George Washington Papers
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To George Washington from Thomas Mifflin, 22 June 1793

From Thomas Mifflin

Phila. 22 June 1793

Sir

The Master Warden of the Port of Philda, having informed me, that the Brigantine Little Sarah, Prize to the Frigate L’Embuscade, is fitting out as a Privateer, I have the honor to submit to your Excellency a copy of his letter, that you may direct such measures to be pursued, as the occasion shall be thought to require.1 I am, with perfect respect, Sir, Yr Excy’s most obedt &c.

Tho. Mifflin

Df, PHarH: Executive Correspondence, 1790–99; LB, PHarH: Executive Letter-Books.

1In his letter to Mifflin of 22 June, Nathaniel Falconer wrote: “on hearing a report, that there was a Briganteen fitting out as a Priviteer, I went on Board of her this forenoon and found it to be the Brig Little Sarah Prize to the friguate L’Ambuscasde. She is fitting out in the same manner as priviteers are wether she has a Commission or no I can’t tell” (PHarH: Executive Correspondence, 1790–99). GW presented Mifflin’s letter and its enclosure to the cabinet at its meeting of 22 June (JPP description begins Dorothy Twohig, ed. The Journal of the Proceedings of the President, 1793–1797. Charlottesville, Va., 1981. description ends , 187). As a result Henry Knox wrote Mifflin later this date on behalf of GW “to request that you would be pleased to take immediate measures to ascertain precisely the state of the little Sarah as an armed vessel at the time she entered this post as a prize to the Ambuscade and also her present situation and the changes she may have undergone with respect to herself or to an additional number of Guns Men &c. and that you would communicate the result as the ground of such further proceedings on the case as may be judged proper” (PHarH: Executive Correspondence, 1790–99). For Mifflin’s immediate response to Knox’s letter, see Mifflin to GW, 22 June (second letter).

On the capture of the British brigantine Little Sarah by the French frigate Embuscade and its entry into the Philadelphia harbor, see Benjamin Holland and Peter Mackie to Thomas Jefferson, 24 May 1793, Jefferson Papers description begins Julian P. Boyd et al., eds. The Papers of Thomas Jefferson. 41 vols. to date. Princeton, N.J., 1950–. description ends , 26:106–7.

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