To George Washington from Jean-Baptiste, chevalier de Ternant, 5 March 1782

I have the honor to transmit to your Excellency, the Inspection return of Col: Armand’s legion. Every detail that relates to its present Situation is So fully entered into, in that return, as to make it needless for me to say any thing further on that head.

I have endeavoured to express your Excellency’s wishes to Col. Armand as forcibly as I could, with regard to his marching as speedily as possible to the southward, & I am sorry to find that many substantial reasons have determined him not to march the legion from this post, before he receives an answer from your Excellency. It would be presumption in me to say any thing about those reasons after what Col. Armand wrote to your Excellency on that subject. I shall only express my earnest wishes that such steps may be [speedily] taken as to adjust matters to his satisfaction & forward such necessary supplies, in waggons & horses &c., as to enable him to march so valuable a reinforcement as quickly as possible, to the southern army.

however least your Excellency should be induced from some parts of my letter, to attribute the detention of the corps to the dissatisfaction of Col: Armand, with regard to injurious promotions, I take pleasure in assuring your Excellency, that the detent[ion] is entirely owing to other reasons, about indispensable supplies, which the Col: has undoutedly fully explained in his letter to your Excellency. I am with great respect your Excellency’s most obedient & very humble servant

John Ternant