Chapter I: Front Matter

MEMOIRS

CORRESPONDENCE AND MANUSCRIPTS

OF

GENERAL LAFAYETTE

By Lafayette

Published By His Family.

Entered according to the act of Congress, in the year 1837,

by William A. Duer,

In the Clerk's Office of the Southern District of New-York.

Respectfully to collect and scrupulously to arrange the manuscripts of which an irreparable misfortune has rendered them depositaries, have been for the Family of General Lafayette the accomplishment of a sacred duty.

To publish those manuscripts without any commentary, and place them, unaltered, in the hands of the friends of Liberty, is a pious and solemn homage which his children now offer with confidence to his memory.

GEORGE WASHINGTON LAFAYETTE.

ADVERTISEMENT

OF THE AMERICAN EDITOR.

It was the desire of the late General Lafayette, that this edition of his Memoirs and Correspondence should be considered as a legacy of the American people. His representatives have accordingly pursued a course which they conceived the best adapted to give effect to his wishes, by furnishing a separate edition for this country, without any reservation for their own advantage, beyond the transfer of the copyright as an indemnity for the expense and risk of publication.

In this edition are inserted some letters which will not appear in the editions published in Paris and London. They contain details relating to the American Revolution, and render the present edition more complete, or, at least, more interesting to Americans. Although written during the first residence of General Lafayette in America--when he was little accustomed to write in the English language--the letters in question are given exactly as they came from his pen--and as well as the others in the collection written by him in that language are distinguished from those translated from the French by having the word "Original" prefixed to them.

It was intended that these letters should have been arranged among those in the body of the work; in the order of their respective dates; but as the latter have been stereotyped before the former had been transmitted to the American editor, this design was rendered impracticable. They have therefore from necessity been added in a supplemental form with the marginal notes which seemed requisite for their explanation.

Columbia College, N. Y., July, 1837.

CONTENTS OF THE FIRST VOLUME.

AMERICAN REVOLUTION.

Notice by the Editors

FIRST VOYAGE AND FIRST CAMPAIGN IN AMERICA--1777, 1778.

Memoirs written by myself, until the year 1780

FRAGMENTS EXTRACTED FROM VARIOUS MANUSCRIPTS

A.--Departure for America in 1777

B.--First Interview between General Washington
and General Lafayette

C.--On the Military commands during the Winter of 1778

D.--Retreat of Barren Hill

E.--Arrival of the French Fleet

F.--Dissensions between the French Fleet
and the American Army

CORRESPONDENCE--1777, 1778:

To the Duke d'Ayen. London, March 9, 1777

To Madame de Lafayette. On board the Victory, May 30

To Madame de Lafayette. Charlestown, June 19

To Madame de Lafayette. Petersburg, July 17

To Madame de Lafayette.--July 23

To Madame de Lafayette. Philadelphia, Sept. 12

To Madame de Lafayette.--Oct. 1

To M. de Vergennes, Minister of Foreign affairs.
Whitemarsh Camp, Oct. 24

To Madame de Lafayette. Whitemarsh Camp, Oct. 29, and Nov. 6

To General Washington. Haddonfeld, Nov. 26

To the Duke d'Ayen. Camp Gulph, Pennsylvania, Dec. 16

To General Washington. Camp, Dec. 30

To General Washington. Head Quarters, Dec. 31

To General Washington. Valley Forge, Dec. 31

To Madame de Lafayette. Camp, near Valley Forge, Jan. 6, 1778

To General Washington

To Madame de Lafayette. York. Feb 3

To General Washington. Hermingtown, Feb. 9

To General Washington. Albany, Feb. 19

To General Washington.--Feb. 23

From General Washington to the Marquis de Lafayette.
Head Quarters, March 10

To Baron de Steuben. Albany, March 12

Fragment of a Letter to the President of Congress.
Albany, March 20

To General Washington. Albany, March 25

To Madame de Lafayette. Valley Forge Camp,
in Pennsylvania, April 14

To Madame de Lafayette. Germantown, April 28

To General Washington. Valley Forge Camp, May 19

From General Washington to the Marquis de Lafayette.
Camp, May 17

To the Marquis de Lafayette. (Instructions.)

