Board of War to George Washington, 2 May 1781
From the Board of War
War Office [Philadelphia] May 2nd 1781.
Sir
The Board do themselves the honour to enclose you a resolution of Congress of this date, relative to the sending 6,00 hogsheads of Tobacco from Virginia and Maryland to Charles Town; for the use of the Prisoners at that place,1 This resolution was founded on information, that the Governor of Virginia had been lately permitted this liberty in two different instances2—If this point has not been already settled between your Excellency and Sir Harry Clinton, the Board would be glad you would be pleased to write to him on that subject, and obtain (if practicable) his consent to our sending six hundred hogsheads of Tobacco from Chesapeake Bay to Charles Town for the use of the Continental Troops and Militia who are now prisoners of War in those parts; Should he agree to your requisition, the Board will charter Vessels for the purpose, and then apply to your Excellency, (naming the Vessel and Mariners) to procure for us the proper pasport: the Board conceive it to be unnecessary in the first instance to take any step in this business, untill they are previously informed that the measure will be allowed of by the Enemy. If in your correspondence with General Clinton, the matter could be placed on such a footing, as that we might be enabled to receive a pasport from General Philips or the British Commanding Officer in Virgina or if some general permission could be obtained it would greatly accelerate the measure and our prisoners who are in extreem distress would thereby be sooner relieved.3 I have the honor to be with the highest respect Yr Excys Most Obedt Servt
Willm Grayson.
By order of the Board.
LS, DLC:GW. Grayson wrote the complimentary closing.
1. The enclosed congressional resolution adopted on this date reads: “The Committee to whom was refered the letter from Genl Moultrie of the 19 Ulto inclosing a memorial from the Officers belonging to the States of South Carolina & Georgia & to Pulaski’s, & Armands legionary corps, now prisoners of War in South Carolina.
“Report. That the Board of War be directed to take immediate measures for remitting to Charlestown 600 hogsheads of the tobacco now in Virginia, and Maryland, belonging to the United states, for the use of the above prisoners of War, & such of the Militia of the said states as were actually taken in arms, & remain prisoners of war.
“That the board of war appoint a proper person to dispose of the tobacco in Chs town, with orders to render as soon as may be, an account of the sales thereof & that the same when received be transmitted to the treasury” (DLC:GW; see also , 20:468).
2. For recent tobacco shipments from Virginia to Charleston for that state’s prisoners of war, see Charles Scott to Thomas Jefferson, 30 Jan.; Jefferson to the County Lieutenants, 26 March, to William Phillips, 31 March, and to Steuben, 10 April; Phillips to Jefferson, 6 April; and Steuben to Phillips, 15 April, in , 4:481–82, 5:243–44, 306–7, 363–64, 400–401, 459–61.
3. GW replied to the board on 16 May that he had applied to British general Henry Clinton (DLC:GW; see also GW to Clinton, same date, P.R.O.: 30/55, Carleton Papers). Clinton refused permission (see his reply to GW, 21 May, DLC:GW).