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.

PARTII.] THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. 269
TO COUNT DE BIENIEWSKY.
Newburg, 27 April, 1782.
SIR,
At your request, and in consequence of a letter from
the Chevalier de la Luzerne, I have given to the plan,
which you propose to present to Congress, all the consideration I am capable of, and beg leave to observe
thereupon, that the utility of your plan for introducing
a legionary corps of Germans into the service of the
United States of America depends, in my opinion, upon
the political state of affairs in Europe, the probability
of the war's continuing, and the mode of conducting it;
as also upon the time, which will be required to bring
this corps into action.
Of the first, I have not the means of judging, but
I think the second is not so problematical, as to induce
Congress to reject a contract, which, with some alterations, and a surety of receiving the men in twelve
months from this date, may be attended with considerable advantages.
Political considerations must, no doubt, have their influence in determining upon a plan of this nature and
magnitude; and there may be an impropriety in my
hazarding an opinion too pointedly on the policy of it;
but, at your request, and at the desire of the minister
of France, I shall offer my sentiments on the several
articles in the order, in which they stand in the plan before me. With much esteem and regard, I am, Sir, &c.*
* The scheme proposed by Count de Bieniewsky was, that he would
raise in Germany and transport to America a body of troops, consisting
of three legionary corps of cavalry, infantry, grenadiers, chasseurs, and
artillery, the whole amounting to three thousand four hundred and eightythree effective men; that they should be subject to the orders of the
United States, and take the oaths of fidelity and allegiance; that he
would agree to raise, clothe, arm, and bring them to the United States
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