1. Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette’s first-born son, Louis Joseph Xavier François, died in 1789. A second son, Louis Charles, was born in 1785. He assumed the title of Dauphin upon his brother’s death and became Louis XVII following the execution of his father, but died in captivity in 1795 Hoefer, Nouv. biog. générale .

2. The three enclosures are copies of James Searle’s letter of 26 Sept. to John Jay; Alexander Gillon’s letter of 4 Oct. to Benjamin Franklin; and William Jackson’s list of bills of exchange held by Gillon, for which see Franklin’s letter to JA of 12 Oct., note 2, above. Searle, outraged by Gillon’s “knavery,” provided Jay with a detailed account of Gillon’s transgressions and asked for his assistance in correcting the situation. Gillon, in turn, defended his conduct and promised to send Franklin “a clear Account of this violent Youth’s [William Jackson’s] Rash and Imprudent Conduct, also of Lieut. Col. Searle of the Militia, his distress of Mind on his being disappointed in not succeeding in aiding Capt. Jackson.” For Gillon’s letter of 4 Oct. and his promised letter regarding Jackson and Searle that was dated 14 Oct., see Franklin, Papers , 35:562–563, 589–591.

1. The British articles of capitulation, dated 19 October.

2. The frigate Surveillante carried the Duc de Lauzun to France. He reached Paris on 19 Nov. with the first official news of Cornwallis’ surrender. JA received this letter, identical versions of which also went to Benjamin Franklin and John Jay (Washington, Writings , ed. Fitzpatrick, 23:253–254), on 30 Nov. as an enclosure in Benjamin Franklin’s letter of 26 Nov., below. JA wrote AA on 2 Dec. of the honor that Washington had done him by sending the documents and declared: “They [Washington and Greene] are in the Way to negotiate Peace, it lies wholly with them. No other Ministers but they and their Colleagues in the Army can accomplish the great Event” Adams Family Correspondence , 4:251.

3. Not found.

4. The enclosed letter from Gen. Nathanael Greene, dated 11 Sept. at “Head Quarters Martin’s Tavern near Fergusons Swamp South Carolina,” described the Battle of Eutaw Springs on 8 Sept., where Greene’s army of 2,000 men fought a nearly equal British {p. 40} force led by Lt. Col. Alexander Stewart (Greene, Papers , 9:328–338). Both sides sustained heavy casualties, but Stewart held the field. The victory proved hollow because Stewart soon retired to Charleston, where his troops remained for the duration of the war. The Battle of Eutaw Springs was the last significant battle of the Revolution in the deep South (Middlekauff, Glorious Cause , p. 492–494).