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The unhealthiness of the season in Virginia began to cause much sickness in the army: the Chevalier de la Luzerne, received letters at this time from M. Vaudreuil, who, after the capture of M. de Grasse, had succeeded to the command of the fleet. This admiral requested him to make preparations for refitting it at Boston. We were also informed, that a body of troops was about embarking at New York, which was supposed to be destined against some of the French colonies. These circumstances induced me to put the French army in motion, to bring it nearer to New York. I requested a conference at Philadelphia with General Washington. It was there resolved, that the two armies should unite on the Hudson, should approach as near as possible to New York, to threaten the place, and prevent it from sending out any detachment against our colonies. During this time the army under the Chevalier de. Chatelus, and the Chevalier de Viomenil, marched during the night, and reposed in the day-time. Through the judicious precautions of these generals, it arrived in health and safety at Baltimore, where it was joined by a detachment under M. de Valette, whom I had left at York and Gloucester, to demolish the fortifications, after removing the artillery. Although these troops had been conveyed up the bay by the little squadron of M. de la Villebrune, while the rest of the army was proceeding slowly by land; yet from the commander to the lowest soldier, they arrived every man sick.

During the stay which the army was obliged. to make at Baltimore, to reIcruit the sick, and to allow the great summer-heats to pass by, we were informed of the evacuation of Savannah in Georgia; a part of the garrison had returned to New York, and the rest was sent to Charleston, from which place also the enemy was preparing to

withdraw his magazines. I received at the same time a letter from M. de Vaudreuil, who was on his way to Boston with the remains of the fleet of M. de Grasse, requesting the assistance necessary for his protection, while refitting. He had detached M. de la Peyrouse towards Hudson's Bay, who destroyed all the British establishments there. I sent M. de Choisy to command his land forces, and the officers of artillery and engineers whom he wanted.

General Carleton made another attempt to obtain a truce; he announced the absolute and unqualified acknowledgment of the independence of America, which had passed the two houses of the English Parliament, and the prospect of preliminaries of peace being signed immediately. At the same time, however, we heard of the arrival at New York of Admiral Pigott, who had succeeded Rodney in the command of the enemy's fleet, and of the preparations which were making to embark troops for the French islands. This last piece of news determined the speedy march of the French army, in order to effect a junction with that of Washington, and to present our united force before the place. This march was made in the same order, and by the same road, which we had taken the year before. The junction was effected at King's-` ferry, on the North river.

General Washington wishing to testify his respect and gratitude to France, made us pass between two lines of his soldiers, dressed, equipped, and armed completely, for the first time since the revolution, partly with arms and clothes sent from France, and party from the English magazines taken with the garrison of Cornwallis, which the French army had relinquished to that of the Americans. He made his drums beat the French march during the whole of this review, and the two

armies met each other with marks of the greatest reciprocal satisfaction.

The council in France had directed, that if the enemy should evacuate New York and Charleston, or either of those places, General Rochambeau should embark his army for Saint Domingo, under the orders of a general officer, to be delivered over to M. de Galves, a Spanish lieutenant-general, who commanded the troops of the two nations, intended for a combined operation. All our information stated the immediate evacuation of Charlestown; and the march of the French army from Virginia to the North River rendered it easy to execute the orders of the council. I communicated my instructions to M. de Vaudreuil, and informed him that I was ready to lead the army to Boston, whenever he should be ready to take it on board. M. de Vaudreuil answered, that his squadron could not be prepared before the end of November, and that he could not transport more than four thousand men, comprising the officers and their suite. I proposed to the Baron de Viomenil, and his brother, to take charge of the two brigades of infantry, and a part of the artillery, and conduct them to their destination. I left the corps of Lauzun, with the heavy artillery which was still at Baltimore, and I confided to the Duke de Lauzun the command of that part of the French troops which remained in America, subject to the orders of General Washington.

At the period of the march of the French troops from Crampond, there happened between me and an American captain of militia, whose habitation I occupied as quarters, an affair, pleasantly characteristic of republican freedom. He came to ask from me, on the evening before the departure of the troops, a sum of fifteen thousand francs, (three thousand dollars) for wood which the brigade of Soissonnois

had burnt on his property. I found the demand exorbitant, and referred him to the commissary Villemanzy, who was charged with the settlement of all accounts for articles consumed by the army throughout the camp. At the moment of beginning the march, the next day, when the roll had been beaten, and the troops were under arms, a man approached me with a very complaisant air, and told me that he was not ignorant of the services which I had rendered his country, that he respected me greatly, but that he was obliged to do his duty. He then served me with a paper, and afterwards laid his hand gently on my shoulder, telling me at the same time, that I was his prisoner. "Well, sir," said I, laughing, "take me away if you can.” “ Not so, your excellency," answered the sheriff; "but I beg of you, now that I have performed my duty, to let me go off

unmolested." I sent the commissary Villemanzy to the house of the Ameri can captain, and he found him in a crowd of his countrymen, who were all upbraiding him, in the sharpest terms, for his proceeding. The com missary agreed with him to submit the matter to arbitration; and the result was, that the captain had to pay the costs, and to content himself with two thousand, instead of fifteen thousand francs.

The army on its march passed through the whole of Connecticut. Governor Trumbull, and his council, issued a proclamation, requesting their fellowcitizens not to raise the price of provisions during our passage, and the inhabitants seconded his views with so much generosity, that every mess of soldiers obtained at a very low price, in addition to their ordinary rations, all kinds of provisions. The army arrived at Providence, where it was detained by some new accident happening to the squadron of M. de Vaudreuil, and remained in barracks during the rest of November.

