Washington's Engineer by Norman Desmarais (speed reading book TXT) 📕

make a design of the plans—this deprives me of the satisfaction of sending them to Congress—supposing indeed the enemy would permit it.14

General Duportail sent this note to the French minister the following day, enclosing a copy (in French) of the report given above:

I intended to give your Excellency a detailed account of all that has happened since my arrival, but I have not had the time. I asked Genl. Clinton to permit me to go to Philadelphia on parole. He refused. He seems to conduct himself towards every one in a manner malhonnete et grossière. We shall lack every thing here, and I in particular, who, to arrive more quickly, left behind the few articles I possess not wanting to be burdened.

If I have the courage to again expose myself to a refusal, I will ask to have my prison here changed to one in the north, Charlestown against New York. I am not yet fully decided. The voyage with the English and the sailors offers much discomfort. If I have the means of writing your Excellency I shall surely do so as often as possible. Not being able to give you a detailed account today of the principal events, I will send you a copy of the letter I wrote to the President of Congress.

I have the honor to be etc.

Thousand compliments to M. de Marbois.15

PRISONER OF WAR

Duportail found an opportunity to write letters on July 7, 1780. He sent two letters to the French legation in Philadelphia; one to the principal secretary, Marbois; and a longer description of his condition and surroundings to Luzerne. Translated parts of the two letters follow:

To Monsieur de Marbois:

You probably did not think, Monsieur, when you saw me hurrying to Charlestown that I was going to put myself in prison. Neither did I think so truly. I was very far from supposing that the American Commander would put himself in a position to allow himself to be taken with all his troops, the only resource of this whole region. How all this has been conducted. How many people have reproaches to hurl at Congress, at the state of Carolina, at Lincoln—I do not know who should consider themselves most to blame. As for myself I am persuaded that Charlestown could have been saved or if the enemy was absolutely determined to have it, at least they could have been made to evacuate New York which would have been some compensation. As it is, where will our losses end? It has been said at one time that General Gates is in North Carolina with ten thousand men; now they say it is only de Kalb with the Maryland division. May [la] grace éternelle inspire the Philadelphia senate with that spirit of vigor and resolution which will repair these losses and prevent others so the effect will be less considerable. . . .

We live here in complete ignorance of what is going on in America as well as in Europe. I have only learned that the Spaniards have gone to sleep and allowed themselves to be surprised at Gibraltar. They have experienced a terrible reverse which indirectly affects us. . . .

In the sad condition in which I find myself such things become the objects of my meditation and the indignation they give me prevents me from falling into lethargy.16

To Monsieur de la Luzerne:

M. de Plombard—former consul at Charlestown, will deliver the letter—he has done every thing possible to oblige me since I have been in captivity. Without him I would have been very much embarrassed to find some means of getting money—besides we needed it so as not to die from hunger. He performed the same service for M. de Laumoy who needed it all the more since he was taken down with small pox, which nevertheless he says he already has had but there are many examples to prove that it can be had twice—my brother, the one who had the honor of seeing you at Malesherbes—was one and certainly it is not difficult to believe.

We await news from Congress—our hope very much is that there will be an exchange between us and Burgoyne’s army. For myself I fear very much because I doubt if there are many brigadier generals in that army. If I had been major-general I could have been exchanged for Major General Phillips commander of Charlestown—but it is hardly likely that Congress—all other means failing—would think of giving me that rank—the idea was given me by an American general. . . .

At this moment, M. le Chevalier, you are doubtless living in one of the pleasant country houses near Philadelphia. You are enjoying the beautiful season of July—a moderate climate with pleasing prospects. I am sure you walk daily in cool woods—whereas I am here in a flat country where green stagnant pools exhale corruption—there is no water fit to drink—the soil is nothing but sand which burns the flat of the foot and blinds one when the wind blows. Although we are surrounded with woods we are not allowed to walk in them and they are of a kind of pine that gives no shade and interrupts the little air one might enjoy. Corn and potatoes are the only products of the country. . . . [O]ne sees a few negroes—covered with a few miserable rags . . . and wretched peasants only a little less dark than their negroes—who go about barefooted and without education or politeness. . . . At night, if one does not have two mosquito nets there is no hope of closing the eyes. Even so the noise they make keeps one awake—any way, no matter what is done they manage to enter in an infinite number of places and the body is covered with bites which oblige one perpetually to scratch with both hands. I have had to stop this letter twenty times for that reason. You will see Monsieur, how we pass our time here, and you may