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Subject Area: War and Peace
Topic: The American Revolution and Constitution

TO SIR GUY CARLETON. - George Washington, The Writings of George Washington, vol. X (1782-1785) [1891]

Edition used:

The Writings of George Washington, collected and edited by Worthington Chauncey Ford (New York and London: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1890). Vol. X (1782-1785).

Part of: The Writings of George Washington, 14 vols.

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TO SIR GUY CARLETON.

The last Post brought me the honor of your favor of the first Instt. inclosing an Extract from the Letter of Monsr. de Malesherbes to you.

Sir,

I hardly know how, sufficiently to express my gratitude and thanks to that Gentleman for his intended favors, and the polite and flattering manner in which he seems disposed to confer them. Nor can I sufficiently express my concern for the trouble he has had from my improper explanation to the misconception of, my good and amiable friend the Marqs. de la Fayette.

I have the satisfaction of enclosing to your Excellency a proclamation, which I have received from the sovereign power of the United States, ordering a general cessation of hostilities, as well by sea as land, with directions that the same should be published to all their subjects under my command. In compliance with these instructions, the same was made public in the American camp on the 19th, with my orders that it should be made known at all the out-posts of the American army as soon as possible.1

To cultivate Exotics for the purpose of making Wine, or for my amusement, was never contemplated by me. The spontaneous growth of the Vine in all parts of this country, the different qualities of them and periods for maturation, led me to conclude, that by a happy choice of the species I might succeed better than those who had attempted the foreign vine. Accordingly, a year or two before hostilities commenced, I selected about two thousand cuttings of a kind which does not ripen with us (in Virginia) till repeated frosts in the Autumn meliorate the Grape and deprive the Vines of their leaves. It is then, and not before, the grape (which is never very pallitable) can be Eaten.

In consequence of this declaration, and in conformity to the articles of the treaty, Congress have been pleased to pass their resolutions of the 15th instant, directing arrangements to be formed for the liberation of all prisoners, and other purposes, which your Excellency will collect from the enclosed copy, which I transmit for your observation.

Several little Essays have been made by Gentlemen of my acquaintance to cultivate the foreign grape, for Wine; but none had well succeeded; owing either to an improper kind, or the want of skill in the management. For the most part, their Wine soon contracted an acidity, which rendered it unfit for use; one cause of which I ascribed to the ripening of their grape in our Summer or Autumnal heats, and to the too great fermentation occasioned thereby. This consideration led me to try the wild grape of the Country, and to fix upon the species which I have already described, and which in the Eight years I have been absent from my Estate has been little attended to. Had I remained at home, I should ere this, have perfected the experiment which was all I had in view.

In a conference, which I had yesterday with the minister at war, agreeably to the terms of the above-mentioned resolutions, it has been agreed between us, that the land prisoners should be liberated as soon as possible, and that orders should be immediately given for commencing their march towards New York. But as their situation, by being removed to the interior of the country, is far distant from New York, which will make their march disagreeable and long, we have agreed to submit it to your option, whether to have them marched the whole distance through the country or to have them delivered at the nearest water, where it may be convenient for your ships to receive them. Should you choose the latter, the following arrangement has been determined. The prisoners, who are lodged at Fredericktown and Winchester, in the States of Virginia and Maryland, in number about fifteen hundred, including women and children, will begin their march on the route towards Baltimore, where they may arrive on the 10th of May; at which time, should your ships be ready to receive them there, they may be embarked, and proceed to New York. If ships are not directed to receive them at the time mentioned at Baltimore, they will proceed by land to the Delaware. The remainder of the prisoners, being in Pennsylvania, amounting to about four thousand five hundred, may all (except those at Reading, between three and four hundred,) be embarked at Philadelphia, and also those from Fredericktown and Winchester, should they not be received at Baltimore, provided your ships are there by the 5th of May at farthest. Should ships not be ordered by your Excellency to take them by water, they will be marched in convenient detachments of about five hundred each, through the country to Elizabethtown, with all convenient expedition. In any case, those from Reading, being in the upper part of Pennsylvania, will march directly to Elizabethtown.

Thus, my good Sir, have I given you the history of my proposed cultivation of the Vine—and all I ever had in contemplation to attempt. I feel unhappy therefore at being the innocent cause of so much trouble to Monsr. de Malesherbes whose politeness, and goodness upon this occasion seems to have no bounds and fills me with gratitude and acknowledgement which I beg the favor of you to convey to him in such terms as I know you are master of, and which will do more justice to my feelings than any expressions of my own.

It is also submitted to your option to send or not, as you shall think proper, an additional number of officers to attend the march of the prisoners through the country, and to prevent any irregularities that disorderly persons may be disposed to commit.

If, notwithstanding my former plans, Monsr. de Malesherbes will honor me with a few sets, or cuttings of any one kind (and the choice is left altogether to himself,) I will cultivate them with the utmost care. I will always think of him when I go into my little Vineyard, and the first fruits of it shall be dedicated to him as the Author of it.

In either alternative respecting the receipt of the prisoners, you will be pleased to give the earliest information, to the minister at war in Philadelphia, of your determinations, that he may be able to make the necessary and timely dispositions to pay all proper attention to your choice. To expedite this purpose, and for the convenience of transportation, I enclose a passport for such officers as you shall think proper to charge with your despatches on this occasion.

If to these he would add a few sets of the several kinds of Eating Grape for my Gardens, it would add much to the obligation he seems so well disposed to confer on me.

Respecting the other subjects contained in the enclosed resolution of Congress, as they may be discussed with more precision and despatch by a personal interview between your Excellency and myself, at some convenient time and intermediate place, such as may be agreed upon between your Excellency and Colonel Humphreys, my aid-de-camp, who will have the honor to deliver this letter, I would only suggest, that, in point of time, the earliest day you can name will be most agreeable to me. Should an interview be consented to on your part, the governor of this State, being particularly interested in any arrangements, which respect the restitution of the post of New York, will attend me on this occasion. I am, &c.1

For the trouble you have had, and I am about to give you in this business, you will please to accept my thanks, and the assurances of that esteem and regard with which I have &c.