Archive · With the French army and fleet, 1781 to 1782
February 6, 1782
Washington to de Grasse: “carried off with the Fleet to the West Indies”
Washington asks the French admiral to send the Wilks family back “to their Master, who will pay the expense of their passage.”
What it says, in plain language
Writing from Philadelphia, Washington takes up Fitzhugh’s request. The British, he says, burned Fitzhugh’s houses and carried away “upwards of forty of his most valuable Slaves” while they held the Chesapeake. Five of those people, “in endeavouring to make their escape from York were taken in the Bay and put on Board the Magnanime” and carried to the West Indies. He encloses the list and asks that they be sent back by any vessel bound for Virginia or Maryland. No answer from de Grasse survives; he was captured at the Battle of the Saintes in April 1782 and later wrote that he had thrown his papers overboard.
What it adds to the boards
A point of accuracy for anyone quoting this letter: the “upwards of forty” were carried off by the British in their raids, not by the French. The number Washington gives for the French ship is five.
No image of the original is shown here yet. The draft is in the Washington Papers at the Library of Congress; no page image is reproduced here yet.
Transcription
Philada 6th Feby 1782
Sir
My knowledge of the goodness of your Excellency's heart, induces me, without hesitation, to request your attention to an affair which is of consequence to a particular Friend of mine, a Colonel Fitzhugh of the State of Maryland. While the common enemy were in possession of the Chesapeake, they committed great depredations upon that Gentlemans property, burning his Houses and carrying away upwards of forty of his most valuable Slaves, Five of those people, in endeavouring to make their escape from York were taken in the Bay and put on Board the Magnanime; no person appearing, with proper authority, to claim them, they were unavoidably carried off with the Fleet to the West Indies, I take the liberty of inclosing a list of the names and a description of the persons of the Slaves. Should they be still on Board the Fleet I will take it as a very great favor if your Excellency will direct them to be sent back by any Vessel coming either to Virginia or Maryland, or should they have been sent on shore and put under the care of any particular Gentleman, you will oblige me by giving him information to where they belong and desiring him to send them back to their Master, who will pay the expense of their passage.
I have heard with infinite pleasure of your Excellency's safe arrival at Martinico, and am now impatiently waiting the result of the great operations under your direction. If the united good Wishes of a grateful people can contribute to your success, your Campaign in the West Indies will be as glorious as that in America. I have the honor to be with perfect Respect and warmest personal attachment yr Excellency's Most obt and hbe servt.
Text from Founders Online (National Archives). Original spelling kept; the manuscript’s long dashes are shown as commas; modern editorial notes are not reproduced.