To Thomas Jefferson from Theodorick Bland, 29 January 1781
From Theodorick Bland
[Philad]elphia Jany 29th. 1781
Dr. Sr.
A French officer of the name of Dubuisson a Colonel in our Army and formerly aid to the Baron Du Kalb who was wounded in the Action near Cambden and taken Prisoner, has requested me to enclose the Contents of this to Your Excellency, which will fully explain his desire. Your Excellency, will be pleased to do in the affair, what you think Justice, Humanity and Policy dictate, and will be so obliging as to give as speedy an answer as circumstances will permit. I have the Honor to be Yr. Excelly’s most obedt. & very H: Servt,
Theok. Bland
RC (Vi); addressed: “His Excelly. Thos. Jefferson Esqr. Govr. of Virginia. Free Theok: Bland”; endorsed by a clerk: “Colo. Bland proposing an Excha. of Colo. Duby-song for Lt. Colo. Hamilton.” Enclosures: (1) Dubuysson to Bland, Philadelphia, same date (Vi); (2) copy of a letter from Joshua Loring, British commissary general of prisoners, to Dubuysson, New York, 5 Nov. 1780 (Vi); (3) copy of letter from Abraham Skinner, Continental commissary general of prisoners, to Dubuysson, without place or date but written after 8 Nov. 1780 (Vi).
The proposal of Dubuisson (Charles-François, Chevalier Dubuysson des Hays) that he be exchanged for Henry Hamilton was declined by TJ; see his reply to Bland, 9 Feb. 1781, and also George Washington to Abraham Skinner, 8 Nov. 1780 (Writings, ed. Fitzpatrick, xx, 324–5). On the Hamilton case generally, see TJ to Bland, 8 June 1779, and references there.