Alexander Gillon to John Jay, 29 August 1779
[Nantes, 29 Aug t . 1779] 1
Sir
I flatter my self with the Hopes that you have enjoy–d a Perfect State of Health since I had the pleasure of Seeing you at Philadelphia, & that you will very soon Reap the Reward due to your Perserverance & Labour, as A little Success of the United Fleet must I conceive produce next Spring that Inestimable Blessing Peace.–
I have been Seven Months in this Kingdom Labouring to Execute the Business I was Sent on, by the State of S o . Carolina, but the losses said State experienced in their Remittances to Europe, with the Denials to my Requests to those in Power, & no Inclination to facilitate & Support my applications by him that your Hon–ble Body sent to France to aid every American, part[icularl] y . Officers on Public Business, has Retarded my Success hitherto, I will not trouble your Excellency with A Recital of them here, as Inclosed is A Packet for the Hon–ble the Delegates of S o . Carolina, wherein is one for His Exelly John Rutledge Esq r ., 2 which contains the part[icula] rs of my Conduct & Observations, part of which may not be Amiss to be known, have therefore Requested those Gentle n . to open S d . Packet, & to Communicate its Contents to you,–the Affair of the Fleat fitted out at L–Orient I part[icularl] y . attended to, by their Conduct there & the pains that was taken in other places to have them thought Continental, caus–d me to believe they was, in that Supposition I did no more than my duty & what I owe to America, by Stating to M r . Franklin the use such a Fleet wou–d be of to America in General, if it was immdly sent to S o . Carolina & Virginia, at either of which places I presume there ^ was ^ no Superior British Naval Force, wherefore their Sea & Land forces must have Experience–d Burgoynes Fate. I did not wish to interfere in the Command, as ^ tho as ^ I had formerly propos–d, so I then Repeated, that with all my officers I wou–d go as Volunteers in this Fleet, please Observe M r . Franklins Reply thereto–& Cap t . Jones–s Conduct since, but admit me to Remark that at Same time Cap t . Landais of the Alliance, was order–d by M r . Franklin to put himself under the Orders of Cap t . Jones, 3 whose Ship the Bon Homme Richard was private property & under the Public Management of M r . Chaumont, M r . Franklin–s Landlord & Oracle, 4 they are again Saild & I hope on a plan of Serving their Country, I do not mean injury to any of those parties but I conceive I am Right in saying what is come to my knowledge therein, & that as your Honble Body has form–d Rules for to Guide your Naval Officers & Men, so they will be pleasd to cause an Enquiry to be made, whether the diff t . Courts that have been held at L–Orient by Cap t . Jones–s order are not Repugnant to those Rules, thus very prejudicial to a Young Service that Cries Aloud for Stability to enforce its Consequence; the Orders for an Enquiry into the conduct of Cap t . Landais & his Officers was so inconsistant in my humble Opinion, that I Requested Cap t Robeson 5 in the S o . Carolina Service, who was President of that Curious Court to withdraw, their Proceedings will be known to you no doubt on Cap t . Landais arrival; I am now in hopes of Building in Prussia for where Set off in A few days, on the Encouragem t . mentiond in my Inclos–d Letters, if I can there, or whilst in Europe be of any Service, I shall deem myself Honor–d to Receive your Commands, in such case please to order my Letters to be under Cover to any of your Ministers that will Carefully order it to be forwarded to me, it gives me pleasure to Assure you, I rec d . every Aid from the Honble Messe rs Adams Lee–s & Izard, 6 but their Endeavours to Serve their Country cou–d Avail Little, when Underhand Opposition was made to every proposal that was made by them & me. I truly wish for America–s Sake in part r . that M r . Adams may ere this be Amongst you. 7 Sincerely do I wish your Excellency evry Blessing & am with all due Respect– Your Excellencys Most Obed t . & very hble Servt–
A. Gillon
To His Excellency John Jay Esq re . President of the Honble the Continental Congress at Philadelphia