I had the honor of writing to Your Excellency the 2nd Instant by Ross, since which Your Excellency's several favors of the 29th Ulto. & 3d Inst. with the several Papers refer'd to have been duly presented to Congress-the former is committed to the Board of War.(1) I have communicated the Extract from Count d'Estaing's letter to Monsr. Girard.(2) Congress have no objection to granting leave of absence to the Marquis of Vienne.(3) I have at present only to transmit an Act of Congress of the 2nd Instant for continuing the present Embargo for preventing engrossing provisions, and for other purposes therein mentioned, which Act will accompany this.
I have the honor to be &c.
1 see JCC, 12:980, 987. Washington's letter of September 29 and two letters of October 3 are in Washington, Writings (Fitzpatrick), 12:514-16, 13:14-16. Only two of these are in PCC, item 152, 6:387-94. Washington's draft of the second October 3 letter, which was a private communication that Laurens acknowledged separately in his October 10 letter to the general, is in the Washington Papers, DLC
2 For this extract, pertaining to an "exchange of prisoners already planned by Mr. Gérard," see Washington, Writings (Fitzpatrick), 12:514. D'Estaing had asked Washington to "promote" this prisoner exchange, but because Washington was "an entire stranger to the plan," he needed further information about the matter in order to comply with d'Estaings' request.
3 Vienne's leave was granted on October 26. see JCC, 12:1066.