John Paul Jones to the American Commissioners, 9 May 1778: résumé
John Paul Jones to the American Commissioners7
ALS: University of Virginia Library; AL: American Philosophical Society, United States Naval Academy Museum;8 copy: National Archives
<Brest, May 9, 1778: I arrived last night with the British warship Drake, and will soon give you an account of the cruise. I have almost two hundred prisoners, but there is danger they may be surrendered without an exchange. I plan to refit the Drake as fast as possible and send them in her to America, for I will not give them up while there is any alternative. If the Minister agrees to hold them for exchange, let me know before the Drake leaves. I have confined Lieutenant Simpson for disobedience.>
[Note numbering follows the Franklin Papers source.]
7. Published in Taylor, Adams Papers, VI, 104–5.
8. For the ALS and the first AL see the note in ibid., p. 105.