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Memoirs, Correspondence and Manuscripts of General Lafayette by Lafayette

L >> Lafayette >> Memoirs, Correspondence and Manuscripts of General Lafayette




Two other reasons have weight with me; the first that if the enemy make
this detachment, without which nothing material will happen in the
Southward, and if the intelligence is true about the fast recruiting of
six month men, there is (not a probability) but a possibility of some
thing to be done in this quarter. The second is, that for reasons I
will explain to you when we meet, a visit from you to the French army
is to be much wished, and in this case you will be glad that I may
accompany you.

Under these circumstances, to which is added a natural reluctance to
part from you and this army, and some idea that upon the whole my
staying will be more agreeable to you, I think, my dear General, that
unless new intelligence comes I will soon return.

Colonel Laurens persists in refusing to go, and hopes Hamilton may be
sent, whom he thinks better calculated for the purpose; but I don't
believe now that this plan may be effected, and in that case I should
advise Laurens to accept of the commission, provided he is merely a
_messenger_ and not an _envoy_, that would supersede the old Doctor.

The Assembly of Pennsylvania have passed a bill for their officers
which seems satisfactory to them. Before I go I will still intrigue for
the affair of filling up the battalions. Mifflin behaves perfectly
well.

Adieu, my dear General, most affectionately and respectfully, Yours,
&c.~[1]


Footnote:

1. For the letter referred to in the commencement of this, See Sparks'
Writ. of Wash. v. 7, p. 316, and see also the letter of Washington to
Lafayette, ibid, p.322 & 339.



TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

(ORIGINAL.)

Philadelphia, March the 2nd, 1781.

MY DEAR GENERAL,--Your letters of the 25th and 26th~[1] both came
yesterday to hand, which shows that the expresses have not made great
dispatch. I would have done myself the honour of writing to your
Excellency had I not every minute waited for intelligence from the
Southward.

Your Excellency remembers that our shortest calculation on the arrival
of the troops at the head of Elk was for the 6th of March; I am happy
to inform you that they will be there this day or to-morrow early, and
notwithstanding the depth of the mud, and the extreme badness of the
roads, this march, which I can call rapid, (as for example, they came
in two days from Morris Town to Princeton,) has been performed with
such order and alacrity, that agreeable to the report two men only have
been left behind; and yet these two men have embarked at Trenton with
some remains of baggage. At every place where the detachment have
halted, they have found covering and wood ready for them, and there has
not been the least complaint made to me from any inhabitant. Every
third day they have drawn their provisions; the clothing has also been
distributed, and having embarked yesterday at Trenton they passed the
city about two o'clock with a wind which was extremely favorable.
Congress have given to their troops the advance of one month's pay
which will be distributed at the head of Elk in new emission.

The Artillery, consisting of one 24, six 18, two brass 12, one 8 inch
howitzer, two 8 inch mortars, in all, 12 heavy pieces; four 6 pounders,
and two small howitzers, with a sufficient quantity of ammunition, will
be at the head of the Elk this day and to-morrow, so that by the 4th I
hope we shall be ready to sail. A quantity of medicines and
instruments, and fifteen hundred pairs of shoes will be at the head of
Elk before we embark. Vessels will be in readiness to receive us with
thirty days provision on board. I am also assured that we will have a
sufficient quantity of boats to land the detachment, and two heavy ones
will be added for the Artillery, the public, and some of the private
armed vessels in the Bay have been ordered to the head of Elk; two
dispatch boats are there, and four more have been asked for. As a
farther security to our subsistence, I have got the Minister's
permission to dispose of the French flour and salt meat along the Bay
in case of necessity.

