Thomas Jefferson to Wythe, 26 May 1793
Thomas Jefferson let George Wythe know that the 64 dollars owed to the engraver had been paid. He also told Wythe two stories he heard regarding General Dumouriez, a French general in the French Revolution. The first story was that Dumouriez went to the Austrians according to an English paper; however, Jefferson said that Dumouriez's own reputation opposed this because he sawno reason why the general would throw his reputation away. The second story came from a captain of a ship who said that Dumouriez had headed off 10,000 Prussians including the King of Prussia and the Duke of Brunswick. The first story is possibly about the Battle of Jemappes when Dumouriez defeated the Austrians and the second story refers to the Battle of Valmy where General Kellermann and General Dumouriez stopped the advancement of Prussian troops into Paris.
"Thomas Jefferson to Wythe, 26 May 1793, pg 1." Image from the Library of Congress, The Thomas Jefferson Papers.
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Page 1
I duly received, my Dear Sir, the note you inclosed for the 64. Dollars which was paid. – we have two blind stories here of which as yet we make nothing. the one is that DuMourier is gone over to the Austrians, the credit of this stands on an English paper only. it is opposed (not by the virtue of the man; he has none, but) by the great forfeit of reputation which he has acquired with the world & which there seems to have been no sufficient motion for him to throw away. the 2d. story is that he had cut off 10.000 Prussians & among them the K. of Prussia & D. of Brunswick. we know the latter to be out of command, & the former out of the way of Dumourier, & therefore supposed the story made to balance the former one. – but it now comes through another captain of a ship, & in better form, to wit that Custine has cut off 10.000 Prussians, without naming the K. of Prussia or D. of Brunswick. still it is little attended to. Adieu, my Dear Sir.
Page 2
"Thomas Jefferson to Wythe, 26 May 1793, pg 2." Image from the Library of Congress, The Thomas Jefferson Papers.
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