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[Revolutionary War]. Retained Copy of a Letter by William Phillips, Regarding the Exchange of Prisoners....
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Description
[Revolutionary War]. Retained Copy of a Letter by William Phillips, Regarding the Exchange of Prisoners. Two pages, 7 1/4 x 8 7/8 inches, inlaid on cardboard to an overall size of 10 1/2 x 15 inches, Cambridge, Massachusetts; December 3, 1778. A retained copy of a letter by William Phillips to Major General Horatio Gates, discussing their confidential negotiations to exchange prisoners.The letter reads, in part: "The letter I writ to you dated the 1st instant concerning the proposed general Exchange of the Troops of Convention, I did not intrust a Communication of the Contents of with any person...you mean to collect the heads of my letter for the perusal of some members of the American Congress who are your friends and it is to be so done as not to render my Letter publick or endanger my situation, and this is perfectly what I wish...But, I imagine, much may be done in this matter between you and me. Matters have gone so unluckily between sir Henry Clinton and the American Congress that it is scarcely to be expected any new negotiation will be opened, much less take and, therefore, should we be able to bring this affair to an agreement it will redound to our Credit."
Early efforts to formalize prisoner exchanges, such as those led by George Washington and William Howe in early 1778, were complicated by Congress's demands for financial reimbursement for the care of British captives and Washington's push for a broader formal exchange agreement. British resistance to committing beyond informal partial exchanges further hindered progress, and negotiations between the two sides were often stalled. Sir Henry Clinton, who replaced Howe as Commander-in-Chief in America in February of 1778, was especially reluctant to strike deals with Congress, leading to the need for confidentiality that Phillips expresses in this letter.
Condition: Inlaid on cardboard by tape at the left margin. Smoothed folds, with some foxing throughout.
Auction Info
2025 March 28 Historical Manuscripts Including Texana Signature® Auction #6316 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
March, 2025
28th
Friday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 7
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