Philadelphia Septr. 6. 1778
My dear Brother,
Having written you very lately1 from hence it would have been unnecessary to write so soon again if some military events had not taken place that you may be desirous to know. The Count D’Estaing has no doubt informed his Court of his Maneuvres with the British fleet commanded by Lord Howe. We have here no accurate knowledge of this affair, but what we do know is as follows, that the Count, in conjunction with Gen. Sullivan who commanded the Continental Army, was beseiging about 6000 English & foreign Troops that had retired within Lines round the Town of Newport on Rhode Island, when Ld. Howe appeared in the offing. This suspended operations on the Island as the Count immediately reshipped his Troops and went out to fight the British fleet, which, tho consisting of many Vessels, was inferior in number of guns & weight of metal to the Counts fleet. The British fled & were pursued the first day, on the next day a furious Storm arose which saved Ld. Howes fleet by dispersing both fleets. The Count lost all his Masts before he fired a Gun, and a ship of 74 lost her foremast and Bowsprit. A partial fighting between single ships took place but nothing of consequence happened in this way. The Count returned to R. Island missing the Caesar of 74 Guns and he carried in prizes the Senegal Sloop of war & a Bomb Ketch. We hear the Caesar has since arrived at Boston. The French Admiral determined to go to Boston (and refit his Squadron) which he did immediately. By this time Gen. Sullivan had approached within Musket Shot of the enemies Lines. The departure of the fleet, exposing our Army to the arrival of Succors from N. York quickly thro the Sound, and Ships also to cut off our retreat, determined a Council of War to raise the seige of Newport and return to the Main. The enemy, upon our retreat came out, and a battle ensued, the consequence of which was victory on our Side as you will see by the inclosed Gazette. The Army was not off the Island when the last Express came away, but no doubt they would soon as possible return to the Continent. We hear that Succors were on their way from N. York thro the Sound for R. Island. Gen. Clintons Army is still shut up in N. York by the American Army which lays just above Kingsbridge at White Plains. Congress has not yet taken up the consideration of foreign affairs, but they soon will, I expect in a few days, when I will write you more fully. We are very anxious here to know that Spain has acceeded to our Alliance,2 and it would be very pleasing that Holland had determined to open Trade with us. We impatiently expect to hear from Europe - I refer You to my last in which I request, with regard to Ludwell that you may either keep him with you, or send him to me, as your judgment and most perfect convenience shall direct, remembering that I have a large family, and that I wish to do them equal justice - That I am very willing to assist Ludwells genius & application as far as I am able to render him useful to himself and beneficial to his Country. Send our brother Alderman this intelligence with my love,
Farewell,
Richard Henry Lee
Lee PapersUniversity of Virginia Archives
Printed in James Curtis Ballagh, The Letters of Richard Henry Lee, Volume 1, 1762 - 1778, pp. 433 - 35.
1 Richard Henry’s most recent letter to Arthur that has been found is dated 27 May 1778. Other letters that Lee wrote at about this time which do not survive include one of 6 September to Washington and one of the seventh to Edmund Pendleton. For an indication of the substance of these, which is reflected in the responses of his correspondents, see Fitzpatrick, Writings of Washington, 12:484 - 85; and Edmund Pendleton, The Letters and Papers of Edmund Pendleton, 1734 - 1803, ed. David J. Mays, 2 vols. (Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1967), 1:269 - 70.
2 Arthur Lee’s conduct as American commissioner to Spain as well as his diplomatic and personal activities in France and Prussia are sensitively analyzed in Louis W. Potts, Arthur Lee: A Virtuous Revolutionary (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1981), chaps. 5 - 7.