17. Laf to Luz, MAY 17 and 24 (three letters), and JUN 3, and Luz to Laf, MAY 28 and 31, 1780, ILA 3:20–23, 45–49.
18. GW to Laf, MAY 16, and Laf to Roc and Ternay, MAY 19, and to comte de Guichen, MAY 16–20, 1780, ILA 3:14–19, 16n. They used a substitution code.
19. Laf to Ver, MAY 20, 1780, ILA 3:26–29.
20. GW to Laf, MAY 20, 1780, FGW 18:398.
21. Laf to William Heath, JUN 11 (uniforms), to Roc, JUN 20, and to Luz, JUN 30, and Luz to Laf, JUN 5, 1780, ILA 3:52–56, 62–65. Luz told him, “It is surely not with the intention of subjecting Canada to the Thirteen States that you think of this expedition. Congress has no idea of that, and I am sure that it is even further from your mind.” It would be immoral to promise liberation to the Canadians, then exchange Canada for the southern states at the end of the war, as Laf had proposed. Immediate attention should go to the British challenge in the South. “This is what I have explained to General Washington, and I have reason to believe he shares my opinion.”
22. Bonsal, When French, 30; Laf to GW, JUL 4, and to FVS, JUL 16, 1780, ILA 3:67–69, 91; GW, orders of JUL 16 and 17, and AUG 1, 1780, FVS to GW, JUL 14, and GW to FVS, JUL 18, 1780, FGW 19:188–89, 191, 202–3, 303; Wright, Continental Army, 149–51.
23. Laf to Roc and Ternay, JUL 9, and to Luz, JUL 10, 1780, ILA 3:69–75, 76–77. On the shortage of clothing and pay, see Memorial of Grievances from the General Officers to Congress, with a postscript by Laf, JUL 11, 1780, ILA 3:78–80.
24. Higginbotham, War, 379–80; Gottschalk, Lafayette and Close, 94–99; Ver to Laf, JUN 3, Laf to Luz, JUL 14, William Heath to Laf, JUL 15, and Roc to Laf, JUL 16, 1780, ILA 3:96–97.
25. Kline, Alexander Hamilton, 81–83, 92–93; Notes of Council of War, JUL 15, 1780, FGW 18:482–85; Laf to GW, JUL 16, 1780, ILA 3:92–95.
26. GW to Laf, JUL 16, 1780, ILA 3:95.
27. Laf to Roc and Ternay, JUL 15, and Ternay to Laf, JUL 16, 1780, ILA 3:91, 97n.
28. GW, Memorandum for Concerting a Plan of Operations, JUL 15, 1780, ILA 3:88–89; GW to Roc, and to Ternay, both JUL 1780, FGW 19:185–88.
29. Whitridge, Rochambeau, 95–99; Gottschalk, Lafayette and Close, 101–6; Roc to Montbarey, JUL 16, 1780, ILA 3:39n.
30. Laf to Luz, and to Ver, both JUL 19, and to GW, JUL 21 and 22, 1780, ILA 3:100–5; Laf to GW, JUL 20 and 23, GLW 88–89, 92–93.
31. GW to Laf, JUL 22, 26 (two letters), 27, and 29, and Laf to GW, JUL 26, 1780, ILA 3:105–16.
32. Laf to GW, JUL 29 and 31, and AUG 1, GW to Laf, JUL 31 and AUG 1, Laf to William Heath, AUG 3, and Heath to Laf, AUG 3, 1780, ILA 3:113–26, 126n; GW to Roc, JUL 27, 1780, FGW 19:268–69. Heath commanded the Rhode Island militia and was senior American at Newport.
33. GW to Laf, AUG 3, 1780, FGW 19:314–15; GW to Laf, AUG 5, 1780, ILA 3:126–27.
34. Ver to Laf, AUG 5, 1780, ILA 3:127–30; Gottschalk, Lafayette and Close, 112–13.
35. Laf to Roc and Ternay, AUG 9, 1780, ILA 3:131–36.
36. Laf to Luz, AUG 11, 1780, ILA 3:137–39. Unaware that he had just thrown a cat at a hornet’s nest, Laf pestered GW with plans to get his light division into action. Laf to GW, AUG 10, 1780, GLW 105–7; Laf to GW, AUG 14, 1780, ILA 3:142, 144.
