rs of the French army in Virginia, and thank your
Excellency for the trouble of being the bearer of them to me, and the
letter from Count de Rochambeau.

With equal sensibility and pleasure, I received and do now acknowledge
my obligations to your Excellency for the communications from your
Court, which, though not decisive, are nevertheless important. The
late instance of their generous aid, hinted at by your Excellency and
particularised by Mr Morris, is one among a variety of important
considerations, which ought to bind America to France in bonds of
indelible friendship and gratitude, never I hope to be sundered.
Induced by that entire confidence, which I repose in your Excellency,
and a full conviction, that a nation, who combines her force with
ours, for purposes of all others most interesting to humanity, ought
not to be deficient in any information I can give to point objects to
means, that an accordance with them may be inseparable, I shall,
without hesitation, give you the state of our present force, and my
ideas of the increase of it by recruits, from the best view of it
which is before me.

It can scarcely be necessary to inform your Excellency, that our
military establishment for the present year consists of one regiment
of artillery, four legionary, and two partisan corps, and fifty
regiments of infantry, beside the corps of invalids; or that Congress
have called in pointed terms upon each State to complete its regiments
to the establishment, the aggregate of which, if complied with, would
amount to thirtyfour thousand three hundred and eight men, exclusive
of commissioned officers, sergeants, and music, Hazen's regiment, and
the corps of invalids. Of this force, one legionary corps, two
regiments of artillery, and twentytwo of infantry, besides Hazen's
regiment and the invalids, compose the northern army; but as Hazen's
regiment is fostered by no State, discouraged from recruiting by all,
and without funds if the case were otherwise, it must soon dwindle to
nothing, being now very weak.

The present totality of the rank and file, exclusive of sergeants, of
those regiments which compose the northern army, amounts to nine
thousand one hundred and fortysix. From this number the sick men, in
different branches of the staff department, and such as are employed
on other extra duties, which the peculiarity of our circumstances
compels me to furnish from the army, being deducted, will reduce the
efficient ope