To Madame de Lafayette. Valley Forge Camp, June 16

To the Marquis de Lafayette. (Instructions.)

To General Washington. Ice Town, June 26

From General Washington to the Marquis de Lafayette.
Cranberry, June 26

From General Washington to the Marquis de Lafayette.
White Plains, July 22

From General Washington to the Marquis de Lafayette.
Head Quarters, White Plains, July 27

To General Washington. Providence, Aug. 6

From General Washington to the Marquis de Lafayette.
White Plains, Aug. 10

To General Washington. Camp before Newport, Aug. 25

From General Washington to the Marquis de Lafayette.
White Plains, Sept.

From General Washington to Major-General Sullivan.
Head Quarters, White Plains, Sept. 1

From General Washington to Major-General Greene.
Head Quarters, White Plains, Sept. 1

To General Washington. Tyverton, Sept. I

To General Washington. Camp, near Bristol, Sept. 7

To the Duke d'Ayen. Bristol, near Rhode Island, Sept. 11

To Madame de Lafayette. Bristol, near Rhode Island, Sept. 13

President Laurens to the Marquis de Lafayette.
Philadelphia, Sept. 13

Marquis de Lafayette to President Laurens. Camp, Sept. 23

To General Washington. Warren, Sept. 24

From General Washington to the Marquis de Lafayette.
Fredericksburg, Sept. 25

To General Washington. Camp near Warren, Sept. 24

To General Washington. Boston, Sept. 28

From General Washington to the Marquis de Lafayette.
Fishkill, Oct. 4

Marquis de Lafayette to President Laurens.
Philadelphia, Oct. 13

President Laurens to the Marquis de Lafayette.
Philadelphia, Oct. 24

To General Washington. Philadelphia, Oct. 24

Lord Carlisle to M. de Lafayette Marquis de Lafayette

To President Laurens. Philadelphia, Oct. 26

Fragment of a Letter from the French Minister, M. Gerard,
to Count de Vergennes.--October

From General Washington to the Marquis de Lafayette.
Philadelphia, Dec. 29

From General Washington to General Franklin,
American Minister in France. Philadelphia, Dec. 28

To General Washington. Boston, January 5, 1779

To General Washington. On board the Alliance,
off Boston, January 11, 1779

SECOND VOYAGE TO AMERICA, AND CAMPAIGNS OF 1780, 1781.

HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF 1779, 1780, and 1781.

CORRESPONDENCE--1779-1781

To Count de Vergennes. Paris, February 24, 1779

From General Washington to the Marquis de Lafayette.
Camp at Middlebrook, March 8

To M. de Vergennes, Paris, April 1, and April 26

To the President of Congress. St. Jean de Angeli,
near Rochefort, June 12

To General Washington. St. Jean de Angeli,
near Rochefort harbor, June 12

To the Count de Vergennes. Havre, July 30

To M. de Vergennes. Paris, August--

Dr. Franklin to the Marquis de Lafayette. Fassy, August 24

To Dr. Franklin. Havre, August 29

Page From General Washington to the Marquis de Lafayette.
West Point, December 30

To General Washington. Havre, October 7

To M. de Vergennes. Versailles, Feb. 22, 1780

To his Excellency General Washington.
At the entrance of Boston harbor, April 27

To M. de Vergennes. Waterburg, on the Boston road,
from the Camp, May 6

From General Washington. Morris Town, May--

To the Count de Rochambeau. Philadelphia, May 19

To General Washington. Camp at Preakness, July 4

To MM. le Comte de Rochambeau and le Chevalier de Ternay.
Camp before Dobb's Ferry, August 9

From Count de Rochambeau to M. de Lafayette. Newport, August 12

To MM. de Rochambeau and de Ternay. Camp, August 18

To M. de Rochambeau. Camp, August 18

From M. de Rochambeau. Newport, August 27

To the Chevalier de la Luzerne. Robinson House,
opposite West Point, Sept. 26

To Madame de Tessé. Camp, on the right side of North River,
near the Island of New York, October 4

