Pallas, Portsmo Harbor 25th Decr 1776
Sir
In answer to your letter of the 23d instant relative to the Evidences against Mr Willm Platt 2 having made their escape, I beg you will be pleased to acquaint their Lordships that I intended to send them on board a Guard Ship before we went into the Harbor, it was late in the Evening when the Pilot came on board and we had no Oppertunity, the Men had been detained a long time and turn'd from Ship to Ship, I therefore thought it rather hard to put them in Irons as they had always behaved remarkably well and I had not the least reason to suppose they intended to get away, I believe they made their Escape in the Night. The Philippa, [Richard] Maitland, the Merchant Ship they were taken out of is now in the River I apprehend it would not be difficult for him to procure Evidences. I did not give them leave to go ashore, nor do I think they had leave from any of the Officers. I am Sir [&c.]
W. Cornwallis
[On verso] 27 Decr Send Copy to Mr. Eden for the E. of Suffolks informn in conseque. of Lord Weymouths Lre of the —
1. PRO, Admiralty 1/1611, 3, 35.
2. Ebenezer Smith Platt, mistakenly called William Platt by Vice Admiral Clark Gayton, had been sent to England in the Pallas to stand trial. His accuser, Captain Maitland, charged Plat't with having been a leader in the pillaging of his ship of a cargo of gunpowder at Savannah in 1775. Three witnesses were also brought to England in the Pallas. See previous volumes in this series.