however, abuse the indulgent liberty which you gave me at parting, and I have, therefore, been more troublesome to Dr. Bancroft. I wish not to be thought too impatient, but you know, my dear Sir, that this is the nice moment, when I ought to be either in search of marine knowledge, with Count D'Orvilliers, or in search of honor, in attempting some private enterprise. Before I was at liberty to go, the good old Count pressed me much to accompany him; but since Dr. Ban croft has informed me that it would be agreeable to the minister that I should, I have been precluded from following the fleet, as the present commandant has no orders for that purpose. Thus circumstanced, without employment, and, in appearance, cast off, I have written the within letter to the Prince de Nassau, which I leave open for your perusal.Should you find the whole, or any part of it, improper, I beg of you to withhold it. After all my disappointments, I am yet persuaded that the court had, from the beginning, and still have, intentions in my favor, since you know the connexion was not of my seeking. I am, with the highest sense of your friendship and goodness, Honored and dear Sir, yours, &c. Brest, August 28th, 1778. His Excellency Count D'ORVILLIERS, of the Brest Fleet. HONORED AND DEAR SIR, When you kindly proposed that I should accompany you on board the Bretagne, I had been ordered from Paris for a private expedition. I was, indeed, sorry that I could not then think myself at liberty to accept your very polite and friendly offer. Though I have not, to this moment, received a word from the minister since I returned here, yet I have understood, from a friend at Paris, that M. de Sartine at last agreed that I should embark with you. On receiving this information, I immediately applied to M. de la Prévaláye for a passage in the first ship, to join the fleet; but he says he will not permit my embarkation without orders from the minister, or from you. This, my dear Sir, is the principal reason why I now trouble you. I was ambitious of the honor of attending you on the first campaign, where you acquired so much glory; but M. de Sartine would not then permit me to go. I must now, therefore, beg the favor of you, should you send in any vessel with letters, that you will give directions to M. de la Prévalaye, to permit my embarkation to join you. I ardently wish to attend you with my eyes, even to the pinnacle of fame, and to learn from so great and good a general, how I may hereafter ascend the slippery precipice, beyond which the edifice is erected. M. DE SARTine. HONORED SIR, Brest, September 13th, 1778. When His Excellency Dr. Franklin first informed me that you had condescended to think me worthy your notice, I took such pleasure in reflecting on the happy alliance between France and America, that I was really flattered, and entertained a grateful sense of the honor which you proposed for me, as well as the favor which the king proposed for America, by putting so fine a ship of war as the Indien under my command, and under its flag, with unlimited orders. In obedience to your desire, I came to Versailles; and was taught to believe, that my intended ship was in deep water, and ready for sea. But, when the prince returned, I received from him the account, that the Indien could not be got afloat under three months. To employ this interval usefully, I offered to accompany Compte D'Orvilliers, as a volunteer, which you thought fit to reject. I had, then, the satisfaction to find, that you approved, in general, of a variety of hints for Private enterprises, which I had presented for your consideration, and was flattered with assurances from M. le Ray de Chaumont and Bodwain, that three of the finest frigates in France, with two tenders, and a number of troops, should be immediately put under my command, and I should be at liberty to pursue such of my projects as I thought proper. But this fell to nothing, in the moment when I thought that the king's signature only was wanting. Another inferior armament, from L'Orient, was proposed, to be put under my command, which was by no means equal to the services that were expected from it; for speed and force, both requisite, were wanting. Happily for me, this also failed, and I was saved from a dreadful prospect of ruin and dishonor. I had so entire a reliance that you would require nothing of me inconsistent with my rank and honor, that the moment you commanded, I came down with such haste, that, although my curiosity led me to look at the armament at L'Orient, yet I was but three days from Passy till I reached Brest.Here, too, I drew a blank. But when I saw the Lively, it was no disappointment, as that ship, in sailing and equipment, is far inferior to the Ranger. My only disappointment here, is being precluded embarking with Compte D'Orvilliers, in pursuit of marine knowledge. I am not a mere adventurer of fortune. Stimulated by reason and philanthropy, I laid aside the enjoyments of private life, and embarked under the flag of America when it was first displayed. In this line, my desire of fame is infinite; and I must not so far forget