On my arrival at this place I heard that M. de Tilly, the French
Commander, had conferred with the Virginians, but upon seeing that
nothing could be done immediately, he was undetermined whether to stay
or to return to Rhode Island. Fearing that our letters might miscarry,
and wishing to hurry the preparations of the Militia, I complied with
the earnest solicitations of the Minister of France to send on Colonel
Gouvion, and directed him to go either by land or water (as the state
of the Bay would permit) on board the French squadron, and afterwards
to Baron de Steuben's Camp, where he may apprise these Gentlemen of our
force, our intentions, and the time of our arrival. This minuted
account I give to your Excellency to show you that nothing on our part
has been wanting for the success of the expedition. Our preparations
have in every article fulfilled, and in the most important one, time,
have exceeded what had been expected.

Your letter was sent by express to General St. Clair, who immediately
came to town; but nothing having been done for the settling of the
accounts, none of the promises having been complied with, and the men
being much scattered, it has, (after much consideration,) been thought
impossible to embark any number with us, and General St. Clair promises
to make every exertion for the sending of two or three hundred in a few
days whom however I am not to depend upon.

I am myself going to the head of Elk and shall arrive there this
evening. It has not been possible for me to leave sooner the City, as
the three days I have remained here have been fully employed in making
and forwarding preparations.

Before I go I will wait on the Board of War Navy and propose the
sending of the frigates; but the Trumbull having not her compliment of
men, and those of the Ariel having mutinied at sea, I am afraid we will
find difficulties. The preparations made at New York; the return of the
Amarila; the remasting of the Bedfort; the impossibility Mr. Destouches
is under to give us any further assistance; the uncertainty of what Mr.
de Tilly may have determined before he had received your letter. Such
are, my dear General, the many reasons which from a pretty certain
expedition have lately made a precarious one. Under these
circumstances, indeed, there must always be more or less danger in
going down the Bay, and venturing the low country about Portsmouth.
Being unacquainted with the answer you have received from Count de
Rochambeau and Mr. Destouches, I am not able to judge how far I may
depend upon the same ship being ordered again to Chesapeake (in case
before the reception of your letter) she had thought proper to sail.
Her coming was not in consequence of your proposition; her going was
relative to the difficulties of an expedition very different from ours,
and I wish I might know if (tho' Mr. Destouches cannot give further
assistance,) this assistance at least may be depended upon, so as to
hope for the return of the ship should M. de Tilly have left the bay.
The bottom of the Bedfort is said to be damaged; the Amarila was said
to have been dismasted. Suppose those circumstances were true, they
would be in our favour. If a detachment was to go from New York to
Portsmouth, Westpoint would be less in danger. If Cornwallis continues
advancing on, perhaps our being in the neighbourhood of Arnold may be
of service; I will, however, confine myself literally to my
instructions, and if Colonel Gouvion writes me with certainty that M.
de Tilly is gone; if I am not led to suppose he will return, I will
march back the detachment; for the present I am going on because upon
the increasing of the enemy's force at Gardner's Bay, you recommended
dispatch to me; I hope, however, that I will hear from your Excellency.
Now that the chain is established, Colonel Dickering says, that in six
days I may receive your answer at the head of Elk. The hope of seeing
the French ship again, or some other reason, may detain me; but your
answer will determine my movements, and I can receive it by the 8th,
which is about the time when it was thought we would arrive at the head
of Elk.

My expectations are not great, and I think we have but few chances for
us. I shall make all possible dispatch, and listen particularly to the
voice of prudence; however, some hazard might be ran, if we undertake
under these circumstances.

General Duportail having not left this place, I am led to hope that if
we don't go I may return in time for the journey to Rhode Island. I
most earnestly beg, my dear General, that you will favor me with an
immediate answer.

With the highest respect and most tender affection, I have the honor to
be, your's, &c.

P.S.--One of our transports from Trenton had got aground, but the
troops of her will still be in time for her at the head of Elk. Some
new difficulties have been made for the collecting of shoes, but I will
try to get over them. From the extraordinary motions of Lord
Cornwallis, whom we have not heard of these many days, and from the
movements in New-York, I am led to hope that I will hear from you
respecting my future conduct, and that I may be at head-quarters before
you think it prudent to leave New Windsor.~[2]


Footnotes:

1. For these, See Sparks' Writ. Wash. p. 430 & 439 The date of the
letter is there given as the 27th.

2. See the letters of Washington is Sparks' Writ. of Wash. Vol. 7, p.
444 & 447.



TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

(ORIGINAL.)