37. Roc to GW, AUG 10, 1780, ILA 3:140n.
38. Roc to Laf, AUG 12, 1780, ILA 3:139–40.
39. Roc to Luz, AUG 14, 1780, ILA 3:141.
40. Laf to Roc and Ternay, AUG 18, 1780, ILA 3:144–46.
41. Laf to Roc, AUG 18, 1780, ILA 3:146–48.
42. Laf to Luz, AUG 18, 1780, ILA 3:148–49.
43. Luz to Laf, AUG 19–23, 1780, ILA 3:150–51. Luz told Ver that Laf’s “ardor and courage” led him to complain about the lack of action. He told Roc that his arrival had raised American spirits, “but their zeal adjusts poorly to the delays that circumstances have made necessary…. M. de Lafayette has been able to tell you how they have reached this state of preparation with incredible difficulty and that the Congress is unable to maintain it beyond the end of this year.” Luz to Ver, and to Roc, both AUG 21, 1780, ILA 3:139n.
44. Luz to Roc, AUG 24, 1780, ILA 3:142n.
45. Roc to Laf, AUG 27, 1780, ILA 3:155–56.
46. AH to James Duane, SEP 6, 1780, in Morris, Alexander Hamilton and Founding, 38–39; Edgar, Partisans and Redcoats, 48–121; Buchanan, Road, 44–172.
47. Laf to Noailles, SEP 2, 1780, ILA 3:156–58; Thacher quoted Gottschalk, Lafayette at Close, 156–57. See also Laf to GW, AUG 28 and SEP 2, 1780, GLW 109–11; Laf to prince de Poix, SEP 3 and OCT 14, and to Matthias Ogden, SEP 16, 1780, ILA 3:164–67, 173, 200–1.
48. In Chinard, George Washington as French, 48.
49. Gottschalk, Lafayette and Close, 124–25; GW, circular, SEP 6, 1780, FGW 20:5–9; Laf, Memorandum on Military Operations, SEP 20, 1780, ILA 3:171–73.
50. Laf to Luz, SEP 10, 1780, ILA 3:167–70.
51. Laf to Luz, SEP 10 and 17, 1780, ILA 2:167–70; Gottschalk, Lafayette and Close, 129–34.
52. Biographies include Decker, Benedict Arnold; Randall, Benedict Arnold; and, more even-handed than most, Martin, Benedict Arnold. The best account of his treason is Flexner, Traitor.
53. Both in Chinard, George Washington as French, 44, 62–63.
54. Summary of the Hartford Conference, SEP 22, 1780, ILA 3:175–78; aide quoted Scheer and Rankin, Rebels and Redcoats, 378; Gottschalk, Lafayette and Close, 129–34; Roc to Laf, OCT 4, 1778, ILA 3:192–93.
55. Flexner, Traitor, 371.
56. Quoted ibid., 372; Flexner, Young Hamilton, ch. 32; Randall, Benedict Arnold, 535–55.
57. Laf to Luz, and to Roc, both SEP 26, to Ver, OCT 4, Roc to Laf, OCT 4, and Ver to Laf, DEC 1, 1780, ILA 3:179–80, 180n, 186–90, 192–93, 238–39.
58. AH to Elizabeth Schuyler, OCT 2, and to JL, OCT nd, 1780, in Morris, Alexander Hamilton Founding, 53–61. Noose-and-drop hanging, which breaks the neck, did not come into general use until the mid-nineteenth century. Strangulation took about ten minutes. André was hanged from a gallows, a beam atop two posts set in the ground. He stood on his own coffin, on the tailgate of a wagon, which was driven out from under him. His arms were tied, and he wore a blindfold, which he put on himself. See the eyewitness accounts in Scheer and Rankin, Rebels and Redcoats, 386–88.
59. Laf to Noailles, OCT 3, 1780, ILA 3:180–86.
60. Laf to Adr, OCT 7–10, 1780, ILA 3:193–97. He also said, “General Washington was quite moved by what I told him for you; he charges me to present you with his respects and the homage of his most tender sentiments. He has many tender feelings for George and was very touched that we gave him his name. We speak often of you, and of the little family.”
61. Greene, General Greene, 168–69; Buchanan, Road, 225–41; Edgar, Partisans and Redcoats, 117–21. NG and FVS reached HG’s camp DEC 2, 1780. HG did not know that he had been relieved.
62. Laf to Ver, OCT 4, to Adr, OCT 7–10, to prince de Poix, OCT 14, and Adr to Ver, OCT 18, 1780, ILA 3:186–91, 193–96, 200–3; Massey, John Laurens, 165–66.
