To James Madison from David Montagu Erskine, 15 December 1806
From David Montagu Erskine
Washington December 15th. 1806
Sir,
I have this Day forwarded the Deposition concerning Richard Dickings, which you did me the Honor to enclose to me the Day before Yesterday,1 to Captain Douglas commanding His Majesty’s Ship Bellona and I have requested him to discharge the Man should the Facts stated of his being an American Seaman and having been impressed prove correct.
I have the Honor to enclose to you the Copy of a Letter from the Commander in Chief of His Majesty’s Ships on the Jamaica Station respecting Edward Frethy stated in your Letter to Mr. Merry of the 23rd. of last May2 to be an American Seaman supposed to be impressed on board either the wolf or the Renard Sloops of War, by which it appears that Edward Frethy never was on board either of those Ships. I have the Honor to be, with great Consideration and Respect, Sir Your most obedient humble Servant
D. M. Erskine
RC (DNA: RG 59, NFL, Great Britain, vol. 4). Docketed by Wagner. Enclosure not found, but see n. 2.
1. JM’s 13 December 1806 letter to Erskine and its enclosed deposition have not been found. Dickings appears on “a statement of impressments from American vessels into the British service […] founded upon documents transmitted […] to the Department of State” that JM presented to Thomas Jefferson on 29 February 1808 (DNA: RG 59, DL). Jefferson forwarded the statement to the U.S. Senate two days later. Dickings is listed as an American citizen who was impressed on the Bellona on 13 December 1806 (ASP, Foreign Relations, 3:36, 40).