Head of Elk, March the 7th, 17S1.

My dear general,--Contrary winds, heavy rains, disappointments of
vessels, and every inconvenience to which we had no remedy, have been,
from the day of my arrival, combined against our embarkation. I hope,
however, we will be on board to-morrow morning, and as nothing certain
has been heard from the French ships, no time will be lost on our part
for the celerity of the expedition.

The troops will embark five miles below this place, and three miles
higher up than the Point where General Howe landed. There will be more
room for the arrangements of our vessels, and the shallowness of the
water insures us against the enterprise of any vessel of force. In this
situation we may wait for intelligence from our friends. The State of
Maryland have made to me every offer in their power. I will improve
this opportunity of making up some deficiencies in the Quarter-Master
and Engineer's Department, of insuring to us a good stock of
provisions, and upon the intelligence received that Baron de Steubens
was gone with a large detachment to the Southward, I had hinted the
possibility of getting some Militia from the lower countries, and
repairing some cannon at Baltimore; but having read the inclosed from
the Baron, I will write again to Governor Lee, (as my letter has been
gone but two days,) and save the State from any expence of that kind.
To the obtaining of vessels has been joined the difficulty of getting
them up the river, as they were taking every opportunity to slip them
off. All the vessels, three excepted, are only bay craft, and our
Admiral's ship mounts twelve guns. I have prepared some kind of orders
for that fleet, but hope to be relieved from my Naval command by the
arrival of a French frigate, and have, at all events, sent for
Commodore Nicholson of Baltimore. Mr. McHenry has been very active in
accelerating the measures of his State.

By a letter from Colonel Gouvion, dated Yucomico River, I find that
after many adventures, he had landed there on the 4th, and was
proceeding by land to his destination. The wind is fair enough to come
up the Bay, and hope soon to hear from our friends.

The enclosed letter from the Baron having first come into my hand, and
being on public service, as it was waited upon _to be forwarded with
dispatch_, I took the liberty to open it, but was very sorry to have
done it after a letter of the same date had came also to hand; both say
the same thing (at least in every material point,) and I am happy to
find that the Baron's preparations are going on rapidly.

Whatever may be the Baron's opinion upon the facility of taking, sword
in hand, the fortifications of Portsmouth, I will not hazard any thing
before I have considered the matter with my own eyes. Arnold had so
much time to prepare, and plays so deep a game; nature has made the
position so respectable, and some of the troops under his orders have
been in so many actions that I don't flatter myself to succeed so
easily as it may be thought. The prospect of preserving Naval
superiority must, I think, decide if we are to save bloodshed by
regular approaches, or to risk our men into the dangers of an assault;
but I would like to destroy the works in some measure before we attempt
to storm them. A conversation with the Baron, with Colonel Gouvion, and
some other officers, joined to what I can see myself, will better fix
my mind on the matter than it can be at present. When I left
Philadelphia General Wayne was not far from hoping he could soon
collect a thousand men; but I am not so sanguine in my expectations; I
am, however, trying to prepare matters for this number of men, but I
think that a sufficiency of vessels, (unless ours are sent back,) will
not be obtained in a few days. Let General Wayne arrive in time or not,
when he comes under my directions I wish to know if in case we succeed,
he must be sent to Genl. Greene. Supposing he is to go there, would
your Excellency think of selecting some riflemen for the grand army? It
seems to me that I heard you once mentioning this matter. The State of
Virginia, I am told, finds difficulties in the keeping of prisoners.
Suppose something of the kind was stated to me, am I to alter any thing
in what you said to me on the subject?