63. Laf to GW, OCT 7 and 27 (two letters), 1780, GLW 111–17; GW to Laf, OCT 12, Laf to Adr, OCT 7–10, to Lee, OCT 14, and to Noailles, OCT 28, 1780, ILA 3:193–97, 199, 199n, 206–7, 209–11; Flexner, Young Hamilton, 315–19. He kept up his spymaster activities during the fall, with his usual humor. “This evening I am expecting some gentlemen who are quite willing to be hanged owing to their friendship for me, and I shall know still more exactly the enemy situation.” Laf to Noailles, OCT 23, 1780, ILA 3:204–5. He rebuked Henry Lee, who had groused about the condition of the army. Lee was “out of joking,” suggesting things “dramatically opposed” to “republican principles.” He did not yet understand that a free society involved free speech. Laf to Lee, OCT 19, 1780, quoted Royster, Light-Horse Harry, 32–33. He thought highly of Lee, however, calling him “beyond compare the best officer of light infantry…on this continent.” Laf to GW, OCT 28, 1780, GLW 117; Laf to Luz (quotation), OCT 28, 1780, ILA 3:209n.
64. Laf to GW, a
nd GW to Laf, both OCT 30, 1780, ILA 3:211–14.
65. GW, Orders, OCT 30 and NOV 24 and 26, 1780, FGW 20:272–73, 383–84, 401–3; Laf to GW, NOV 1, 8, 13, and 28, to Noailles, NOV 3 and 4, to NG, NOV 10, to BF, NOV 19, and to AH, NOV 22, 1780, ILA 3:214–34; Laf to GW, NOV 11, 14, 18, and 19, GLW 124, 127, 128–30.
66. Laf to GW, NOV 28, and to AH, NOV 28 and DEC 9, 1780, ILA 3:233–34, 234n, 250–53, 253n. See also Flexner, Young Hamilton, 320–21. The adjutant general’s position went to Edward Hand.
67. Gottschalk and Sheldon, “More Letters.” See also ILA 3:197n.
68. Gottschalk, Lafayette and Close, 143. Ternay died on DEC 15 of a fever that had not become critical until two days before. Boatner, 1093–4. Laf was more charitable later, calling Ternay’s death “a great loss.” Memoirs 1:384.
69. Gottschalk, Lafayette and Close, 163–65; Laf to GW, NOV 28, DEC 4, 5, 9, and 19, to Luz, NOV 27 (DEC 4–5), and to Ver, DEC 16, Ver to Laf, DEC 1, Francisco de Rendón to Diego Josef Navarro, DEC 5, GW to Roc and Destouches, DEC 15, and Roc and Destouches to GW, DEC 22, 1780, ILA 3:233–34, 238–39, 239n, 239–40, 241–44, 244n, 244–46, 247n, 247–48, 253–54, 258–63, 265–66, 268–71. Charles-René-Dominique Sochet, chevalier Destouches, replaced Ternay in command of the fleet at Newport.
70. GW to Laf, DEC 8 and 14, and to Sundry Gentlemen in Virginia, DEC 8, Laf to GW, DEC 9, 14, 16, to NG, DEC 25, and to AH, DEC 9, 1780, ILA 3:248–55, 258–60, 267–68, 272–76; GW to NG, DEC 8, 1780, FGW 20:438. NG advised Laf to stay away from the chaos and deprivation in the South. NG to Laf, DEC 29, 1780, ILA 3:274–76.
71. Laf to AH, DEC 9, and to GW, DEC 13 and 16, 1780, ILA 3:250–53, 257, 258n, 273–74; Massey, John Laurens, 171–72. JL was appointed “minister” rather than “envoy extraordinary,” which was interpreted by many as a lack of confidence in BF. “Doctor Franklin has a party against him,” Laf told GW on DEC 13. “I think it would be very wrong to recall him.”
72. Both in Chinard, Washington as French, 40–42, 82. Mazzei was an Italian immigrant to America who served as TJ’s agent for Virginia in Europe and saw Laf on both sides of the ocean.
Chapter Eleven
1. Laf to Luz, JAN 7, 1781, ILA 3:279–81; Van Doren, Mutiny in January.
2. Laf to Luz, JAN 4 and 7, 1781, ILA 3:276–81.
3. Laf to Luz, JAN 7 and 14, to Walter Stewart, to JL, and to GW, all JAN 7, St. Clair to GW, and JL to GW, both JAN 7, 1781, ILA 3:278–81, 283–89, 287n.
