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LAFAYETTE MARIE-JOSEPH DE
(1757-1834).
L.S. « Lafayette », au camp « Forks of York River » (fourche
de la rivière York) [Virginie, près de Yorktown] 18 août 1781,
au général de brigade George WEEDON ; 3 pages in-4
(tache légère dans un coin sup.) ; en anglais.
3 000 / 4 000 €
Lettre de la campagne de Yorktown pendant la guerre d’Indépendance
américaine.
[Elle est adressée au Brigadier General George WEEDON (1734-1793),
qui s’illustra notamment dans la campagne de Yorktown.]
Lafayette a reçu l’information ce matin que l’ennemi à York a traversé
à Gloucester, où se trouve Lord CORNWALLIS maintenant avec toutes
ses troupes. Ne souhaitant pas fatiguer inutilement la milice du côté
nord, au lieu de la déployer sur le terrain, il préfère la maintenir
dans un état de préparation permettant d’agir dans les meilleurs
délais. Il rappelle sa demande de costumes de cavalerie, en route
depuis Frederick : inutile de dire qu’ils sont essentiels. Maintenant
tout doit traverser au gué de Racoon. On dit qu’il y a une provision
de munitions continentales en cartouches à Leesburg. Ils ne désirent
rien tant que des armes et cet article. Il donne de l’envoyer chercher
et de le transporter immédiatement à son armée...
LAFAYETTE MARIE-JOSEPH DE
(1757-1834).
Signed letter, signed « Lafayette », Camp Forks of York River
[Virginia, near Yorktown], 18 August 1781, to the Brigadier
General George WEEDON; 3 pages in-4 format (slight stain
to the upper right portion); in English.
3 000 / 4 000 €
Lafayette writes to Brigadier General George Weedon (1734-1793), who
led his Virginia militia unit in the Yorktown campaign, successfully
repelling the infamous unit of Colonel Banastre Tarleton, thus closing
the one means of British escape at Gloucester Point:
“I have received information this morning that such of the enemy as
were at York, have crossed over to Gloucester, where Lord Cornwallis
now is with his whole force. I do not wish to give the militia of the
northern neck the least unnecessary fatigue, and for this reason, in
place of calling them into the field, I would have them be in a state
of readiness to act on the shortest notice…
I think I wrote you a few days ago, for your endeavours to forward
to camp such cavalry accoutrements as were at or on the way from
Frederick. I need not mention to you how essential these are. - At
present every thing should cross at Racoon Ford. It is said that
there is a stock of continental ammunition in cartridges at Leesburg.
We want nothing so much except arms, as this article. Let me therefore
request you to send after it an express with proper orders for its
instant transportation to this army…”
General Henry Clinton ordered Cornwallis to establish a fortified
deep-water port, using as much of his army as he thought necessary.
Having inspected Portsmouth and found it less favorable than Yorktown,
Cornwallis wrote to Clinton informing him that he would fortify
Yorktown. Lafayette was alerted on July 26 that Cornwallis was
embarking his troops, but did not know their eventual destination,
and began manoeuvring his troops to cover some possible landing
points. On August 6 he learned that Cornwallis had landed at Yorktown
and was fortifying it and Gloucester Point just across the York River.
Letter quoted in
Lafayette in the Age of the American Revolution
, IV : 509.
127
LAFAYETTE MARIE-JOSEPH DE
(1757-1834).
L.A.S. « Lafayette », Paris 4 février 1788, à Louis-Guillaume
OTTO (1754-1817) ; 1 page petit in-4 (petite trace de rouille
d’un trombone) ; en français.
1 000 / 1 500 €
Belle lettre au secrétaire de légation aux États-Unis.
Il lui transmet une lettre de l’évêque de Condom [Alexandre-César
d’Anterroches (1719-1793)] au sujet des affaires de son neveu… « Vous
avés du recevoir un arrêt du Conseil, et une lettre à Mr JEFFERSON qui
promettent un debouché au commerce des Etats Unis avec la France ;
il a grand besoin d’etre encouragé, et ce que l’on mandera ici de l’Hôtel
de France à New York aura beaucoup d’influence sur l’attention du
gouvernement pour cet important objet. L’édit qui donne un etat civil aux
Non Catholiques est enfin enregistré par une majorité de 84 voix contre
vingt ; le Conseil de la guerre s’occupe de beaucoup de changemens ;
on va en faire quelques uns dans la jurisprudence criminelle, et l’on
en prepare de plus considerables. La politique européenne est encore
fort embrouillée, mais il faudra bien que tout cela se decide avant six
semaines »… Il attend la nouvelle de l’arrivée de M. de MOUSTIER, et
remercie de « l’envoi de la nouvelle Constitution proposée ».
LAFAYETTE MARIE-JOSEPH DE
(1757-1834).
Signed autograph letter, signed « Lafayette », Paris
4 February 1788, to Louis-Guillaume Otto (1754-1817); 1 page
small in-4 (trace of rust from a paper clip); in French.
1 000 / 1 500 €
Letter to Louis-Guillaume OTTO, comte de Mosloy (1754-1817),
Secretary of the French Legation to the United States.
Otto entered the French diplomatic service, becoming private
secretary to César de La Luzerne in Bavaria, before being despatched
in 1779 on a diplomatic mission to the newly formed United States of
America. While in Philadelphia, he succeeded François Barbé-Marbois as
Secretary of the French Legation in May 1785, serving another two terms
as Chargé d’affaires ad interim, having established cordial relations
with George Washington and other senior members of Congress.
While in the United States he authored reports analyzing the American
Constitution and the prospects for its ratification
Lafayette discusses commercial and political relations between the
two countries. He transcuits a letter of the Bisop of Condom and
encourages good relations and support to Thomas JEFFERSON.
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