The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1779-01-06 00:00:00, page 1

PHILADELPHIA, December 26.
Extract of a letter to Congress from General Wash
ington, dated Head-barters, Middle-Brook, Dec.
16, 1778.
SIR,
SINCE I had the honour of addressing you on
the 13th, the gentlemen appointed to meet
Commissioners from Sir 11. Clinton have re
turned to Camp. Your Excellency will find
by a copy of their report, which, with the other
papers receding the meeting, is inclofed, that an
exchange of prisoners has not taken place.
As an exchange has not been effected, and Sir
Henry Clinton has called for all our officers on pa
role, l shall, in consequence of the resolution of the
19th ult. order the Commiftary of Prisoners to re
quire the immediate return of the Convention and
any other officers with the enemy on parole.
Cup, of a letter from Sir Hear, Clinton to His Excel
lency General Washington.
SIR, New-York, November 10th, 1778.
IT is not necessary at present to resume the con
sideration of the principal questions relating to
the Convention of Saratoga, 1 with merely to bring
under review the resolutions of Congress of the nil
of May, inclofed in your letter of the 23d to Sir
William Howe.
It appears to me different from the practice of all
nations or parties at war, and in some degree temjing
to increase the hardships of war, to refufe granting
an equivalent of privates for officers.
Such an exchange at present may prevent great
inconveniencies to many of the parties concerned.
You have ordered the troops of the Convention
to be removed from Martachufetts-Bay to Virginia,
and I have ordered all the officers of your army pri
soners out on parole to return here.
These movements, with all the hardships incident
to them at this fcafon, may in part be prevented if
you think proper to agree that the Officers of your
army, prisoners on parole, or now here, be exchanged
for Officers and men of_ the troops of the Convention,
according to the customary proportion, or according to
such proportion as may be determined by Commis
sioners appointed on both sides.
If what I propose Should meet with your appro
bation, and the time and place for the meeting of
Commissioners for the purpose before-mentioned, is
determined, I shall fend Colonels O'Harra and Hyde
of his Majesty's foot guards, as Commissioners on
my part, who will be fully intruded and authorized
to enter on the consideration of any matters that
may arise in the conduct of this business.
Mr. Clark, Affirtant Cominilfary General to the
troops of the Convention, who will have the honor
of delivering thio letter, being desired by Major Ge
neral Philips to return immediately to Cambridge by
land, in order to fettle some accounts relative to
that army. lam to request a pallport for him to
return thither for that purpose. I have the honor
to be, with due.refped,
Your molt obedient servant,
H. CLINTON.
SIR, Head-Barters, Nov. 14, 1778.
1 RECEIVED your Excellency's letter of thcioth
instant, through Mr. Clarke.
I have transmitted to Congress a copy of your pro ;
position, relative to an exchange of the troops of
Convention, and shall do myfelf the honor to com
aunicate their decilion the moment it is made known.
Mr. Clarke has my permission to proceed by the
noil convenient route to the troops of Convention.
1 have the honor to be, with due refped,
Your Excellency's most obedient servant,
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
His Excellency Sir Henry Clinton.
(C O P Y.)
H^ad-^garters, Fredericksburg, Nov. 27, 1778.
SIR,
IDO myfelf the honor of transmitting to your
Excellency the inclofed copy of an act of Con
gress of the 19th instant, in anftver to the proportion
made in your letter of the 10th. In order to nego
ciate an exchange on the principles therein mention
ed, Lieutenant Colonels Harrison and Hamilton of
the army under my command, will meet Colonels
O'Harra and Hyde at Amboy, on Monday the 7th
of December, at if o'clock, with proper powers.
I would propose as the meant of expediting busi
ness, that our refpe^ive Commifl'aries of Prison
ers Ihould attend at the fame time and place, to carry
'into execution what shall be determined by the Com
inuii mers^ I have the honourto be with refpcct,Sir,
Ycur moftobedient servant,
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
NEW-JERSEY GAZETTE.
[Vol. ll.]
