Washington, George (1732-1799) to Benjamin Lincoln re: reprimanding Col. Gibson (Yorktown, British POW)
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC04942 Author/Creator: Washington, George (1732-1799) Place Written: [s.l.] Type: Autograph letter signed Date: [1781/12/09] Pagination: 2 p. + addr. + docket 33 x 20.7 cm Order a Copy
The document is overall stained, especially on verso. Written to Sec. of War Benjamin Lincoln. Reprimanding Col. Gibson for allowing a British officer, Dr. Thomas Shield, to leave Yorktown. Shield was surgeon of the 87th Regiment, British Army.
Notes: Fitzpatrick 23: 377, from a copy in the Toner Transcripts at the Library of Congress. Washington writes as Commander in Chief of the Continental Army to the Secretary of War, Benjamin Lincoln, only seven weeks after his victory in Yorktown. Dr. Thomas Shield was surgeon of the 87th Regiment in the British Army. Henry Clinton was Commander in Chief of the British forces in America.
Signer of the U.S. Constitution.
My dear Sir,
My opinion is that Doctr [Thomas] Shield should be sent immediately back to York Town, & Colo. Gibson reprimanded for having permitted him to come to this place before leave had been obtained for him to go into New York. Unless Gibson has some appointment unknown to me he can only be considered in the light of a private person having resigned the command of (the Virga. State Regimt) which he formerly had sometime ago.
I should conceive that an application from the Doctr. to Genl [Henry] Clinton (who is now about to send out money for the Prisoners at Frederick Town & that letter) would answer all the [inserted: public] purposes of his going to New York.
I am very sincerely
yrs
Go: Washington
Sunday Morning
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