Description:

Revolutionary War
Philadelphia, PA, September 13, 1815
"Cornwallis at Yorck-town in 1781": French Rev. War Veteran Asks Henry Dearborn For Help, Citing Marquis de Lafayette's Recommendation & His Service Record
ALS
A fascinating 4pp autograph letter in English signed by Barthélémy Sernin du Moulin, Baron de Montlezun de Labarthète (ca. 1762-1848), a French soldier who fought alongside American Patriots against British forces at the Battle of Yorktown. September 13, 1815. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Inscribed on watermarked bifold paper. The letter is signed three times: once when referring to himself in a copy of the Marquis de Lafayette's recommendation letter; once when certifying the authenticity of the aforementioned copy; and once at the conclusion of the letter. Expected wear including flattened transmittal folds and isolated minor closed edge tears. Else near fine. 7.75" x 9.875." Accompanied by an handsome engraving of the Marquis de Lafayette. Light ink impressions and isolated discoloration, else very good, 5.375" x 7.375."

Barthélémy Sernin du Moulin - known as Baron de Montlezun - addressed this letter to Major General Henry Dearborn (1751-1829), a Revolutionary War and War of 1812 veteran who had served as Secretary of War during the Jefferson administration, and had recently resigned his post as Senior Officer of the U.S. Army. In the letter, Baron de Montlezun implored Dearborn to help him out of his financial difficulties so that he could settle in the United States and eventually become a U.S. citizen. The Baron felt justified in requesting such help in consideration of his military service during the American Revolution nearly 30 years earlier, and by citing a recommendation letter proffered to him by Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (1757-1834).

Elated to have arrived in the United States, a "Land of Liberty" which he himself had helped liberate by fighting at the Battle of Yorktown, Baron de Montlezun emphasizes his connection to the Marquis de Lafayette, the French aristocrat with had rushed to the aid of the Patriots to become the darling of the American Revolution. Baron de Montlezun rhapsodized that the Marquis de Lafayette was "one whom you and your Countrymen at large and every acquaintance of his, esteem so much… and who saw you so oftentimes in common danger with him for the noble Cause of Liberty under immortal Washington."

This extraordinary letter is reproduced below with original spelling and usage.

In full:

"General,

I have been happy enough to reach this Land of Liberty, twelve days ago, after many long and unsuccessful endeavours to effect the Voyage.

and more happy yet I am to the bearer of the a recommendation of your ancient friend le Mis. de Lafayette under whose orders I served in Virginia in the memorable Expedition against Cornwallis at Yorck-town in 1781.

it would have been a great fortune to me to have had the Good luck to meet you here, General; as I landed in a most distressed Situation, and unable to do any thing.

I have another Recommendation for President Madison, but I was told his Excellence is at great distance in his County-Seat and will not be in Washington before the beginning of Xber [Ancien Régime abbreviation for the month of December].

I heard you live in Boston, and I have the honor to direct my letter there in hopes you will be so good to do any thing in your power to come to my aid, of which I will be obliged towards you for life. I wish it was in your Kindness to me to dispose of one hundred dollars in my favour to enable me to act in first instance and extricate myself of the lamentable situation in which I do labour.

The moment will [sic] shall not be distant, perhaps, where I will have the advantage to acquit myself at least for the material service, and to express to you my most heart-felt sentiments of Gratitude as I hope and sincerely wish to be soon or late favoured with the agreeable opportunity to deliver Mr. Lafayette's letter into your hands, I beg leave to send you only the inclosed Copy of it by his Conveyance.

I am Confident you will be highly pleased with the Cordial expressions of one whom you and your Countrymen at large and every acquaintance of his, esteem so much; by whom you are so highly and so duly esteem'd, and who saw you so oftentimes in common danger with him for the noble Cause of Liberty under immortal Washington.

Tis question here of a Monument in his honor. I offered these two disticks; I wish they were more worthy of the hero:

'L'ancien monde étonné vit la terre où Nous Sommes enfanter Washington, plus grand que ses Grands-hommes! [The old world is astonished to see our land give birth to Washington, greater than even the Greatest men!]