WEDNESDAY, January 6, 1779.
P. S. If your Excellency fnould chufe to return
me an answer, your letter will have the most ready
conveyance by way of Elizabeth-Town.
His Excellency Sir Henry Clinton.
In CONGRES S, November 19, 1778.
RESOLVED, That General Washington be em
powered and directed to appoint Commissioners,
and fix the time and place of their meeting, to confer
with the Commillioiiers appointed, or to be appoint
ed, by Sir Henry Clinton, or other the Commander
in Chief of the British forces in America, on behalf
of his Britannic Majesty, on the exchange proposed
by Sir Henry Clinton, in his letter to General Wash
ington of the 10th instant, of the officers in the ser
vice of these States, now prisoners in the actual
possession of the enemy, or out on parole, for the
officers and men of the troops of the Convention,
according to their rank and number: Officers of
equal rank to be firft exchanged, after which, if it
fliall be neceflary, an equivalent of inferior for supe
rior officers ; and if agreeably to such equivalent, all
the officers of the enemy shall be exchanged, and a
balance of prisoners remain in their hands, then an
equivalent of privates shall be fettled according to
the curtomaty proportion, or such proportion as
may be agreed on. The Commissioners so to be ap
pointed by virtue hereof, to make report of their
proceedings to General Washington, who is hereby
fully authorized and empowered finally to ratify
the terms of the said exchange on behalf of these
United States.
Refolded, That General Walhington be directed to
call for Lieut. Gen. Burgoyne, and other officers of
the Convention troops, now prisoners to these United
States on parole, whenever the interert of the United
States shall, in his opinion, render it necessary.
Extract from the Minutes,
CHARLES THOMSON, Sec'ry.
SIR, December ad, 1778.
I HAVE received your letter of the 27th of last
month, relative to the exchange of prisoners pro
posed by me in mine to your Exellcncy of the 10th ;
and in consequence thereof, I fliall fend two Com
missioners to meet the like number on your part, at
the time and place appointed, when I hope both
parties will enter upon the business proposed, with
that zeal which the importance of the objeft may
require.
I propose fending with my Commissioners, as is
usual upon such occasions, one commiflioned officer,
one ferjeant, and eight private centinels.
It is to be understood, that the place of meeting
is to be exempt from every kind of military opera
tion during the meeting of the Commissioners.
For the more immediate dispatch of business, it
may be necedary that the Commillioners ihould be
authorized to grant passports signed by both parties,
to fuffcr persons that may be employed in carrying
letters to the Head-Quarters of both armies, to pals
unmolested. l am, with due rtfped,
Your Excellency's most humble servant,
11. CLINTON.
His Excellency General IVafhington.
(C O P Y.)
By His Excellency GEORGE WASHINGTON,
Esq. General and Commander in Chief of the
forces of the United Stages of America.
To Lieutenant Colonel Robert Hanlon Harrison and
Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton,
HIS Excellency Sir Henry Clinton having, by a
letter to me of the icth inStant, made a pro
portion to the following effect, viz. " to exchange
the officers of our army who are prisoners on parole
or otherwise in his poficilion, for officers and men
of the troops of the Convention, according to the
customary proportion, or according to such propor
tion as might be determined by Commissioners ap
pointed on both lides."
And the Honorable the Congress having authorifed
me, by an aft palled on the 19th instant, " to ap
point Commissioners to confer with such as are or
may be appointed by Sir Henry Clinton, on the ex
change proposed by him ; and directed that officers
of equal rank be firft exchanged, after which, if it
Ihould be neceifary, an equivalent of inferior for fupc
rior officers : And if agreeably to such equivalent,
all the officers of the enemy Ihall be exchanged, and
a balance of prisoners remain in their hands, then an
equivalent of privates is to be fettled according to
the customary proportion or such proportion as may
be agreed on."
