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At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Burgoyne, John (1722-1792) to William Heath

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03231 Author/Creator: Burgoyne, John (1722-1792) Place Written: Cambridge, Massachusetts Type: Letter signed Date: 23 March 1778 Pagination: 1 p. : address : docket ; 24 x 18.7 cm. Order a Copy

Written by General Burgoyne while an American prisoner after his defeat at the Battle of Saratoga in October 1777 to Major General William Heath as commander of the Convention Army (prisoners of war from the battle of Saratoga) around Boston. Apologizes for sending another dispatch so quickly after his previous one, but asks him to send along the enclosed letters (not included here) without any loss of time. Also asks Heath to send him along a good sailing boat to go to Cape Cod and that he will pay any expenses associated with the trip. Burgoyne left Boston for Britain on 5 April 1778. He was before Parliament in May 1778 to defend his conduct during the Saratoga campaign where he was received in an unfriendly manner. Letter is mounted on cardboard and the address and docket are cut and glued on verso of cardboard.

While a prisoner in Cambridge, Burgoyne stayed at the Apthorp House, where he complained about the high rent he was forced to pay.

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