I have not mentioned the multitude of addresses from all the towns and general assemblies of the states of America, presented to me, containing uniformly, the warmest acknowledgment of their obligations to France. I will cite but one of these addresses. A deputation from the Quakers of Philadelphia waited on me, in all the simplicity of their costume. "General," said the oldest of them to me, "it is not on account of thy military qualities that we make thee this visit those we hold in little esteem; but thou art the friend of mankind, and thy army conducts itself with the utmost order and discipline. It is this which induces us to tender thee our respects."

At length the army embarked at Boston, early in December, with the universal benedictions of our allies throughout the Thirteen States. I may mention as a proof of the wonderful discipline of this army, that

during the course of three campaigns, there was not a blow nor a quarrel between a French and an American soldier.

I was obliged to return with the Chevalier de Chatelus, M. de Belleville, M. de Choisy, all the staff, and our respective aides-de-camp, to meet the frigate which I had selected to convey us to France. It was in the Chesapeake bay, as I had not chosen to deprive M. de Vaudreuil of any of his vessels, in which he was obliged to. crowd all that he could embark of the army.

In returning to Virginia, we passed by New Windsor, where General Washington was. It was there that we took an affectionate farewell, and that I received from the American army, as did all the officers who accompanied me, the sincerest assurances of perpetual remembrance.

THE DISCARDED PRODIGAL;

OR,

A CURE FOR COQUETTES,

A TALE.

you

"Money, Master Wildwood, móney," replied the old man ; ha'nt even enough to pay the waiter, after damning him."

"Ay, Verity," retorted the youth, and you generally take care to let him know it too. If I but order a chicken instead of a chop, you feel no more compunction in exposing my poverty, than if I had bespoken an anniversary dinner, to the memory of twenty dead aldermen."

"COME along, mine ancient, come
along," cried a slight, handsome, pale
young man, dragging an old, florid,
grey headed servant into the coffee-
room of a country inn, "this is the
life I love, sixty miles in eight hours,"
horses smoking, post-boys smacking
their thongs, and your-honouring'
us for an odd shilling, and then a
bustling, clattering, bell-ringing inn."
"But zooks, Master Wildwood,"
said the venerable domestic, "my
bones are jolted almost out of joint."
"What signifies," cried Wildwood,
clapping the other down on a chair,
"since they are snugly landed in an
inn again? Oh, the sign-post beyond
the portico for ever! No formalities
of a regular family here: No praising
the dinner till it has grown cold, or
the daughter while she is spoiling the
piano. Here the host himself takes
the trouble of praising off my hands;
and when I damn the waiter, he
thanks me. Then quick steps, smi-
ling faces, smoking dishes, and com-
ing, sir.' What more can I want, old
gravity?"

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"Because," said Verity, "you feel no more compunction in bragging, and calling consequentially about you, than if you were owner of a fee-simple estate that could not be galloped round in a month."

The waiter now entered with a small portmanteau, and begged - to know whether that was all the luggage belonging to the chaise."

"Harkee, friend," said Wildwood, "the moment the coach comes in, be sure to enquire for my trunks."

"Never heed him, waiter," interrupted Verity. "That portmanteau contains his all in this world.”

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"Abscond, sirrah!" exclaimed Wildwood," and on your peril remember about the horses."

"To the end of my life, sir," replied the waiter going; "and about the trunks too;" and as he passed the sideboard, he counted the spoons.

"There, sir, see there!" cried Wildwood," how dare you expose me so?"

"Young gentleman," answered the old man dryly, "'tis you who expose yourself."

"And who are you, sirrah, that you should presume to meddle with my affairs? Are you my friend " "I am."

"'Tis false! You are my servant." "I am not; but I was servant to your father, sir, and to your grandfather, sir; and my favourite daughter nursed you, sir; and when old Mr Wildwood discarded you, I forgot that I was eighty years of age, and followed you through the world, with affection and fidelity. Now, sir, am I your servant?"

"No, but my friend, my benefactor," exclaimed Wildwood, grasping his hand," and my all but father."

"Ay, father," said Verity, "'tis time to talk about him, methinks, now that we are within half a mile of his house."

"Well, and what will you say to him of me?" asked the other; for you know I can say nothing to him myself, since his last letter forbade me ever entering his house."

"Lookee, master, I will say to him, sir, you remember your old butler, Verity, who never told a lie in his life. I have come down here with your son, Harry, to solicit your reconciliation with him."

"A good beginning, old boy," said Wildwood; "what next?"

"You left him after you in England, says I, when he was but five years old, went out to India, married a widow there, and brought home a step-son."

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Excellent," cried Wildwood; "a step-son, that is a home-thrust. But go on."

"Now, sir, continues I, that stepson, I suspect, has poisoned your mind against Master Wildwood, and so effectually too, that though you and all your family have now been two years in England, you have never suffered him inside your doors; and if you met him in the street to-morrow, you would no more know his face than the off-side face of the man in the moon,"

“An admirable preface, upon my soul," cried Wildwood.

"Therefore, sir, says I, you are an unnatural father."

"Confound me, if you shall say that, though!" exclaimed Wildwood. "Confound me if I don't, though," replied Verity. "The truth is the truth."

"At least," said Wildwood, "you wont tell him that I am an unnatural son."

Verity coughed. "Master Harry, said he, "I never told but one lie in my life, and that was the day my wife died, my poor wife, as the saying is." "Then the falsehood was about her, I suppose," said Wildwood.

"It was," answered Verity. "A meddling neighbour asked me if I felt grieved at her death, and so I bragged about my sorrow consumedly."

"Pray then, dear Verity," said the other, "brag consumedly for me."

"The truth is the truth," replied the old man, "and the truth I will tell."

"What," cried Wildwood," tell that I am a drinking, gambling, squandering profligate, with nothing on

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