To General Washington. Light Camp, October 30

From General Washington to the Marquis de Lafayette.
Head Quarters, October 30

To General Washington. Light Camp, November 13

To General Washington, Paramus, November 28

To his Excellency General Washington. Philadelphia, Dec. 5

From General Washington to the Marquis de Lafayette.
New Windsor, December 14

To M. de Vergennes. New Windsor, on the North River,
January 30, 1781

To Madame de Lafayette. New Windsor, on the North River,
February 2

To General Washington. Elk, March 8

To General Washington. On board the Dolphin, March 9

To General Washington. Williamsburg, March 23

From General Washington to the Marquis de Lafayette.
New Windsor, April 6

To General Washington. Elk, April 8

To Colonel Hamilton. Susquehannah Ferry, April 18

To General Washington. Baltimore, April 18

To General Washington. Alexandria, April 23

From General Washington to the Marquis de Lafayette
New Windsor, May 4

From General Washington to Lund Washington.
New Windsor, April 30

To General Washington. Camp Wilton, on James River, May 17

From General Phillips to the Marquis de Lafayette.
British Camp at Osborn, April 28

From General Phillips to the Marquis de Lafayette.
Camp at Osborn, April 29

To Major General Phillips. American Camp, April 30

To Major-General Phillips.--May 3

Note for Captain Emyne.--May 15

Note from General Arnold to Captain Ragedale

To General Washington. Richmond, May 24

To General Washington. Camp, June 28

Extracts of several Letters to General Washington

To Madame de Lafayette. Camp, between the branches
of York River, August 24

To M. de Vergennes. Camp between the branches
of York River, August 24

To M de Maurepas. Camp, between the branches
of York River, August 24

To General Washington. Holt's Forge, September 1

To General Washington. Williamsburg, September 8

To General Washington. Camp before York, October 16

To M. de Maurepas. Camp near York, October 20

To M. de Vergennes. Camp near York, October 20

To Madame de Lafayette. On board La Ville de Paris,
Chesapeake Bay, October 22

The Marquis de Ségur to M. de Lafayette.--Dec. 5

To General Washington. Alliance, off Boston, December 21

ADDITIONAL CORRESPONDENCE.

To General Washington. Robins' Tavern, June 26, 1778

To General Washington. Cranbarry, June--

To General Washington.--June 28

To General Washington. Cranbarry, June 29

To the Count de Vergennes. St. Jean de Angeli, June, 1779

To the Count de Vergennes. Havre, July 9

To the President of Congress. Havre, October 7

To General Washington. Peekskill, July 20, 1780

To General Washington. Danbury, July 21

To General Washington. Hartford, July 22

To General Washington. Lebanon, July 23

To General Washington. Newport, July 26

To General Washington. Newport, July 26

To General Washington. Newport, July 29

To General Washington. Newport, July 31

To General Washington. Newport, August 1

To General Washington. Elizabethtown, October 27

To General Washington. Light Camp, October 27

To General Washington. Philadelphia, December 4

To General Washington.--December 5

To General Washington. Philadelphia, December 16

To General Washington. Philadelphia, March 2, 1781

To General Washington. Head of Elk, March 7

To General Washington. Off Turkey Point, March 9

To General Washington. York, March 15

To General Washington. Elk, April 10

To General Washington. Susquehannah Ferry, April 13

To General Washington. Susquehannah Ferry, April 13

To General Washington. Susquehannah Ferry, April 14

To Major-General Greene. Hanover Court House, April 28

To General Greene. Camp on Pamunkey River, May 3

To General Washington. Camp near Bottom's Creek, May 4

To General Washington. Richmond, May 8

To General Washington. Welton, north side of James River, May 18

To Colonel Hamilton. Richmond, May 23

To General Washington. Richmond, May 24

To General Washington. Camp between Rappanannock
and North Anna, June 3

To General Greene. Camp between Rappahannock
and North Anna, June 3

To General Greene. Allen's Creek, June 18

To General Greene. Mr. Tyter's Plantation, June 27

To General Greene. Ambler's Plantation, July 8

To General Washington. Mrs. Ruffin's, August 29

To General Washington. Holt's Forge, September 1

To General Washington. Camp Williamsburg, September 8

To General Washington. Williamsburg, September 10

To General Washington. Camp before York, Sept. 30

To General Washington.--November 29