In virtue of these powers, you the said Robert
Hanson Harrison and Alexander Hamilton, are ap
pointed, and 1 do hereby appoint you Commissioners
to repair to Amboy, in the State of New-Jersey, on
T II E
Monday the 7th of Dec. then and there, or at such
other place as shall be afterwards mutually agreed
on, to confer, agree and determine, with the Com
missioners nominated, or to be nominated by Sir
Henry Clinton, and who fliall be properly authorized
upon an exchange of prisoners, agreeable to the
terms of the said recited aft.
For which this shall be your warrant ; and your
engagements being mutually interchanged, shall be
ratified and confirmed by me.
Given under my hand and seal, at Head-Quarters,
this 20th day of November, Anno Domiui'l77B,
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
By his Excellency's command,
Tench Tilghman.
(C O P Y.)
By his Excellency Sir HENRY CLINTON, Knight
of the moil honorable order of the Bath, General
and Commander in Chief of all his Majesty's forces
within the Colonies laying on the Atlantic Ocean
from Nova-Scotiato Wert-Floridainclufive, &c. &c.
To Colonel Charles O'Harra and Colonel Wert Hyde
of his Majesty's foot guards.
IN pursuance of a proposal made by me to General
Wartiington, refpeding an exchange of the officers
of his army who are prisoners, for the officers and
men of the troops of the Convention, according to
the customary proportion, or such proportion as may
be determined by Commissioners appointed for this
purpose on both sides; I do hereby nominate and
appoint you Colonel Charles O'Harra and Colonel
Weft Hyde, of his Majesty's foot guards, Commissi
oners on my part for the purposes aforefaid ; and you
are accordingly to treat, determine and agree with
a like number of Commissioners of suitable rank on
the part of General Wafliington, verted with similar
powers to those herein contained, upon all matters
whatsoever, relative to the exchange of prisoners
before- mentioned.
For all which this fliall be to you Colonel Charles
O'Harra and Colonel Weft Hyde a fafficient vdnart,
and your engagements so concluded upon, will, upon
condition of their being mutually interchanged, be
finally ratified on my part.
Given under my hand and seal, at Head-Quarters,
in New-York, the 7th of December, 1778.
11. CLINTON.
By his Excellency's command,
John Smith, Secretary.
Report of Lieutenant Colonels Robert Hanson Har
rison and Alexander Hamilton, Commissioners, &c.
To his Excellency General WASHINGTON.
TK/ E the Commissioners, appointed by your Er
+'cellency for the purposes fpecified in the
powers to us given on the jeth of November last,
beg leave to report :
That in pursuance of your inftrudions, we re
paired to Amboy on Monday the 7th instant, at
eleven o'clock ; where we continued till Friday even
ing the 11th, before we were met by the Commis
sioners on the part of his Excellency Henry Clinton,
who had been detained till that time by impediments
of weather.
That the next day we had an interview with them
on the business of our commiflion, in which they
immediately objected to our powers, as not extend
ing to the purposes they had in view—declared the
object of our meeting had been misunderstood, and
alter a Ihort conversation, put an end to the con
ference.
That their intention, as communicated to us was,
that the exchange of each of their officers should
neceflarily involve the exchange of a certain number
of their privates also ; and confequcntly that the
cuhole of our officers prisoners in their hands, ihould
be exchanged for a part only of the officers of the
Convention troops, with a proportion of private
men to difeharge the balance in their favour ; where
as the line of conduct prescribed to us, both by the
resolution of Congress and your Excellency's powers
founded thereon, was, " that officers of equal rank
ihould be firft exchanged, after which, if it ihould
be neceflary, an equivalent of inferior for superior
officers; and if agreeably to that equivalent, all the
officers of the enemy ihould be exchanged, and a
balance of prisoners remain in their hands, then an
equivalent of privates was to be fettled, according
to the cultomary proportion, or such proportion as
might be agreed on."
That the Britiih Commissioners, in the course of
the conference, having urged certain inconveniencies,
which, in their opinion, would result from the sepa
ration of all the officers of the Convention troops
from the men by a general exchange —In order effec
tually to obviate that objection, we thought our
fehes authorifed by our instructions to make them
[Numb. 57.]