Rodiere died on Saturday last. He is to be buried G. WASHINGTON. P. S. Upon a presumption that Colonel Laurens will be on board the fleet, the enclosed are sent to you. Brigadier General Du Portail. Colonel Hamilton. WASHINGTON TO DU PORTAIL AND HAMILTON. Head Quarters, West Point, November 2, 1779. GENTLEMEN: Since mine of yesterday, I have received another letter from my confidential correspondent in New York, dated the twenty-ninth ultimo. He informs me, that the fifty-seventh regiment, Rawdon's Corps, and the Artillery mentioned in his last, were to sail on that day for Halifax; and with them, all the heavy ships of war, except the Europa. The Daphne frigate, with Sir George Collier and Colonel Stewart on board, was to sail for England the same day. He says the pilots reported, that it was now difficult to bring a vessel into the Hook, on account of the hulks sunk there. (By this it would seem that some of them still remained upon the shoals.) He says the transports mentioned in his last, as taking in water and ballast, only carried it down to the ships at the Hook. The Rainbow, of forty guns, had arrived from Halifax. He informs me of no other circumstances that materially relate to affairs in New York. He says a packet arrived from England on the twenty-third October. The accounts brought by her, seemed to alarm the tories very much. It was reported, that the Ardent, of sixty four guns, had been taken, and the English fleet chased into Portsmouth by the combined fleet, which remained off that place several days. He mentions these matters as current reports, and adds, that a fleet of victuallers were to sail from Cork the latter end of September, and another of store ships and merchantmen, from Spithead, about the same time. I am, with great regard, Gentlemen, Your most obedient servant, G. WASHINGTON. The capture of the Ardent, is confirmed by a New York paper of the twentieth ultimo. LAURENS TO HAMILTON. Philadelphia, December 12, 1779. MY DEAR HAMILTON : Upon my arrival here yesterday evening, I com municated the intelligence received from General Wayne, to the President of Congress and the French minister. The latter surprised me greatly, by informing me, that only one 74 gun ship of the Count De Grasse's division, and the Fier Rodrigue, had arrived at Chesapeake. I am at a loss how to account for the absence of the rest. They have not been within the reach of a superior enemy's force no storm has happened, within our knowledge, to drive them to any considerable distance from the coast. It cannot rationally be supposed that the Count has received countermanding orders, and that a capital ship of the line, together with a very valuable warlike merchantman, is to be sacrificed. Be the case as it may, all hopes of passing our reinforcement for the southern department, by sea, are out of the question. The North Carolina Brigade, after profiting by the navigation of the Delaware as far as it would serve them, marched to the Head of Elk. Thence they proceed, by water, across the Chesapeake, and up to Petersburgh, where they are to be overtaken by their waggons, and pursue the rest of their way by the middle road to Charlestown. This is the route marked by the Board of War, and a Committee of Congress appointed to confer with them; and I believe it was recommended by Doctor Burke, one of the North Carolina delegates lately from that country. It is intended that the Vir ginians should pursue the same as far as Petersburgh, where they are to take an upper road. In this route we do not avail ourselves of Albermarle Sound. The going up the river to Petersburgh will certainly be tedious; and four hundred miles land march is to be executed from thence. I communicated these objections to Mr. Matthewes, and proposed the route which the General pointed out; but the poverty of the country in provision, and the means of transporting the baggage of the troops, he said, would outweigh the advantages of the water carriage and direct road. I am by no means satisfied with the present arrangement, when I reflect how much more rapidly the British may convey their reinforcements: but all the inquiries I have made hitherto, have produced nothing favourable to our plan. Indeed, in the present unguarded state of the Chesapeake, the British might render the passage even of that ineligible. Mr. Serle, a member of Congress, who arrived in town last night from the neighbourhood of Major Leigh's post, asserts, that no transports were at the Hook on Wednesday. Whether the British operations are delayed by false rumours of Count De Grasse's division; or whether they have heard, as we have here, that Count D'Estaing was still on the coast the twentieth of November, I cannot decide: but one would be inclined to think, that they are disconcerted, either by false intelligence, or a total defect of it. I entreat you, my dear friend, to transmit me the earliest and most accurate relation that can be obtained, of the British movements; and enlighten me with your observations upon them. Present my respects and love to our excellent General and the family. May you enjoy all the pleasure, moral and physical, which you promise yourself in winter quarters, and be as happy as you deserve. Tell the Doctor I shall commit his darling to the press this morning. Yours ever, JOHN LAURENS. Colonel Hamilton. LAURENS TO HAMILTON. Philadelphia, December 18, 1779. MY DEAR HAMILTON: On my arrival in town, I was informed by the President, that Congress had suspended the business of appointing a secretary to their minister plenipotentiary at Versailles, until my return, in hopes that I might still be prevailed upon to accept the office. I replied, that I thought my letter upon the subject sufficiently explicit ; and assured him of my sincere desire to be excused from serving in that capacity at the present juncture of our affairs. He urged the unanimity of the choice with re |