Commander John Stanhope, R.N., to The Commanding Officer at Fairfield, Connecticut, June 19, 1778

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Raven Off Fairfield [Conn.] June 19^th 1778

Coppy
Sir

Being authorised by Commodore Hotham Commodore in Cheif at N York to send on Shore to Fairfield a Flag of Truce from His Majestys Ship under my Command in order to negociate an Exchange of Prisoners for the Officers and Men named in the margin¹ lately taken by the Congress Privateer.² Permit me therefore to trouble You with a Letter, to signify my earnest wishes to effect the same, and to assure You that no hostilities will be committed by the Ship under my Command, during the absence of my Boat, which, I hope will be permitted to return with all possible dispatch, the inclosed Letters I shall esteem it as a favour of You to forward agreeable to their Directions. I am Sir [&c.]

John Hanhop [Stanhope]

Copy, Ct, Jonathan Trumbull Papers, vol. 8, pp. 144a-b. Addressed below close: “The Commanding Officer/Fairfield.” Docketed: “Raven off Fairfield/19^th. June 1778/John Stanhope/de Prisoners/sent one ⅌ Gen^l Silliman." Brig. Gen. Gold Selleck Silliman was commander of the Connecticut militia at Fairfield.

1. The names in the margin are: "M^r. Mason. M^r. Bennet. M^r. Fell[,] John Brown, T: Roberts, Ab. Williamsbury. H. Longuy. Sam^ll. Ludds. John Fowkes."

2. Rhode Island privateer schooner Congress, Capt. John Adamson. For more on this action, see “Extract of a letter from Stamford, May 5.," in NDAR 12: 268.

Document Information

Date

1778 June 19

Volume

Volume 13

Series

American Theater, June 1 to August 15, 1778