To George Washington from Jean-Baptiste-Joseph, comte de Laumoy, 22 August 1781

I have the Honor to forward to your Excellency a Letter from Genal Du Portail, by wich he shows his Desire of my being exchanged. Your Excellency can easily imagine how extreemly anxious I am to be in activity; how painfull it is to me to be a Prisoner, when I could show, at least by my Goodwill, my Strong attachement to the Cause of America.

The particular Situation of [america] gives me the greatest Uneasiness; the British having none or a very few full Colonels, we, of that rank, have no Hopes but either in an Exchange Settled by Tariff or in a partial one. As to the first, your Excellency knows best what Terms of a General Exchange are more advantageous to the united States and will certainly regulate his Conduct upon that Consideration alone. Happy those that So wise a Plan will favour. But, if I could not be one of that Number, I should ardently wish and beg that your Excellency would, if practicable; propose a partial one for me, or recommend it to Congress. It would be presum[ing] too much of my own Talents to think them equal to So great a favord; but your Excellency may be Sure that, what little I have, will be exerted to the utmost of my Power to promote [the] Good of the Country and convince your Excelle[ncy] that I was not unworthy of his kindness. And my gratitude for it will be equally Boundless. I am with the greatest Respect Your Excellency’s Most obedient and humble Servant