4. Laf to Luz, JAN 17, 1781, ILA 3:290–91; GW to HK, JAN 7, and to Roc, JAN 20, 1781, FGW 21:66–68, 120.
5. Laf to Luz, JAN 26, 1781, ILA 3:292–93.
6. Laf to Luz, JAN 17, to Castries, to Ver, and to prince de Poix, all JAN 30, 1781, ILA 3:290–91, 294–304, 300n.
7. Laf to prince de Poix, JAN 30, to BF, FEB 1, and to Adr. FEB 2, 1781, ILA 3:301–6, 309–14.
8. Laf to JL, FEB 3, 1781, ILA 3:314–15. JL also took along instructions from GW, GW to JL, JAN 15, 1781, FGW 21:105–10.
9. Laf to Adr, FEB 2, 1781, ILA 3:311; AH to Philip Schuyler, FEB 18, 1781, Morris, Alexander Hamilton Founding, 497–99; Flexner, Young Hamilton, 330–37; Chernow, Alexander Hamilton, 150–53; Chadwick, George Washington’s War, 426–29; Gottschalk, Lafayette and Close, 186–87. Laf hesitated to bring the subject up again, but on APR 15, he asked AH, “Have you left the family, my dear Sir? I suppose so, but from love to the general for whom you know my affection ardently wish it was not the case.” He wrote GW the same day: “Considering the footing I am upon with your excellency, it would perhaps appear to you strange, that I never mentionned a circumstance lately happened in your family. I was the first who knew of it, and from that moment exerted every means in my power to prevent a separation which I know was not agreable to Your Excellency. To this measure I was prompted by affection for you, but thought it was improper to mention any thing about it, untill you was pleased to impart it to me.” GW answered, “The event, which you seem to speak of with regret, my friendship for you would most assuredly have induced me to impart to you in the moment it happened had it not been for the request of H——who desired that no mention might be made of it: why this injunction on me, while he was communicating it himself, is a little extraordinary! But I complied, & religiously fulfilled it.” Laf to AH, and to GW, both APR 15, and GW to Laf, APR 22 (second letter), 1781, ILA 4:32–34, 59–60.
10. Laf to Luz, FEB 7 and 15, Roc to GW, FEB 3, 1781, ILA 3:316–18, 320–21, 333n, and summary at 327–29. Ternay had died on DEC 15. Captain Charles-René-Dominique Sochet, chevalier Destouches, served as interim commander until May.
11. Laf to Adr, FEB 2, 1781, ILA 3:309–13; Lee quoted Ketchum, Victory, 126. See also Greene, General Greene, 168–76; Rankin, War in Virginia, 16–74; CW, 55–56; Clary, Fortress, 8–9.
12. Nelson in Ryan, Salute, 239–41; TJ to GW, JAN 10, and FVS to GW, JAN 11, 1781, Sparks 3:202–5. The state failed to hire or impress enough slaves to work in construction or transport, while the British simply commandeered them. Quarles, Negro, 101–14.
13. Laf, Memorandum on Orders for the March, FEB 18, and Laf to Luz, FEB 19, 1781, ILA 3:329–33; GW to Roc, FEB 15, to Timothy Pickering, FEB 18, and to PC, FEB 26, 1781, FGW 21:229–32, 243, 300–2.
14. GW to Laf, FEB 20, 1781, ILA 3:334–36.
15. GW to FVS, FEB 20, to Arthur St. Clair, FEB 22 and 26, to TJ, FEB 21, to Elias Dayton, FEB 22, to Roc and Destouches, FEB 27, and to AW, FEB 26, 1781, FGW 21:256–58, 270–71, 272–73, 277–78, 294, 296–97, 311–14; Laf to FVS, FEB 21 and 24, to TJ, FEB 21, to Dayton, FEB 23, to GW, FEB 23, 24, and 25, to Pickering, and to St. Clair, both FEB 27, to Joseph Vose, FEB 28, GW to Laf, FEB 22, 23, 25, 26, and 27, to Elias Dayton, FEB 22, to Roc and Destouches, and to AW, both FEB 26, Roc and Destouches to GW, FEB 25, and Report of Board of War, FEB 28, 1781, ILA 3:336n, 336–41, 339n, 341n, 342, 344–56, 354n, 358n. The commander of the squadron detached by Destouches was Arnaud Le Gardeur de Tilly.
