The Virginia gazette — Williamsburg [Va.], 1777-07-04 00:00:00, page 2

PH-ILADELPHl-A.
__ lN CONGRESS,]UNB\6,1777.
_ si ct R DERssE D, that the letters which have asscd between General
W'ashingtyn and General Howe,* onzhe fugchl of the exchange us
prisoners, be pu.>.ished. and that the several prmterl of news-papers
thmughom the continent be requefled to insert them
;: CHARLES THOMSON, See'ry.
Gmenl \Vnshingron*s of the 19th of April, to which the following in
'_-'.siGenci-al Howe's .uusiwcr. has been ublishcd some time since.
" - GENEKAL HOWE to G NRssRAL WASHlNGTON
S ( R,' si New Yonc, Aprilzl, 1777.
HAVE received your letter osthe tgth inst. concerning the requisition
of Lieutenant Colone] Walcot, a copy of which came enclosed.
Thouffh I observe that officer hAs meant to insist yery strongly on the
jufiice of the claim for the retum of prisoners in your poflcflion, whieh
, mi- one of the object: of his aPpointment, I do not see reason to suspect
thax'ZZ'siyzrshn-Aiiocivility was intended by the tetsims in which his opinion
is ex e . '
Without entering into a needless discussion of the mddur or illihera
lily of the si-ntimente-on which your arguments Ire sounded, yet, since
you are pleased to assent, that "' the usage of your prisoners was such as
could not be justified. tltet this was proclaimed by thctoncurrent testi
mony of all who came out, that their appearance sanaified the assenion,
and that melanchol experience, , in the speedy death of a large part of
them, stamped it With infallible certainty." These, It fly; being what
you are pleased to assume as secte, I cannot ,omit making some observa
_tionc upon them. " - _ ' '
It might perlu suit with the policy of those who persifl in every expe
dient to cherish ( e popula; delusion; that the released risoners should
complainof ill usage, or their enptivity might really orm : grievous
comperison with the filnzthey were in be ere the were persuaded to
eneounter the viciilitydno? vour. But is their su erings were ashgrcat
, _m__-_. _-_A:J--....A.. ..C
I- you think yourself :uthorised tallsert, : dispnflionate consideration of
the soilowing indispntahle end notoriooe fact: will point out the cause to
Which they are to be in : greet measure zscribed.
Alhhesiprifq'te ' were confined in the most city buildinie and on board
the largeilsstfiafports i ct e fleet. which were the very ealthiest place
dlreeeplsiofl ffi! ] Wprovided for them.
They'si ' ss_ with ssame provistom, both in quantity and
ualit ."si si- _ owed to the King's troops not on service, some acci
enul inzsiueee excepted, .wherei'n however the omisiion, when known,
was immediately remedied.
Near one half of the whole number of prisoners, whose disezset a'ppearcd
to require peculiar care, as well as separatiq'l from the rect, were at dif
ferent times received into the Brirish hospitabss, lnd their oinn surgeons,
without restriction supplied with medicines for the remaining sick, until it:
wao- discovered that they disputed not to .disptdfe of large qunntities by
priute sale. _ 'si ;,ct _
From this short state of rash, it is evident that your prisoners weress
provided with roper lnbitztionl, sufficient and wholesome food, end
medicinrs. [for do ! know of any comfort or asstflance, , compatible
with their situation as prisoners, of which they were in want, ncepting
clothing; thc relief to their diihess in this, and the article of motley, of
which you were repeatedly advised, and they had claim to receiie from
your eate, was neglected or refused, while they were furnished with every
other necessary ! was in a situation to supply. si ,
To what _cause the speedy death of a [urge pan of them it to be unri
luted, ] cannot determine,.but your own experience will sufflgest to you,
whether the nmy under your command, in the eot-rse of t e lafl eam.
paign, m free from such czlamitous mortnlity, though affisted with
nfreshmenu from ell parte of the surrounding provincet.
lt,it insinuated, that l might have released the risonen before any of
the ill consequence: of their detention had taken prince. ' ] am obli ed to
say, the event sit least appears to have proved the tention with wfiieh ]
eulght to hire ldopted that expedient. The prisoner: were ready to h
de irereabw ' ' only for your proceeding in the exchange, whtchj'u
had proposed I lyeed w. si,
I admit. that eble men are not take required by the party, who, n
tnry to the izwe of humanity, through design, or even neglect, rel
sonable end iclble ure, shall hue capsed the debility o£_ e pri
soners he sha ] have to offer for exchange; but the argument ie ppli
eahlc to me in the present ipstance. '
[might Emily put this queflion: flow in the cause of ssbiiity in
prisoners to pe lseemined! But at we diFer so much in ' si '
_ upon'siwhich our objeaione ere stained; " l thi je ione are
unsop rted y recedent or equity, and that
um! he : ding lad Mande- '
eht, it become:
unnecelllly for me no ldd more, thin to all upon you to fulfil the :.
ment far returning the prisoner: demnded by Lieutenant Col. W eoc,
With m'pea to the care of Mr. Lee, now professed to be a principn]
motive for your refusal to continue the exchange of prisoners, it in corn.
prehcndecl, ] must insist, under my general and original exception to
pcl'l'unl in his circumstances. With due respect, I am, Sir, your mon
obedient servant, W. 11 0 W E.
