York May 31st 1778
Dear Sir,
Your favor of the 19th has just come to hand and I thank you for it. In proportion to my ardent zeal for the prosperity and security of my country so were my wishes that Monsr. Loyeaute had been able to effect those valuable purposes for our Country that I own I thought him capable of doing.1 I was the more intent upon this, as I well knew the necessity of what he professed to understand, and our utter ignorance of it. We may spend a great deal of money in this way, but I much fear it will be very late indeed, before we shall receive an equivalent in the protection afforded us. We have fortunately been but little tried yet in Virginia, and God of his infinite Mercy keep our enemies at a distance until we are better prepared to meet them.
The enemy, we are told, still continue embarking their Stores, heavy cannon &c, and the Universal opinion is that they will evacuate Philadelphia in a few days. It may be so, but they are so full of guile, it is no easy matter to penetrate their designs. Should a French war take place, they must go, and quickly too, to guard their W. India Islands, now quite defenceless. We have an account from Philadelphia that there has been an engagement between a French & an English fleet in which the latter has been worsted and lost two frigates sunk. I shall be much obliged dear Sir if you will get Mr. Maddisons answer respecting my Nephew and send it by Post to his Mother.2
Farewell dear Sir, I wish you healthy & happy.
Richard Henry Lee
Receiver’s copy, University of Chicago Library.
1 No doubt John Page had reported Loyeaute’s resignation as inspector general of Virginia artillery, as had Page’s brother Mann in a 21 May letter to Lee. "I am sorry we have lost him," Mann Page commented, "but the Loss must be attributed to his own Caprice, as he received no Slight from the Assembly. Indeed the Words of the Resolution appointing him Inspector General by no means warrant the Claim which he set up for Command." Lee Family Papers, University of Virginia Archives. For Governor Henry’s comments on Loyeaute’s resignation, see Henry, Patrick Henry, 3:174.
2 In his 6 May letter to Richard Henry Lee, John Page had promised to attend to Lee’s 20 April request respecting his nephew, the son of his recently deceased brother Thomas Ludwell Lee. Lee Family Papers, University of Virginia Archives.