George Washington to Abraham Skinner, 14 April 1781
To Abraham Skinner
Head Quarters New Windsor 14th April 1781.
Sir
Some instructions just recd from Congress make it improper to carry those given to you a few days ago into execution.1 You will therefore forbear entering into any negotiation with Mr Loring on the subject of exchanges, untill you hear further from me, which shall be in a day or two.2 I am &.
Df, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
Skinner wrote GW’s aide-de-camp Tench Tilghman from Elizabeth, N.J., on 18 April: “I have received His Excellency’s Letter of the 14th countermanding my Instructions respecting the negociation of Exchanges with Mr Loring. I have therefore deferred seeing him, and set out for Philadelphia in the Morning to compleat my Business with the Board of War.
“As the state of our Prisoners at New York demand an early interview with the British Commissary, I shall be much Obliged by having the General’s further Commands as early as he may think proper, Mr Duree my deputy at Camp (who deliver this) will forward any Letters to me and receive any Orders respecting the Department. …
“Accounts from New York agree that a very large Embarkation is taking place said for the Southward. Sir Henry Clinton has his Baggage on Board and certainly goes himself, From the movements many People in the City expect an Evacuation very Shortly—A Flag just arrived with a few Prisoners brings accounts similar to the above” (DLC:GW; for Tilghman as the recipient, see GW to Skinner, 16 April, n.3). For similar intelligence, see Elias Dayton, 14 April.
1. GW received a congressional resolution that recalled Lt. Gen. John Burgoyne and other enemy prisoners on parole outside the United States (see Samuel Huntington to GW, 5 April, and n.1). For GW’s earlier instructions, see his letter to Skinner dated 12 April, found at Skinner to GW, 10 March, n.6.
2. See GW to Skinner, 16 April; see also Huntington to GW, 23 April.