Bidspirit auction | (SIEGE OF YORKTOWN) ARMAND-LOUIS DE

(SIEGE OF YORKTOWN) ARMAND-LOUIS DE GONTAUT, DUC DE LAUZON - (1747-1793) French soldier and politician, known for the part he played in the American War of Independence and the French Revolutionary Wars. Lauzun raised an army of volunteer hussars and infantry, subsequently known as Lauzun's Legion, for service in North America. They served as the advance party of the main French army of Rochambeau sent to reinforce Washington at the siege of Yorktown in 1781. LAUZUN EXPRESSES HIS EAGERNESS TO ENGAGE TARLETON Fine content war-date A.L.S. 'Lauzun' with integral address leaf franked 'BG de Lauzun', 1p. 4to., 'Gloucester Court House Camp', Sep. 30, 1781, to Brigadier Gen. GEORGE WEEDON hoping for combat against British General Banastre Tarleton. In part: '...Your orders will be exactly executed. I will order my regiment Infantry and horses...to march with your troops and take the waggons ready agreeable to your orders...inform me what time you intend to march...I will be happy if we could have something to do with Tarleton and [Gen. John Graves] Simco[e]. I wish very much to make farther acquaintance with those Gentlemen. I intend to command myself [my] legion...' Fine condition. Lauzun and his legion would indeed further make Tarleton's 'acquaintance' when they would skirmish five days later. Quoted in Ward, 'Duty, Honor or Country', p. 223.