The writings of George Washington; being his correspondence, addresses, messages, and other papers, official and private, selected and published from the original manuscripts; with a life of the author, notes and illustrations. By Jared Sparks.

PART II.] THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. 329
TO GOVERNOR HANCOCK.
Head-Quarters, 10 August, 1782.
SIR,
Your Excellency will be informed by BrigadierGeneral Choisy, who does me the honor to be the
bearer of this, that the Marquis de Vaudreuil, with a
fleet of his Most Christian Majesty's ships of war, may
be soon expected in the harbour of Boston.
By a correspondence, which has passed between the
Marquis and the Count de Rochambeau, a copy of
which I have been favored with by the latter, I am
informed that the French admiral has it in contemplation to strike a coup de main upon the post of Penobscot, while his ships are to continue in your neighbourhood, requesting the opinion and advice of the Count
upon the practicability of the enterprise. It appears
also from the same communication, that the French
general has given him a partial, yet pretty plain disapprobation of the attempt, and has referred him to my
opinion on the subject, which the Count de Rochambeau in his letter to me particularly requests me to
communicate to the Marquis on his arrival.
However desirable the object may be, to dispossess
the enemy from that troublesome post, yet under present circumstances and prospects I have not judged the
attempt to be advisable, and have therefore given the
French admiral my opinion decidedly against it. My
particular sentiments on the subject will be conveyed
to you in the copy of my letter to the Marquis, which
I do myself the honor to enclose to your Excellency
for your own observation, and that of the executive
of your State.
If; notwithstanding my sentiments and present appearances, other more favorable circumstances should
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