Jersy ye 3d June 1778
Sir
As I understand by the People of your Ship you was going to Nantes on my Arrival at this place my intention was to have applyed for their Liberty & have sent them in exchange of mine, but they have prevented me from doing it, by taking my boat in the night and going to France, in this case I should lay myself under the utmost Obligation if could be in your Power to free Mr Benest my Lieutenant and his Men from Confinement and obtain permission for their speedy return here.1 your people easily got away as we put no guard over them and had given them all the Liberty in our power. there is still a young lad belonging to you whom you may depend I shall treat as my own, and shall send him to you as soon as I can find an Opportunity in like manner I repeat my entreaties that you will greatly favor me in obtaining for my People their Liberty, and reciprocally in the like or any other Occasion shall be happy of retaliting the favour I remain most unfeignedly [&c.]
Philip Winter Jnr
LB, MiU-C, Abraham Whipple Papers. Addressed below signature: “To Abraham Whipple Captn Ship Providence.” Notation in margin: “P W Jnr to/A W/June 3d.”
1. Winter was captain of the British letter of marque ship Nancy, which had taken the prize brigatine Lord Grosvenor and the prize crew manning it from the Continental Navy frigate Providence. Providence recaptured Lord Grosvenor and Whipple made prisoners of the prize crew that Winter had put on board the brigantine.
