#anthony wayne

I think there was literally a comic describing one of them I think it was Anthony but none the less

Valley Forge

I was reading the interpretive signs at Fort Miamis when I had a John Graves Simcoe encounter in the wild, paging @acrossthewavesoftime!

Simcoe penned one of the Letters From 1794 excerpted on this sign!

To the Marquis de La Fayette from Antony Wayne, July 25, 1778

he has in him qualities more valuable than Courage, he understands the Science of War, in theory & is getting fast into practicable knowledge, he is modest & cool_ I know him well_ I speak of him not as my Son_ but with pleasure as a friend, a Countryman & a Member of So Carolina in the former Character I still feel a resentment against him although I judge it best to express it in the softest terms to himself, for the Robberies he has committed, he has taken a husband & Father from his young family, a Guardian from his Brother & Sister, a Son & friend from a dependent Father_ & I still look upon him as standing on the verge of Eternity to morrow I may again hear of his bravery sealed by his fall._ so let it be! if it be God’s Will_ ‘tis mine my duty to bear._

-Henry Laurens to John Lewis Gervais, October 8, 1777

While I was waiting in humble submission to the Will of the Almighty disposer of all events, having heard of death & Wounds fated to our late friend [John] White & other brave Officers in the battle of German Town, inclined rather to indulge a suspicion that with respect to you an illjudged tenderness had tonguetied all my friends, your Letter of the 5th. came in_ the well known inscription instantly dissipated every gloomy Idea, but a sudden revulsion of joy which as instantly followed costing [a] Tear & brought such a fit of trembling upon my whole [torn] probably I should [not have suffered] [torn] much worse news._ Accept O God my h[torn]

I congratulate with my Country upon the good [con]duct & safety of another Citizen who has dared to risque his Life in her Cause_ I congratulate with you my Dear Son, with my Daughter with all our Friends upon your happy escape._ My own duty commands my presence upon this spot, if I were free, I would at all hazards lame & incapable as I am of alert travelling fly to assist as your Nurse until you should be able to take the field again at this distance I can only help you with prayers & good wishes & thank you for the honour you have done me.

No Man can doubt of your bravery, your own good sense will point out the distinction between ge[nuin]e Courage & temerity nor need I tell you that [torn] your duty to preserve your own health & strength as it is to destroy an Enemy.

Other Accounts do no import our loss to have been, as you intimated, very considerable_ & make that of the Enemy illegible about or upwards of 2000, &  among these of Killed & wounded many Officers of distinguished rank_ let me know when you are able, the truth as fully & explicitly as you can, adding any such remarkable circumstances of the battle as you were witness to_ what you learn also of the Enemy’s Army their remaining Numbers & illegible disposition_ & what has happened on the River, Forts & Shipping_ & You will further oblige Your faithful friend & affectionate Father

-Henry Laurens to John Laurens, October 8, 1777

(Non-italicized names in brackets were supplied by myself for context; italicized words in brackets and crossed-out words were supplied by the transcripts in The Papers of of Henry Laurens, vol. 11.)

It’s interesting to compare how Henry Laurens writes about his son John to others and how he writes to John himself.  Parts of the letters are quite similar, with the sections containing “an illjudged tenderness had tonguetied all my friends” reading almost word-for-word.  But Henry’s concern for John’s well-being comes across much more strongly in the letter to John Lewis Gervais.  He is exceedingly proud of John and the way he has defended the colonies, but he also deeply misses John and worries that his life will be cut short in the war (unfortunately, Henry’s worry would become a reality in a few short years).  In his letter to John, Henry expresses his relief at learning that John was alive and makes a short remark about John needing to look out for himself more.  However, despite the concerns Henry voiced in his letter to Gervais, he does not attempt to dissuade John from fighting in the war.  He has accepted that this is John’s desire, and he will support him in it, as hard as that might be for him (“so let it be! if it be God’s Will_ ‘tis mine my duty to bear._”).  This is an interesting contrast to John’s education in Europe, when he deferred to Henry’s preferences and studied law rather than medicine.  As John grew older, he appears to have exhibited a stronger confidence and assertiveness in his decisions, and Henry grew to accept these choices.