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 1I.] THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. 135
many of salt meat, and eight or ten hlogsheads of rum
would be sufficient at Elk. For what will be consumed in Virginia, I imagine the order must be general, as we can neither ascertain the number of men,
who will be drawn together, or the time they will be
employed.
I have written to the Count de Grasse, and have requested him to send up his light vessels of every kind
to Elk; but I would nevertheless wish to have all that
may be at Baltimore and the upper parts of the bay
secured. I shall therefore be obliged to you to take
measures at a proper time for that purpose. When
by both General Washington and Count de Rochambeau; and, as soon as
he received their remonstrance against it, Count de Barras resolved to
proceed to the Chesapeake.
It is probable, likewise, that some degree of personal feeling had its influence on the wishes of Count de Barras. In the council of war, which
was held some time before respecting the removal of the fleet to Boston,
after a debate indicating a little warmth among the officers, Count de
Rochambeau represents M. de Barras as using the following language.
" No person is more interested than I am in the arrival of M. de Grasse
in these seas. He was my junior; he has just been appointed lieutenantgeneral. At the moment his approach is made known, I shall set sail to
put myself under his orders. I will finish this campaign; I will never
make another." -J Mmoires de Rochambeau, Tom. I. p. 276. Hence it
appears, that the two naval commanders stood in a delicate relation to
each other; and it may be presumed, that this was the reason why Count
de Grasse left Count de Barras at liberty to join him or not, as he should
be inclined; and also why the latter preferred a separate enterprise.
The same anecdote is mentioned by M. Soul6s (Histoire des Troubles
de l'Jmdrique A.nglaise, Tom. III. p. 372), whose work on the American
revolution is the best written and most authentic in the French language.
The author had access to public documents in the department of war;
but all the particulars relating to the operations of Rochambeau's army
are taken almost word for word from a narrative, which had been drawn up
by Count de Rochambeau, and which was afterwards published as a part
of his AJmoires. A large portion of M. Soulds' book was read in manuscript by Count de Rochambeau, and also by the minister of war; and,
although this process might contribute to its accuracy, yet it would hardly
leave unshackled the author's independence and judgment.
See a letter from Count de Grasse to Count de Rochambeau in the
APPENDIX, NO. IV.