Monsieur
jai eu lhonneur de vous ecrire dans une langue que je connes bien peu, vous vous en serez appercu a coup seure;1 japrends monsieur que le francais vous est aussi familier que langlais: je vous demande la permission den revenir au francais, jen serai plus intelligible vous aures eté informé monsieur de la brulure des trois batiments anglais2 qui etoient dans la riviere,3 les anglais ont pris ce parti tout vite et nont pas meme attendu que je fasse a portée de leur tirer du canon.
jai eté informe4 monsieur a mon arrivée ici quune prise faite par lescadre francaise setoit perdue a la pointe de cox,5 et quil y avoit une autre prise mouillée tout auprés, jai envoie sur les lieux pour chercher a sauver la cargaison du batiment perdu et mettre le second en etat de venir me joindre ici. on vient de me rendre compte que ce dernier appellé Le fling fisch avoit eté en endommagé par quelques habitans des environs, et que l agent du continent6 qui prend soin de la cargaison du bateau perdu avoit le projet de la faire passer a bedfort7 ou il a relaché deux autres prises. comme lequipage de ce batiment ne point de moien pour se rembarquer jose vous prier monsieur de donner vos ordes pour quil leur soit fourni des vivres et accordé libre passage pour se rendre a bord de ma fregate, je vous fais la meme priere pour lequipage de deux autres prises quon massure avoir eté brulées dans ces parages par une fregate anglaise.8
Mr. le comte destaing me prescrit de maddresser a vous, monsieur pour lui faire passer les comptes que jayois a lui rendre je prends la liberté de vous prier de lui faire parvenir le plutot possible le paquet que je joins a ma lettre. jai profité de lhonneteté et des offres de service du general cornell9 pour lui demander de leau et du bois dont les deux fregates ont grand besoin et tres pressant.10
jai lhonneur de vous assurer de nouveau de mon zele de mon empressement a vous etre utile dans vos operations; et du sincere respect avec lequel jai lhonneur detre Monsieur [&c.]
a bord de la fregate Laimable
dans la riviere siconet le 31 jeuillet 1778.
[Translation]
Sir
I have written to you in a language that I know rather little,1 you will have certainly perceived this; I learn, Sir, that French is as familiar to you as English; I therefore ask your permission to return to it as I shall be much more intelligible in that tongue. You will have been informed of the burning of three English ships2 which were in the river,3 the English undertook this suddenly and unexpectedly and without even waiting for me to come within range of their guns.
I have been informed,4 Sir, on my arrival here that a prize taken by the French squadron was lost at Point de Cox;5 and that there was another prize anchored quite near. I have sent therefore to try to save the cargo of the lost ship and to put the second in a condition to join me here. I have just been told that the latter, called the Flying Fish, had been damaged by some of the inhabitants in the vicinity, and that the agent of the Continent,6 who is taking care of the cargo of the lost ship, had intended to transfer the cargo to Bedford,7 where he has brought two other prizes. As the crew of this ship has no means to reembark, I take the liberty of begging you, Sir, to give orders that they may be furnished with food and accorded free passage to come on board my frigate. I make the same request for the crews of the two other prizes that I am assured have been burned in this vicinity by an English frigate.8
The Count d'Estaing instructed me to write you, Sir, to send him the accounts that I have to render to him. I take the liberty of begging you to have forwarded as soon as possible the packet that I enclose in my letter. I have taken advantage of the courtesy of General Cornell9 to ask him for water and wood, of which the two frigates stand in immediate and pressing need.10
I have the honor to assure you again of my zeal and my eagerness to be useful to you in your operations, and of the sincere respect with which I have the honor to be, Sir [&c.} On board the frigate Aimable in the Sakonnet River [R.I.] the 31 July 1778.
St. Cosme