Knox, Henry (1750-1806) Minutes of the proceedings of the commissioners
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.01377 Author/Creator: Knox, Henry (1750-1806) Place Written: Elizabeth, New Jersey Type: Manuscript document Date: 31 March 1782-21 April 1782 Pagination: 65 p. ; 32.3 x 20.9 cm. Order a Copy
Copy written in the hand of Samuel Shaw, Henry Knox's aide-de-camp, at Elizabethtown, present-day Elizabeth, New Jersey. Appoints Knox and Gouverneur Morris to meet with British commissioners to discuss prisoners of war and civilians in custody. Empowers them to negotiate release, exchange and better treatment of prisoners of war, and to take measures to liberate citizens not captured under arms (emphasized in original). Also authorizes them to settle accounts for prisoner maintenance; mentions Convention of Saratoga, an agreement about handling of British prisoners after the Battle of Saratoga. They were authorized to seek a system, a "cartel," to handle treatment, release and exchange of all future captured soldiers and civilians. Also empowers them to seek agreement on naval prisoners of war. Confers General Sir Henry Clinton's powers on his appointees, General William Dalrymple and Andrew Elliot, in a form letter similar in wording to the letter in which General George Washington confers his powers on Knox and Morris. Clinton also appoints British Naval Commander Robert Digby to assist in the exchange of captured sailors. Morris and Knox conclude, "...the object of the enemy was merely to regain their captive soldiers, without any regard to the sums already due or which might become due for their subsistence..." For related documents, see GLC02437.01393, .01395 and .09309.
Full transcript available.
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