Ut novus hic Mundus veterem aquiponderat Orbem: Sic fama et virtute heroes justissimus unus! [That this new world may balance the old world: Thus the fame and valor of the most just heroes!]'

Copie
de la lettre de Mr. le Mis. de la fayette à Monsieur le Général Dearborn. [Copy of the letter of Monsieur the M[arquis] de Lafayette to Monsieur General Dearborn]

'La Grange 9th april 1807

Dear Sir,

This letter will be delivered by Mr. de Montlezun-Labarthette who has served as an officer of the french army in our american war. he intends to become a citizen of the U.S. and is the better entitled to my Recommendation of his own merits and the memory of his father, as both have been employed in Virginia under my Orders. I feel happy in this opportunity to express the attachment and Regard with which I am most heartily yours

Signé [signed]
Lafayette'

pour copie conforme [for certified copy]
Montlezun-Labarthette

I am going to New-Yorck for a few days and would be very happy if you have the Goodness to direct an answer to me Poste-restante [General Delivery], to be left at the Post-office of New-Yorck, till called for.

I do recommend myself to your honorable Patronage in behalf of your respected friend the Marquis.

I have the honor to be,

General,
with Great respect,
Your most obedient humble Servant
Montlezun de Labarthette
Chr. de l'Ordre Royal et Militaire de Saint-Louis [Knight of the Royal & Military Order of St. Louis]

Philadelphia, 13th of Septber. 1815."

The Baron de Montlezun was certainly heavy-handed in appealing to General Dearborn's and his shared legacy: their contribution towards securing "the noble Cause of Liberty under immortal Washington." Nevertheless, everything the Baron reported in his appeal was true. From his service record to his letter of recommendation from the Marquis de Lafayette, everything can be substantiated. For researchers, a note: the spelling of the family name variously appears as Barthète, Bartette, and Bartelle in the historical record.

The Baron de Montlezun had enrolled as a teenager at the royal military school at Sorèze in 1776. He later gained military and naval experience in the Caribbean under his father, Jean-François du Moulin de la Barthète de Montlezun (1729-1786), Lieutenant Colonel of the Regiment of Touraine. Father and son both fought at the Battle of Yorktown under the Comte de Rochambeau: Jean-François as commander of the left flank of besieging forces; and the Baron as a "chasseur" attached to his unit. Both Jean-François and the Baron are included in the "Les Combattants Français de la Guerre Américaine, 1778-1783: Listes établies" produced by the French Foreign Ministry (please see scans for reference.) Jean-François eventually gained membership into the Society of Cincinnati formed by Revolutionary War veterans.

In June 1782, shortly after his father was gravely wounded at the Battle of Saintes on April 12, 1782 in present day Dominica, the Baron was promoted to Second Lieutenant. In 1789, the Baron petitioned Washington for admittance to the Society of Cincinnati but for unknown reasons never matriculated. A royalist and a career military officer by the time of the French Revolution, the Baron is believed to have then fled to London. Interestingly, he had sufficiently reconciled his beliefs by 1808 to serve Napoleon Bonaparte, and it was only after Bonaparte's second and final exile in 1815 that the Baron decided to leave France for good. He sailed from Bordeaux to Philadelphia in July 1815. Two months later, he wrote this letter to General Dearborn.

The Marquis de Lafayette did write a recommendation letter for the Baron, written at La Grange on April 9, 1807. The Baron's "certified copy" of Lafayette's endorsement is accurate in its reporting although not exact. A digitized copy of Lafayette's actual letter can be viewed through the portal of the Davis Memorial Library at Methodist University (Fayetteville, North Carolina.) (See attached scan included for reference.)

The Baron traveled around the United States and the Caribbean between 1815-1817, later publishing two travelogues about his experiences, "Souvenirs des Antilles: voyage en 1815 et en 1816" and "Voyage fait dans les années 1816 et 1817." While in the United States, the Baron met President James Madison and stayed for several days at Montpelier, elaborating on his scheme for establishing a "poste-volante" ["flying post"] in America. (The Baron had discussed this idea in a ca. September 16, 1816 letter to James Madison accessible through the National Archives.) The Baron's whereabouts following his American adventures and his authorial career are unclear. He died at age 82 in Paris in 1848, some 60 years after his Revolutionary War service.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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