To George Washington from Jabez Bowen, 5 February 1780
From Jabez Bowen
State of Rhode Island &c. Providence Feb. 5. 1780
Sir
This will be deliver’d your Exellency by Capt. Campbell of the 71st British who you will perceive by the incloased Vote of the Council of War, is recommended to you for Permission to go into New Yorke for the purposes theirin expressed;1 as the Officers have Subsisted intirely at their owne expence tis necessary that they should be supplyd with Cash &c. I doubt not but your Exellency will Comply with the Recommendation of the Council so far as the good of the Service will permit.2 we could wish for a General Exchang of Prisoners to take place both from Humanity and other reasons. with sentiments of the highest Esteem I am Your Exellencys Most Huml. Servant
Jabez Bowen
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. The enclosed copy of a resolution headed “State of Rhode Island, &c. In Council of War,” dated 3 Feb., reads: “Resolved That Permission be granted to Capt. Patrick Campbell of the Seventy-first Regiment, with his Servant to proceed upon his Parole to Head Quarters, and that it be recommended to his Excellency General Washington to permit the said Capt. Campbell to go into New york to procure Cloathing and Money for a number of Prisoners of War now in this State; and that if his Excellency General Washington shall think it consistent with the publick Good, that he permit him to be exchanged upon such Terms as he shall think proper, and that his Honor the Deputy-Governor be requested to take his Parole accordingly” (DLC:GW). For the circumstances of Campbell’s capture, see the source note to his letter to GW of 28 Nov. 1779.
2. On 19 Feb., GW’s aide Tench Tilghman wrote from headquarters in Morristown to Abraham Skinner, deputy commissary general of prisoners, regarding GW’s intentions for Campbell’s parole. The draft of the letter reads: “Capt. Campbell of the 71st Regt the Bearer of this, has permission from His Excellency the Commander in Chief to go into New York by way of Elizabeth Town. He is either to procure the exchange of an Officer of equal Rank or he is to remain till called for. You will therefore be pleased to take a parole accordingly. You will inform Mr Loring that Major Gardiner of the 16th Regt and Major Stein of the Hessian troops, both of whom are at present in New York upon parole, have His Excellency’s permission to remain there untill the result of the proposition for an exchange is known. You, or one of the department, will probably attend Capt Campbell to Elizabeth Town. You will wait upon General St Clair who is desired to grant a Flag upon seeing this letter” (DLC:GW).