George Washington's Letters to the Marquis de Chastellux

François-Jean de Beauvoir, chevalier de Chastellux was born in Paris, France in 1734 and died there on October 24, 1788. He began his military career at a young age as a second lieutenant during the Seven Years’ War, and rose to the rank of major general. He later served under Rochambeau, commander of the French expeditionary force sent to aid the Continental Army during the American War of Independence. He arrived in America in July 1780. After successful participation in the Yorktown campaign, he remained in America for over a year. He returned to France in January 1783; where he was made a Marshall of France and named Inspector General of Infantry. In 1784, he succeeded his brother as the Marquis de Chastellux. 

Significance of the Chastellux Letters from Mount Vernon on Vimeo.

During Chastellux’s time in America he became a close friend to Washington and they maintained this friendship until Chastellux's death. Having immense respect for Washington, in 1780-1782 Chastellux commissioned Charles Wilson Peale to paint a portrait of him commemorating the victory at Yorktown. And, in April 1786 he published Voyages de M. le Marquis de Chastellux dans l’Amérique Septentrionale Dans les Années 1780, 1781 & 1782 (Travels in North America), a book on his experiences in America including a description of Washington in which he stated that “the strongest characteristic of this respectable man is the perfect union with reigns between the physical and moral qualities which compose the individual… .” In August 1786, Chastellux presented a French-language copy to Washington who then purchased the English translation in August 1787. The Washington Library is home to both of these editions.

Washington began corresponding with Chastellux, a fluent English speaker, on January 28, 1781 when he welcomed him to Newport after “traversing so much of the American theatre of War.”¹ While much of the early correspondence related to activities of war, as their friendship grew, Washington revealed a more poetic and personal side. When Chastellux left for France, Washington remarked with much emotion that he “felt too much to express anything….a sense of your public Services to this Country, & gratitude for your private friendship, quite overcame me at the moment of our separation… .”²

Washington appeared to truly enjoy the intellectual exchange and these personal sentiments continued throughout their correspondence along with detailed accounts of the state of political affairs in American and growing international relationships. Five of the documented 21 letters written by George Washington to Chastellux are now back at Mount Vernon.