16. GW to Laf, MAR 1, 1781, ILA 3:357–58.
17. Malone, Jefferson Virginian, 344–46; TJ to Laf, MAR 2, 3, 6, 8, and 12 (two letters), and Laf to TJ, MAR 16, 1781, BTJ 5:43, 49–51, 74–76, 92–93, 129–31, 159–60; Laf to TJ, MAR 3, 8, 16, 19, and 24, TJ to Laf and to FVS, both MAR 10, and to Laf, MAR 14, 19, and 24, 1781, ILA 3:367–69, 387–88, 390–91, 391n, 396, 400–1, 402–5, 410–13. On Virginia politics during the war, see Eckenrode, Revolution.
18. Laf to GW, MAR 2 and 7, to Commanding Officer in Virginia, and to Gist, both MAR 3, to Thomas Sim Lee and Governor’s Council, MAR 3, 5, 6, 7, and 8, to AW, MAR 4, Governor’s Council to Laf, MAR 3 and 7, Gist to Laf, MAR 5 and 7, FVS to Laf, MAR 7, Laf to Luz, MAR 7, Laf to NG, MAR 8, and GW to Laf, MAR 8, 1781, ILA 3:359–65, 365n, 369–83, 385, 388; Laf to GW, MAR 3, 1781, GLW 153.
19. Ketchum, Victory, 126.
20. Laf to Luz, MAR 8, to GW, MAR 8, 11, 15, and 23, to Thomas Sim Lee, MAR 11, to FVS, MAR 14, to AW, MAR 15, NG to Laf, MAR 22, 1781, ILA 3:384–85, 385–86, 389, 392–93, 395, 397–99, 407–10; Laf to GW, MAR 9, 1781 (two letters), GLW 157–59; Palmer, General von Steuben, 256–61.
21. Laf to GW, MAR 23, 1781, ILA 3:408–10.
22. Laf to GW, MAR 25 and 26 (two letters), 1781, ILA 3:413–14, 416–18; Gottschalk, Lafayette and Close, 204–7; Boatner, 1151.
23. Laf to GW, MAR 26, 1781, ILA 3:417–18.
24. Laf to TJ, MAR 27, 1781, BTJ 5:262–62; FVS, Proposal for an Expedition against Cornwallis, with endorsements by Laf and others, MAR 27, NG to Laf, MAR 29, Lewis Morris to Laf, MAR 29, FVS to Laf, MAR 29, 1781, ILA 3:419–24, 424n. Laf later accused Destouches of bungling. “Had the French fleet come in Arnold was ours,” he said, “the more certain it was, the greater my disappointment has been.” Laf to AH, APR 10, 1781, ILA 4:16–17. Early in April, NG tried again to persuade Laf to go south, to prevent Cornwallis from joining Arnold. NG to Laf, APR 3, 1781, ILA 4:3–5.
25. Ver to Luz, MAR 9, and to Laf, MAR 10, 1781, ILA 3:391, 391n. On APR 19, Ver said that the king had decided to underwrite a loan o
f 10 million livres, making France’s total contribution to America 20 million livres. “Mr. Laurens shows zeal,” he also remarked, “but I tell you in confidence that he did not express it in a manner suited to the nature of his mission. We did not take offense, because we attributed his behavior only to his inexperience in public affairs. I think I should speak to you about this officer because it is possible that, because he was annoyed at not obtaining everything he asked for, or rather insisted upon…he may give a biased account to his chief. I feel I must prepare you to caution General Washington against the prejudices he could form.” JL did not tell GW he had been treated unfairly. Ver to Laf, APR 19, 1781, ILA 4:47–48; JL to GW, APR 11, 1781, Wharton 4:356–57.
26. Dull, French Navy, 239–41.
27. GW to Laf, APR 5 and 6, 1781, ILA 4:6–9. Seven field officers of the Massachusetts Line complained through General William Heath that field commands of Massachusetts units in Laf’s detachment had gone to officers outside the line. Specifically causing complaint were Gimat, once Laf’s adc, now a colonel, and Major William Galvan. GW told the protestors that he had sent the most available officers without regard to seniority. James Mellen and others to Heath, FEB 27, and GW to Heath, MAR 2, 1781, FGW 21:342–44, 419–23; Laf to GW, APR 13, 1781, ILA 4:26–27.
28. Five days later he told AH, “If I go to exile, come and partake it with me.” Laf to GW, APR 8, and to AH, APR 10 and 15, 1781, ILA 4:10–14, 16–17, 32.
Adopted Son Page 59