From Rudolphe Ernest Hartmann
ALS: University of Pennsylvania Library
<Amsterdam, June 15, 1778, in French: Please write for me to
General Washington about Baron Hermann von Zedwitz.
What has become of him? Is there hope of recovering any part
of what he owes me? He took from me in London some cut
diamonds in a setting, to sell because I was a stranger there,
and disappeared. The loss put me and my wife and children in
a sad situation, and forced me to leave my business in Germany
in order to bring Zedwitz to justice. A merchant here
passed on the matter to his brother-in-law in New York, a well
known merchant named James Le Ray. The latter wrote me
last May that the Baron had become a lieutenant colonel under
Schuyler, had distinguished himself at Quebec, and had been
given command of a fort that he tried to sell to the English for
£41,000. The letter containing his offer was intercepted; he
was arrested and condemned to be hanged, but the sentence
was commuted to imprisonment. I have had no further news,
and beg your Excellency’s help.>
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