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

three days there, conferring with the commander in chief about the assistance he should request from their ally. Washington’s instructions to Laurens were almost identical to those expressed in the memoir of his commandant of engineers to the French minister, even though the two had had no opportunity of meeting, much less discussing the situation since the latter’s release from prison. Washington’s instructions said in part,

January 15, 1781.

. . . inexperience in affairs, necessarily incident to a nation in its commencement, the want of sufficient stock of wealth, the depreciation of the currency, the general difference that has taken place among the people, the calamitous distress to which the army has been exposed by the mode which, for want of money, has been resorted to for supplying it . . . have brought the country to a crisis which renders immediate and efficacious succors from abroad indispensable to its safety. . . .

. . . the patience of the army, from an almost uninterrupted series of complicated distress, is now nearly exhausted, and their discontents matured to an extremity . . . which demonstrates, the absolute necessity of speedy relief.

. . . There is danger that a commercial and free people, little accustomed to heavy burdens, pressed by impositions of a new and odious kind, may not make a proper allowance for the necessity of the conjuncture, and may imagine they have only exchanged one tyranny for another. . . .

In consideration of which [we need] an immediate, ample & efficacious succor in money, large enough to be a foundation for a substantial arrangement of finance, revive fallen credit and give vigor to future operations . . . a constant naval superiority, additional . . . troops. . . . it were however better to diminish the aid in men . . . than diminish the pecuniary succor. . . .

. . . no nation will have it more in its power to repay what it borrows than this. . . . its independence being established [it will be able] to redeem in a short term of years the comparatively inconsiderable debts it may have occasion to contract.

[Finally] . . . the people are discontented, but it is with the feeble and oppressive mode of conducting the war, not with the war itself. . . . a large majority are still firmly attached to the independence of these states, abhor reunion with Great Britain and are affectionate to the Alliance.1

Washington also wrote various other documents showing the hopelessness of the situation without greatly increased aid from France during this trying period. He wrote in a letter to Benjamin Franklin, introducing Colonel Laurens, “[T]he period of our opposition will very shortly arrive if our allies cannot afford us that effectual aid—money and naval superiority.”2 After visiting Rochambeau at Newport, in March 1781, Washington made a more emphatic statement in another letter to Laurens: “Day does not follow night more certainly than it brings with it some additional proof of the impracticability of carrying on the war without the aids you were directed to solicit.”3

Franklin, together with the Comte de Vergennes, had been working toward the same end in Paris: substantial aid in money, supplies, and naval superiority on the American coast. Less than two weeks after Colonel Laurens’s arrival, the Comte de Grasse set out from the port of Brest with his fleet. Vergennes assured Franklin that the king would send a free gift of six million livres.4

Meanwhile, Duportail was on the road to New York, where he was to rejoin the commander in chief, on January 11, 1781. He left Nathanael Greene’s camp in South Carolina on or about January 13. A few days before February 5, he was in Maryland, on his way to Philadelphia to inform Congress that “our Friends in Carolina . . . are suffering much, & anxious for an Exchange.”5

On February 8, Duportail was in Philadelphia, where he wrote to Washington, thanking him for his exchange, expressing his impatience to return to headquarters under his command, but asking at the same time to have leave to stay until he could renew his depleted possessions, as he lost everything during his captivity. He closed by begging to be permitted to send his regards to Mrs. Washington and to his friends at camp.

General Washington replied on February 13,

I received with much pleasure your letter of the 8th from Philadelphia, & sincerely congratulate you on your liberation from captivity, and safe arrival at that place.

I shall set out the day after tomorrow for New Port.—Had you not so lately come of a long tiresome journey, I should have been glad of your company thither—but this being impracticable, and there being no immediate occasion for your presence at this Post, you have my free consent to remain in Philadelphia till the business you had in contemplation is accomplished, after which I shall be impatient to welcome you to Head Qrs.

Col. Gouvion (if he has not already done it) is about setting out for New Port—Majr. Villefranche went thither a month ago.6

General Washington wrote Duportail again on February 21,

My trip to Rhode Island has been delayed. . . . important considerations make me wish to have you with me this trip. . . . If not inconvenient you will leave Philadelphia immediately. Let me know by express if you can come and what day I may expect you at Head quarters. . . . You will forward your reply with all possible despatch as I shall await your answer and be governed in my departure by it.7

Matters were rapidly beginning to take shape. Before receiving General Duportail’s reply, the commander in chief wrote him again on March 1, “Some unexpected events have determined me suddenly to set out for Rhode Island. I depart tomorrow—and dispatch you this to request you will join me there as soon as possible, Your information and advice will be very important to our plans.”8

Washington’s two letters arrived at the same