I am in a great hurry to go, my dear General; but let us succeed or
fall in the object we have in view, I shan't be less hurried to return
with the detachment to head-quarters, where I hope to be again as soon
as you may possibly expect. I beg you will present my respects to Mrs.
Washington, and Mrs. Hamilton, and compliments to the family. I have
received Mr. Washington's answer, he is waiting for me at the Baron's
quarters.

With the highest respect and most tender affection I have the honor to
be, your's, &c.~[1]


Footnote:

1. See Washington's letter in Sparks' Writ. in Wash, vol. 8, p. 449.



TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

(ORIGINAL.)

Off Turkey Point, March the 9th.

My dear general,--Commodore Nicholson has joined us sooner than I
expected; he answers to conduct the detachment to Annapolis without the
least danger, there he will wait for intelligence from me, but says
that if the French fleet are below be might go with safety (if not for
the vessels at least for the troops) to the point of our destination.
Nicholson will be very useful to the French fleet as he knows well the
bay.

I will be at Hampton to-morrow night or the day after, and three days
after my arrival, if the French (whose arrival has not been heard of)
consent to send a Frigate, the detachment may come in two days from
Annapolis.

Most respectfully, my dear General, your's &c.

P.S.--I have written to the State of Maryland to tell them we don't
want any of their Militia. I have left to the Navy Board to judge of
the propriety to send out the Ariel adding that it was no more
essential.



TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

(ORIGINAL.)

York, March 15th, 1781.

My Dear General,--The number of small frigates and privateers that are
in the bay, made it impossible for me to carry the detachment farther
down than Annapolis, and I have requested the Governor of Maryland as
well as the principal officers of the detachment, to give out that we
are going to join General Greene; but the object of the expedition is
so perfectly well known every where, that our sole dependence to keep
Arnold must be upon the apprehension he has of a French fleet being
cruizing off the capes.

For my part, I came in a barge from Annapolis, and very luckily escaped
the dangers that were in the way. Colonel Harrison will have given to
your Excellency a minute detail of the reasons which have prompted me
to this measure. I have taken his advice on the matter, and have no
doubt but that your Excellency (considering the probability that no
frigate would have been sent) will approve of the step I have taken to
forward as much as possible both the advantage of the expedition and
the honor of the American arms.

On my arrival, (yesterday afternoon) I have found that Baron de Stuben
had been very active in making preparations, and agreeable to what he
tells me, we shall have five thousand militia ready to operate. This,
with the Continental detachment, is equal to the business, and we might
very well do without any land force from Newport.

By papers found in the baggage of a British officer, (taken in a boat)
it seems that General Gregory had a correspondence with the enemy. The
Baron has suspended him, but he is still with the troops.

Arnold is so well acquainted with the coming of the detachment, and his
object is so well known, that, as I said before, our only chance to
keep him must be the idea of a French fleet being off the capes; he is
fortifying at Portsmouth, and trying to get provisions. There has been
some trifling skirmishes with the militia.

To my great disappointment the French fleet have not yet appeared. If
the project has not been given up they must be expected every minute;
they had double the time which they wanted, and such winds as ought
have brought them in four days.

I wanted to hold up the idea of my going to the Southward; but the
Baron says that if the detachment is not announced, the militia will
desert. He wanted me to take the command immediately, but I thought it
more polite not to do it until the detachment arrives or operations are
begun.

In your first letter to the Baron, I wish my dear General, you will
write to him that I have been much satisfied with his preparations. I
want to please him, and harmony shall be my first object. As in all
cases, (even this of my going to the Southward and coming here to make
arrangements with the Baron) I would reconnoitre the enemies; I will
take an opportunity of doing it as soon as possible. They have not as
yet been reconnoitred by the Baron, and I think it therefore more
necessary for me to see with my own eyes.

As I have just arrived, my dear General, I cannot give you a very exact
account of matters.

