Lafayette in the Age of the American Revolution—Selected Letters and Papers, 1776-1790 : April 27, 1780-March 29, 1781 (The Lafayette Papers)

The third volume of this widely acclaimed series continues the story of Lafayette's role in the military, diplomatic, and political aspects of the French-American alliance as seen through the letters of Lafayette and his correspondents on both sides of the Atlantic. Among the recipients of Lafayette's letters are George Washington, the Comte de Vergennes, Samuel Adams, the Comte de Rochambeau, the Baron van Steuben, Beajamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, Nathanael Greene, and Thomas Jefferson. At times, Lafayette appears to be as proud, ambitious, and headstrong as his detractors have claimed. More often, he emerges as a mature and judicious leader, one who carried great weight as a principal architect of French-American cooperation. The letters also show his ability to understand American attitudes toward military and civil authority, and they indicate his realistic comprehension of strategy, tactics, and logistics. The volume is divided into five parts, each of which is introduced by a headnote summarizing Lafayette's main activities and the broader context of revolutionary events of the period. It makes clear the tensions and disharmonies between the allies that developed during the months of military inaction and fiscal difficulties, and gives us a rare look at the human side of the military effort at its highest levels.