my own honor, and what I owe to my friends and to America, as to remain inactive. My rank knows no superior in the American marine. I have, long since, been appointed to command an expedition with five of its ships, and I can receive orders from no junior or inferior officer whatever. I have been here in the most tormenting suspense, for more than a month since my return, and agreeable to your desire, as mentioned to me by M. de Chaumont. Circular letters were sent the 8th of last month from the English Admiralty, because they expected me to pay another visit with four ships. Therefore, I trust, that if the Indien is not to be got out, you will not substitute a force unequal in strength and sailing to the enemy's cruizing ships. I do not wish to interfere with the harmony of the French marine; but if I am still thought worthy your attention, I shall hope for a separate command, with liberal orders :if, on the contrary, you have no farther occasion for my services, I have then only to ask the Alert, and a few seamen, with permission to return in that small vessel to America before winter. I am happy to hear that the frigates from St. Malo have been successful near Shetland. Had Count D'Estaign arrived in the Delaware a few days sooner, he might have made a most glorious and easy conquest. Many other successful projects may be adopted from hints which I had the honor to draw up, and if I can still furnish more, or execute any of those furnished, so as to distress and humble the common enemy, it will afford me the truest satisfaction. I am ambitious to merit the honor of your friendship, and am fully persuaded that I address a noble minded man, who will not be offended with the honest freedom which has always marked my correspondence. I have the honor to be, with great respect, &c. Extract to His Excellency BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, Honored and Dear Sir, "I yesterday took the resolution to write the enclosed explicit letter to the minister. I should not have mentioned my rank, had it not been hinted that it was proposed to send me from St. Maloes under command of French lieutenants. The frigates were sent in consequence of a hint from me, and though I am neglected, I hope they have been very successful. "It is in vain for the minister to pretend he has no ships to bestow, as I know to the contrary." Extract of a letter to the same, dated Brest, September 18th, 1778. "I have seen the Fox mounting 24 guns, (taken formerly by the Hancock and Adams,) and would accept of that ship, attended by the Alert, unless something better is immediately bestowed. I shall, with this command, expect unlimited orders." Extract of a letter to the same, dated Brest, November 27th, 1778. "Lieut. Amiel has exercised with me patience for four months in this place, without society or hospitality. "Let them give me but powers, and I will find a ship and men, without loss of time. I will undertake, if necessary, at the risk of my private property, that the seamen's wages shall be either paid from the public funds in America, or from the part of prizes usually claimed by the American government. "Your silence has hurt me; though I am sensible I owe much to your good offices and wishes. "I have read and considered well all my past letters, and find nothing that I wish I had omitted, or that I conceive could have altered any person before my friend." Brest, September 21st, 1778. His Royal Highness le Duc de CHARTRES. MY PRINCE, I should be ungrateful did I not entertain the deepest sense of the obligation which you conferred on me, by your letters to the Palais Royal and Versailles, in June last. I was at that time happy in being sent for privately to his Excellency Dr. Franklin, at the desire of M. de Sartine, who proposed to bestow on me a very honorable command. I was flattered with the assurances that three frigates, two tenders, and a number of troops, should be immediately put under my command, to pursue such projects as I thought proper. This plan failed. Another was proposed, where the force was unequal to what was expected from the service. Happily for me, this also failed. I was then ordered to the command of the Lively, to join some frigates on an expedition from St. Maloes. I arrived in Brest in three days from Passy, and found the Lively had been given to another; but this disappointment pleased me, when I found that the Lively was quite inferior to the Ranger. as a I do not wish to interfere with the harmony of the French marine; but we fight in a common cause, and it is the interest of both to distress and humble an enemy who arrogates to himself the sovereignty of the ocean. I could have been serviceable, had my hands been at liberty in the summer. I would accept of the rather than undergo the mortification of returning to America unemployed, after having written to Congress that I am detained in Europe by the particular desire of the Court of France. If the minister has no farther occasion for my services, I have then only to ask permission to have the Alert, and to carry with me to America his good opinion, before the winter. |