From George Washington to John Beatty, 26 December 1779
To John Beatty
Head qrs [Morristown] Decr 26. 1779
sir
I have received Your Letter of the 22d Instant, inclosing Three from the British Commissary of prisoners of the 30th of Novr & the 3 & 9 of this month, with a Memorial from a Mr Spillard, an Assistant Commissary.1
It is agreable to me that a flag Vessel should be sent to Rhode Island with Cloathing for the prisoners of War at Rutland—to be conveyed under the care of a German and British Serjeant, as proposed, for the purpose of delivering it. A passport is accordingly inclosed which you will transmit to Mr Loring2—and directions will be given to the Quarter Master to provide for the transportation. I shall refer the request for a quarter Master and a Serjeant or two to proceed to philadelphia with a supply of the same Article to Congress and will communicate their decision as soon as it is known. Till this is received—you may suspend your answer to Mr Loring with respect to this particular subject.3
In regard to the Enemy’s proposal for the exchange of the prisoners at Fort Frederick & Winchester—I should wish to know at any rate, before I could determine the point, how the exchange account of privates stands between us—and what number and who they are that they have in the Sugar House.4
I have no authority to grant the indulgence requested in behalf of Lieut. Cleve.5
As matters are circumstanced—I do not see that any farther notice can be taken of the exchange of Capn Goodale—tho it was a most irregular proceeding.6
I have no objection to Mr Spillard’s going to New York on parole for [ ] days.
I return you the three Letters from Mr Loring—but request You to furnish me with Copies.
His Excellency the Governor of Rhode Island will be advised by next post—that permission is granted for a Flag Vessel to proceed to Taunton River with Cloathing to be conveyed under the care of Two Serjeants, for the Prisoners at Rutland.7 You will inform Mr Loring when the Vessel arrives—it will be necessary for the Master to communicate an account of it by some Inhabitant of the place if there is no Military Officer there, to the Govr of the State. I am sir Your Most Obedt st
G.W.
Df, in Robert Hanson Harrison’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. Beatty’s letter to GW of 22 Dec. has not been found, and the enclosures involving Joshua Loring, British commissary general of prisoners, and Maurice Spillard, a Convention Army prisoner, have not been identified.
Maurice (Morris) Spillard described his capture when he wrote Maj. Gen. Horatio Gates on 19 Sept. 1777: “The person that addresses you has been a Commissary to the British Troops; meer Curiassity prompted me to ride to the place of Acction yesterday where I had the Misfortune to be taken a prisioner. I was obliged to Change my Coloured Cloaths in the hate of the Action to prevent my being fired upon by our Soldiers my hatt also has been Shot off my head. I am therefore distitute of eighther and am Aprehinsive for my health Til there may be an Oppertunity of forwarding my Bagage. I have been bread Gentleman and respected by our Army—If your Exceleny will please to Indulge me with An Audence I make no doubt of Satisfying you in every particular It may not be improper to observe that I bore no arms in the field—If your Excelency will not, be pleased to indulge m⟨e⟩ So far I hope you will report me If A flag Should Arive from General Borgouyn” (). Spillard apparently remained part of the Convention Army until his exchange in 1780. While still a prisoner on 25 March 1778, he married an American, Abigail Barrett, who later divorced him because of desertion (see New Hampshire Gazette, 27 Oct. 1801). Spillard subsequently gained some renown as a pedestrian traveler (see The Times [London], 30 Dec. 1795, and The Albany Gazette [New York], 7 May 1801).
2. GW apparently enclosed two passes, both dated 26 December. A draft of one pass reads: “The [ ] an unarmed Vessel burthen about [ ] Tons, [ ] Master is hereby permitted to proceed from the port of New York to Taunton River in the State of Rhode Island, by the East passage [Sakonnet River] between the Island of Rhode Island & Seconnet [Point], with Cloathing & necessaries for prisoners of War at Rutland in the State of Massachusetts Bay, and to return again to New York by the same passage” (DLC:GW). A draft of the second pass reads: “Two Serjeants——of the British Army have permission to pass from Taunton River in the state of Rhode Island to Rutland in the state of Massachusetts bay, with Cloathing & necessaries for prisoners of War and to return again” (DLC:GW).
3. GW wrote the Board of War from Morristown on 29 Dec.: “Mr Loring has made application thro’ our commissary of prisoners for a Quarter Master and a sergeant or two to proceed to Philadelphia with clothing for the prisoners at this place. The Board will be pleased to determine on the request as soon as possible, Mr Loring being apprehensive that the prisoners may suffer by the smallest delay” (Df, in James McHenry’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW). The Board of War replied to GW on 3 Jan. 1780 (DLC:GW); see also Board of War to Samuel Huntington, 1 Jan. 1780 (DLC:GW).
4. American privates imprisoned at the Sugar House in New York City remained a concern (see Robert Hanson Harrison to Abraham Skinner, 2 Feb. 1780, DLC:GW).
5. GW presumably is referring to Major General Riedesel’s adjutant and personal secretary, Friedrich Christian Cleve.
6. For Capt. Nathan Goodale’s complicated prisoner status, see Beatty to GW, 26 Oct., and n.9.