This letter I send by duplicate, and have the honor to be with the
highest respect and most tender affection, yours, &c.



TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

(ORIGINAL.)

Elk, April the 10th, 1751.

Dear general,--By my letter of the 8th your Excellency will have
known of my arrival at this place, and the preparations I was making to
proceed Southward. I took at the same time the liberty to inform you
that the great want of money, baggage, clothing, under which both
officers and men are suffering, and the hope they had of being
furnished with a part of these articles from their States, would render
it very inconvenient for the troops to proceed immediately by land;
they begin to be sensible of the reason which detains them here, and
are uneasy about it, as they are so unprovided for the journey. I have,
however, hurried on preparations, and will be able to set off to-morrow
morning. The circumstances of my being ready sooner than I expected,
and a letter from the Governor of Maryland telling that six ships, whom
I take to be plundering vessels, were coming up the Potomac, induces me
not to wait for your Excellency's answer. Not that I pretend to defend
the towns of Alexandria, Baltimore and Annapolis, at a time, or to stop
the depredations of the enemy's parties in a country where their naval
superiority renders it impossible; but because I don't think any
consideration must delay the execution of superior orders, and because,
if the corps was not sent to Southward they would with alacrity march
back thirty or forty miles more to rejoin the grand army.

Having received no particulars of your Excellency's journey to Rhode
Island, but by the paper, a letter from you to Mr. Lund Washington, and
private letters from some friends, I cannot know what change has taken
place in your plans, and am not able to account for the inactivity
which you foresee for the grand army. Letters from Ministers, letters
from my friends, intelligences from other quarters, every thing was
combined to flatter me with the hope that our grand and decisive object
would be in contemplation. I then was not displeased with the
dispositions of the enemy that weakened that place. It is probable that
your Excellency's plans have changed, and you intend to prosecute the
war to the Southward.

I had yesterday the pleasure of dining on board the Hermione, and left
her under sail to go to Rhode Island, where she will probably be the
day after to-morrow. Mr. Delatouche, uncle to captain Latouche, will,
it is said, command the squadron of the second division. I was
conversing with his nephew, on whom he has an entire confidence on the
expedition against New York, and he assured me that his Uncle's plan
would certainly be to take possession of the harbour, and send a force
up the North River, which you know is entirely the thing that you
wanted M. de Vernay to do.

Mr. Delatouche having confidentially told me that he had a great
influence over Mr. Destouches, I observed to him how important it was
for the common cause that the French fleet might have the greatest
possible activity. We were also conversing of the difficulties we
laboured under for transportation, and be told me that the next day
after his arrival at Rhode Island, unless such obstacles occurred as he
could not foresee; Mr. Destouches would make you an offer of the ship
l'Eveille, and the four frigates to carry twelve hundred men to any
part of` continent you might think proper. Those ships are too strong
to be afraid of frigates, and too fast sailers to be in the least
concerned by the fear of a squadron. Thinking that (particularly as
Lord Cornwallis has retreated) our march would take us forty days,
where desertion and sickness, occasioned by want of shoes and every
other necessary, as well as by the heat of the season, would much
reduce our numbers, and that these ships, with the addition of the two
frigates at Philadelphia, armed _en flute_, would in sailing on the 4th
or 5th of May, carry 1500 men to Wilmington, Georgetown, or any place
in the rear of Lord Cornwallis or the neighborhood of General Greene, I
thought it my duty to encourage this idea, which would bring us to the
point of operations sooner than we could arrive by land. It would also
give you the time of forming at Morristown or Trenton, a detachment
well provided, agreeably to the project you had in contemplation after
the return of this corps. The appointment of officers could be made
without affecting the delicacy of the regimental officers, nor the
honor of those already employed. While we would be operating, Mr.
Destouches might keep cruizers off Charleston. These ideas, my dear
General, are only thrown out in consequence of the freedom you have
often ordered me to take. What Mr. Destouches may do is uncertain, and
I did not think myself authorised to express to him the least wish on
that head. It was my duty to relate our difficulties to you, and the
chances I foresaw to see them relieved in some measure; but unless the
bad weather, of which there is now a prospect, makes it impossible, I
will be to-morrow at the ferry at the Susquehannah.

