No. 248.
Mr. Morton
to Mr. Blaine.
Paris, September 2, 1881. (Received September 15.)
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your telegram of August 26, in reference to the French delegation to the Yorktown centenary, a copy of which is herewith inclosed. On the 30th ultimo, in a telegram, a copy of which is also inclosed, I replied briefly to your queries. I will endeavor now to make this reply more full and explicit.
The French Government has secured for its delegates, and for all other delegates who will be pleased to join them, passage on board of a French steamer which is to sail from Havre to New York on September the 24th. The French official delegation is composed of six different groups, viz:
- 1.
- One special representative of the President, Commander of Cavalry Lichtenstein, of the military staff of Mr. Grévy.
- 2.
- The three members of the French legation at Washington.
- 3.
- Three persons selected by the French foreign office, viz: The Marquis de Rochambeau; M. de Corcelle, secretary of embassy (a relative of the Lafayette family); Mr. ——, not yet designated.
- 4.
- Five delegates from the war office, viz: General Boulanger, Colonel Bossan, Lieutenant-Colonel Blondel, Chief of Battalion Bureau de Pusey, and Captain Mason.
- 5.
- Seven delegates from the navy department: Admiral Halligon two “captains of vessels of line,” two “captains of frigate,” and two lieutenants of vessels.
- 6.
- One delegate from the department of fine arts, viz, Mr. Regamey. The chairman of the delegation will be M. Outrey. It is the intention [Page 426] of the party to proceed from New York to Newport in order to accept the invitation extended by the authorities of Rhode Island. From that State they repair to Baltimore, and thence to Washington and Yorktown.
Two men-of-war the Magicienne, bearing the flag of Admiral Halligon, and the Dumont d’Urville, are ordered to proceed to New York. The last named will anchor in advance at Sandy Hook to await the steamer having on board the delegation, and will escort her to New York. The Magicienne will be at New York the day of their arrival.
Besides the French official delegation, there will be ten or twelve persons invited by the Yorktown Association through the Marquis of Rochambeau, who has given me the following names:
- 1.
- Capt. Henry d’Aboville.
- 2.
- M. Christian d’Aboville, grandsons of the commander of the French artillery at Yorktown.
- 3.
- Lieutenant de Grasse, great-grandson of the commander of the French fleet at Yorktown.
- 4.
- M. de Menonville, captain of curiassiers, great-grandson of M. de Menonville, aid major-general in the army of Rochambeau.
- 5.
- M. de Chabannes La Palice.
- 6.
- M. Jean de Chatillon.
- 7.
- M. d’Olonnes.
- 8.
- M. Laur de Lestrade.
- 9.
- M. de Noailles.
- 10.
- M. de St. Simon.
- 11.
- M. de Haussonville.
- 12.
- M. Clermont Tonnerre de Vaudreuil.
The last named, eight in number, are connected by family ties with officers of the same name who occupied prominent positions in the French army or navy which operated at Yorktown.
I understand that the French Government will defray the expense of passage of its own official delegation; this will not include, however, that of the gentlemen invited by the Yorktown Association. Both delegations embark, however, on the same steamer, the 24th instant.
In regard to the Lafayette delegation, I have no other information to impart but what was conveyed to you in my dispatch No. 11 of August 19. M. Edmond de Lafayette has accepted our invitation in the name of his family, but he has not made known yet the names of those who will avail themselves of this invitation. This gentleman is in bad health and absent from Paris. He has not replied to a communication in relation to this matter from Mr. Vignaud, second secretary of legation.
I have, &c.,