The letter which I have Receiv’d from you, and this from the Minister of War which the duke of harcourt has communicated to me, have afforded to me the most sincere pleasure, and I feel very happy in seeing that your wishes are now accomplished—The Ministerial letter mentions your having got leave of embarking with us, and of wearing the uniform of an aid de camp who, says Mr de Montbarry, will be under Marquis de LaFayette direction—to that, my dear Sir, every thing will be provid’d for you on Board the same ship where I am to embark with the grenadiers, and we will be alwaïs together during the Campaign which I do assure you gives me a great pleasure.

To answer your demand, my dear sir, upon what I think of your present situation, I’ll tell you that I don’t know of any thing else which might have been done, and when officers Belonging to allied Nations come to an army Whatsoever they are Considered or as volonteers, or as aids de camp to an army officer of that army which Last condition will by far be the most agreable for you, as it will afford you Better occasions of knowing our Service—Neither volonteers or aids de Camp have any Rank But this they held Before in our or any other army, and as you have none as yet in the American Service, I’d advise you not to wear any epaulettes which is are left out By Many aids de Camp who have Ranks, or if you choose, Doctor Franklin as an ambassador, and maybe as a general will make up a Continental Commission of a Captain—if there is some thing against the Rules of Congress in that appointment, I take it upon myself and know General Washington will not disapprove any thing I have done, Because friendship Between my Respected, Beloved General and Myself, gives me the Right of taking his Name whenever I please, and I am sure Congress have not the Least objection to that undertaking, of mine on the occasion.

With all safety you may waït for Mr. J William’s Marriage, and in case any unforseen Event were to hurry the Embarkation, a courier should be dispatched timely enough as to give you twenty four hours to join us, and that you know is more than sufficient. After your Balines are done, you will my dear Sir, be very well come in this place.

Pray tell your Grandfather that we have nothing worth Being Communicated to him—the Situation of Both fleets, their Maneuvres, and theyr intenyions are not since some days perfectly known to us—our Ministry are in Earnest and most heartly want a Battle to decide the question—on the other hand Mr hardy wishes to postpone the action and as I think very wisely in doing it—we shall I Believe in two or three days Be Better acquainted, and my intelligences will be forwarded to Mr Franklin—I Beg you to present my Best Regards to him.

What’l Become of Mr d’estaing will I hope be known in a few days—any news you may get of him will be Receiv’d By me with the most sincere Gratitude—upon the whole, my dear Sir, English afairs seem in a very Bad way, and nothing can make me happier than to think that all these efforts are made By France, But from the support of American Freedom.

Very sincerely I am, dear Sir Yours