemy talk loudly, and very confidently of Peace," Washington suspects the British might still be buying time "to prepare for a more vigorous prosecution of the War." A fine letter from Washington, underscoring the reality that although the British had been humiliated by yet another surrender of a large army (first at Saratoga in 1777 and then at Yorktown in 1781), the conflict appeared far from concluded. Washington had planned to utilize his French allies again to place pressure on British-occupied New York City during the 1782 campaign. As it happened, Chastellux was in Baltimore preparing to march north with French forces to rendezvous with Washington's army encamped in the Hudson Highlands as Washington wrote to him from Newburgh:
"I love & thank you for the Sentiments contained in your letter of the 5.th – I look forward with pleasure, to the Epocha which will place us as conveniently in one Camp, as we are congenial in our sentiments. – I shall embrace you when it happens, with the warmth of perfect friendship. My time, during my Winters residence in Philadelphia, was unusually (for me) divided between parties of pleasure, and parties of business. – The first, – nearly of a sameness, at all times & places in this Infant Country, Country – is easily conceived; at best, is too unimportant for description. – The second, – was only diversified by perplexities,; and could afford no entertainment. – Convinced of these things myself, & knowing that your intelligence with respect to foreign affairs was better, & more interesting than mine, I had no subject to address you upon; – thus do I account for my silence. –
"My time, since I joined the Army in this Quarter, has been, occupied – principally, – in providing for, and disciplining, and & preparing, – under many embarassments – the Troops for the Field. – Cramped as we have been, and still are, for the want of money, every thing moves slowly; but as this is no new case, I am not discouraged by it. – The enemy talk loudly, and very confidently of Peace; – but whether they are in earnest, or whether it is to amuse, & while away the time till they can prepare for a more vigorous prosecution of the War, time will evince: – certain it is, the Refugees at New York are violently convulsed by a letter which ‘ere this, you will have seen published from Sir Guy Carleton & Admiral Digby to me, upon the subject of a general pacification and acknowledgement of the Independency of this country. –" Published from the letter book copy in Fitzpatrick, Writings, vol. 24, pp. 495-496. Provenance: François-Jean de Beauvoir, Marquis de Chastellux (1734-1788) – by descent to the consignor.