my sisters I could not have been fonder of them.”  The two Viosmenils and their aides were at Joseph Wanton’s, in Thames street.  The Wantons had been governors of Rhode Island from 1732:  Joseph Wanton was the last governor under the Crown.  He is described as wearing a large white wig with three curls—­one falling down his back and one forward over each shoulder.  De Chastelleux lodged with Captain Maudsly, at No. 91 Spring street; De Choisy at Jacob Riviera’s in Water street; the marquis de Laval and the vicomte de Noailles at Thomas Robinson’s, in Water street; the marquis de Custine, the commander of the regiment Saintonge, at Joseph Durfey’s, 312 Griffin street; Colonel Malbone entertained Lieutenant-Colonel de Querenel at No. 83 Thames street; while Colonel John Malbone was the host of the commandant Desandrouins, the colonel of the engineers, at No. 28 of the same street; William Coggeshall of No. 135 Thames street had the baron de Turpin and De Plancher for guests; De Fersen and the marquis de Darnas were at the house of Robert Stevens, and De Laubedieres and Baron de Closen at that of Henry Potter, both in New lane; Madame McKay, 115 Lewis street, quartered De Lintz and Montesquieu; Joseph Antony, at 339 Spring street, Dumas; and Edward Hazard, of 271 Lewis street, the two D’Olonnes.  Admiral de Ternay was much on his ship, but lodged at Colonel Wanton’s in Water street; his captains, De la Chaise and Destouches, were at Abraham Redwood’s, 78 Thames street.

On the 21st of July, Admirals Graves and Arbuthnot arrived off the harbor with eleven vessels—­one of ninety, six of seventy-four, three of sixty-four, and one of fifty guns.  The following day the number was increased to nineteen, and from this time the French squadron was effectually blockaded in Newport.  Although doubt seems to have been felt by some as to the good intentions of the French army, the general feeling on their arrival was one of joy.  On Sunday, the 15th, the intelligence became known in Philadelphia, where Congress was then sitting.  Washington ordered the soldiers to wear a black-and-white cockade as a symbol of the alliance, the American cockade being black and the French white, but seems withal to have felt nervous and impatient for some decisive action.  He sent La Fayette to Newport to urge Rochambeau to make an attack on New York, but the latter replied that he expected from the admiral de Guichen, who commanded the West India squadron, five ships of war, and declined to take any steps until his army was in better condition.  La Fayette, who was young and full of ardor, was hardly pleased with Rochambeau’s caution, but apologized for his impetuosity on the ground of disliking to see the French troops shut up in Newport while there was so much to be done.  To this Rochambeau replied that he had an experience of forty years, and that of fifteen thousand men who had been killed and wounded under his orders he could not reproach himself with the loss of a single person killed on his account.