To General George Washington, &c. &c.
8 I R, New Yonx, Me) n. 1777.
OT having- received an answer to my letter of the all! of April, ]
N am to request your final decision !! n the demand ! then made of
the prisoners in your possession, both o cer: and srldien, in exchange
for those ] have returned, and for your determi-zation respecting (He
prisoners now here, that ( may make my nrrangements aceordingly.
" It is with concern, ] receive frequent zccounu of the nll treatment
still excrcised upon Lieutenznt Colonel Cam bell, which ] had reason to
flatrer myself you would have prevented. e has, it is true, been taken
out of a common du-tgeon, where he had been confined with a degree of
rigour, thac— the most attrocious crime's would not have justified, but he
is (till kept in the gaoXer'n house. exposed (u dailey insulu from the
deluded populace. This usage being sepugnzm to every sentiment of
humaniry, and highly unworthy of the character you yrot'ess. lum
compelled to repent my complaint against it and to claim immediate
redress to this much injured Gentleman. Wsiith due respect, l am, Sir,
your most obedient humble finant, ' ' W} 'H 0 'W E.
S ! R; NEW Yolk, Fum- 5, ,1777: ,
SO mun days having el'apsed since my letter to you of the ud.otsiMly, '
was jespatehod, without an znswer, and lelk by any "cident, iLsisi
should not hue gotten to your hande, ! am induced to send-a'dupliclte 3."
thereof, and to press my request for your final decision. upon the demand: )
therein connined. With due respect, l-am, Sir, you: molt obedient '
servlnt, - si W. H O W E.
. General Washington, &c. &. -
GENERAL WASHINGTON to GENERAL HOWE.
S ! R. ' MlDDLE Buoox, Jm lo, 1777
OUR several letter: of the "(t of Apul, and of May, and sth
inlanr, have been received. -
_ Having (lated my sentiments in an explicit manner, in my letter of the
ninth of April, upon the subject of your demand, and the disagreement
between- ue, ! thought it unnecessary to trouble you with : repetition of
them. From the corn lexion of your'a of the "(t of April, we appeared
"to differ so widely, t :: l could entertain no hopes of a compromise
being essected, or that an answerwould produce any good end.
" But " you have called upon me again for my final deaermination upon
the matter, lss shall freely give it, after making some observmont upon
what you have said. with intention to obviate the obiefliuns, on my part,
to : compliance with your demond through Lieutenant Colonel Walcot.
You admit the principle upon which my objection, to account for the
whole number of ptisonert sent out by you, it founded, but deny the
applieation._ by delicately insinuzting, in the first mltlnce. that the ill
treatmqu epmylained of was an " exp'tdient to cherish popular delusion ,"
on;! by afflingsi in the second. that supposing their sufferings to have
been real, theysiwere to be ascribed to other causes than those assigned by
_,-_.._______...__ <.
me. "
I - shall not undertake to determine on whom the charge of endeavour- "
ing to excite popular Muste) {all: with molt Propricty; but ] cannot
forbear intimating, that however suecestful ingenious miscolouringn may
be in some instances, to perplex the underltanding in matters of spicula
tion, yet it it difficult to rsunde mankind to doubt the evidence of their =
sensn, and the reality o those na: for which they can ap al to them.
Unless this can be done, permit me to assure you, it will a ways he be- '
lieved, whatever may be suggested to theeontrary, that men could not be ss
in a more deplorahle situation than those unhappy sufferers were, who are _
the subject of our difference. Did ] imagine-ct that you, Sir, hid any.
seriout seruples on the occasion, ] might produce, in support of what
have alledged, the strongest proofs that human tesiimony can afford.
To prove that the prisoners did not svffrr from any ill treatment _
negiect of youre, you say, " they were confined in the molt airy build
ing-, and on board the lnrgelt transpom in the fleet. That they were
supplied with the same provisiont both in quantity and quality al were
Jssss-r.
allowed to your troops not on service. That the sick, luch of them at
re uired peculiar care, were received into the British hospitale, and the
rel attended their own furgeona, who were supplied with medicine.
without restri 'ons, till it was discovered that they disposed of large
quent? by private sale."
Thgissry building. were chosen to confine our men in, it a safl ! shall
not dispuu. But whether this mad an advantage or not in the winter
season, I leave you to decide. ! am inclined to think it was not, espe
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