You may have known from Mr. de La Luzerne, that two millions and a half
had been given to Mr. Franklin, and that Marquis de Castries and Count
de Vergennes, were trying to obtain a sum more adequate to our wants.
This, however, the Minister of France has requested me not to mention,
as it was as yet an uncertainty, and would perhaps give
ill-grounded hopes, destructive of the internal efforts we ought to
make. I am told that just before the departure of Mr. Dela Peyrouse,
some dispatches were sent to Brest; but do not think they contain any
thing relating to our operations, as Marquis de Castries writes me that
the determination of the Council upon our letters will be sent by the
ships who is to convoy the expected vessels.

I am very sorry I have not seen the Aid de Camp who had a verbal
message from General Greene. Inclosed I send to your Excellency the
letter I have received on the occasion. Perhaps, did he mean to propose
an expedition towards Cape-fear or Georgetown, which might be made with
the light squadron above mentioned. An additional circumstance is, that
l'Eveille will now be commanded by Mr. de Lombard, captain Latouche's
uncle, who is entirely under that Gentleman's influence.

I write to the board of war to get some shoes and other parts of
clothing. I will this morning speak to the commanding officers of
battalions on our intended journey; but have not yet said any thing to
Colonel Gimat and Major Galvan, because it is possible that new
circumstances may engage you to change your dispositions. Going by
water, if possible, would level most all difficulties; but if I don't
hear from you, I will always proceed on. I have the honor to be, yours
&c.~[1]

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Turkey is restoring the citizenship of its most famous 20th century poet Nazim Hikmet over 50 years after it branded him a traitor.

Hikmet, a communist who died in exile in Moscow in 1963, was imprisoned in Turkey for more than a decade. He was stripped of his Turkish nationality in 1951 because of his communist views, but despite a ban on his poetry which remained in place until 1965, has remained one of Turkey's best-loved poets. His work, much of which was written in prison, including his masterpiece Human Landscapes, has been translated into more than 50 languages.

"This is very good news," said Richard McKane, Hikmet's English translator. "The restoration of his Turkish citizenship is long overdue: the people of Turkey and his readers are owed that."

Immortalised by Pablo Neruda, with whom he shared the Soviet Union's International Peace Prize in 1950, with the lines "Thanks for what you were and for the fire / which your song left forever burning", Hikmet was also supported by Jean-Paul Sartre and Pablo Picasso. Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk, when given the editorship for a day of Turkish newspaper Radikal two years ago, used the example of Hikmet in his cover story to criticise the lack of freedom of expression in Turkey. In 2000, 500,000 Turks petitioned the government to restore Hikmet's citizenship rights and repatriate his remains.

Deputy prime minister Cemil Cicek told the Associated Press that it was time for the government to change its mind about Hikmet. "The crimes which forced the government to strip him of his citizenship at that time are no longer considered a crime," the BBC quoted him as saying.

Hikmet, whose remains are currently in Russia, had said that he wished to be buried in Turkey in his 1953 poem Testament, translated by Ruth Christie. "Friends if it's not my lot to see the day / of independence... / if I die before that day / - and it seems I will - / bury me in a village graveyard in Anatolia / and if it's fitting / and a plane tree grows at my head, / then there's no need for a gravestone or anything else."

Cicek said that Hikmet's family would now decide whether to ship his remains back to his homeland.

Hikmet introduced free verse to Turkey in the 1930s, with his themes ranging from war to love. Despite his imprisonment he retained a deep passion for Turkey. "I love my country", he wrote in one of his poems. "I swung in its lofty trees, I lay in its prisons. Nothing relieves my depression like the songs and tobacco of my country."

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