Lee, Richard Henry

Autograph letter signed ("Richard Henry Lee"), 3 1/2 pages (12 1/8 x 7 7/8 in.; 307 x 201 mm) on a bifolium, Chantilly, 26 November 1781, to Robert Carter, reception docket on last page; some soiling to last page, a few small chips and separations at folds.

Provisioning Admiral de Grasse. The bulk of this letter contains Lee's autograph transcription of his correspondence with the Comte de Grasse from 9 through 29 October 1781, during part of which de Grasse's fleet was blockading the Virginia coast, allowing the armies of George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette to force the surrender of the British army under Lord Cornwallis. Lee explains this in the final section of his letter: "I do myself the honor of sending you above the correspondence that passed between the Count de Grasse and myself upon the subject of the provisions sent to that Admiral from this county. I beg your pardon Sir for not having been more early in doing this, and I hope that you will have the goodness to attribute this delay to a variety of hindrances, and not to any want of respect."

Lee's first letter to de Grasse here transcribed, 9 October 1781, requested that the Admiral "will be pleased to accept [from the gentlemen of Westmoreland county] some live stock and vegitables as a mark of the high esteem and respect that they entertain for your Excellencies character, and the only method they have of testifying their sense of the noble, generous, and effectual aid conducted by you to our assistance against the common enemy."

In an explanatory paragraph between the texts of the transcribed letters, Lee informs Carter that an ill wind had "dismasted" the vessel carrying this letter, preventing its delivery until it was resent with one from 20 October. In that later letter, Lee regrets that the stock and produce did not reach the Admiral "in a fresher and better condition that I fear they can now do." De Grasse replied on 19 October, and Lee provides both a transcription of the Admiral's French original, written on board his flag ship de la ville de Paris, and an English translation: "... as for the variety of provisions and refreshments which you have had the goodness to send me, do me the favor I entreat you to believe that my greatest regret at quitting these seas will be the not having been so happy as to have returned you my thanks in person, and to have made a personal and particular acquaintance with you."