1. See GW to Mathews, 16 April.

2. Mathews wrote Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene from Philadelphia on 22 May that “Govr. Rutledge sets of[f] for Head quarters tomorrow, where he purposes making but a short stay, & then to return immediately to join you” (Smith, Letters of Delegates description begins Paul H. Smith et al., eds. Letters of Delegates to Congress, 1774–1789. 26 vols. Washington, D.C., 1976–2000. description ends , 17:262–63, brackets in source). South Carolina governor John Rutledge had traveled to Philadelphia to procure clothing for his state’s militia and to seek aid in driving the British from South Carolina (see Rutledge to Francis Marion, 8 March, in Gibbes, Documentary History, 3:32–33). Rutledge conversed with GW at New Windsor on 5 June about southern military prospects (see the entry for that date in Diaries description begins Donald Jackson and Dorothy Twohig, eds. The Diaries of George Washington. 6 vols. Charlottesville, Va., 1976–79. description ends , 3:377–78).

3. New York delegate James Duane left Philadelphia later in May (see John Witherspoon to Richard Henry Lee, 19 May, in Smith, Letters of Delegates description begins Paul H. Smith et al., eds. Letters of Delegates to Congress, 1774–1789. 26 vols. Washington, D.C., 1976–2000. description ends , 17:250–52). For other papers that Duane evidently carried to GW, see John Paul Jones to GW, 7 May, DLC:GW.

4. On 27 April, Congress read a letter of 22 Feb. that William Carmichael, legation secretary at Madrid, had written the Committee on Foreign Affairs with remarks on clothing from Spain for American military use. The letter reported that John Jay, minister to Spain, had just “obtained an order for thirty-two thousand dollars, to pay for part of the clothing to be shipped at Cadiz, of which he has not yet received the invoices, and to discharge the bills due this month” (Wharton, Diplomatic Correspondence description begins Francis Wharton, ed. The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States. 6 vols. Washington, D.C., 1889. description ends , 4:265–66; see also JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 20:452, and n.6 below). For the clothing, see Richard Harrison to GW, 12 March.

Samuel Huntington, president of Congress, began a letter to Connecticut governor Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., from Philadelphia on 30 April: “By the latest Advices from Spain the Affairs of America have a favorable Aspect at the Court of Madrid, tho’ Mr. Cumberland was still permitted to be there under the ostensible Pretext of obtaining the salubrious Air for the Health of some of his Family, and, among other Circumstances, what convinces me that Spain consider these United States of too much Importance to be abandoned by any Proposals the British Court can make, or Intrigues they may practice, is, that we have received certain Intelligence that the Spanish Armament from the Havannah have actually invested Pensacola” (Smith, Letters of Delegates description begins Paul H. Smith et al., eds. Letters of Delegates to Congress, 1774–1789. 26 vols. Washington, D.C., 1976–2000. description ends , 17:199–200). For Richard Cumberland’s unsuccessful mission to effect Spanish withdrawal from the war, see Duane to GW, 9 Dec. 1780, and n.5 to that document. For Spanish operations against Pensacola, see Francisco Rendon to GW, 24 April 1781.

5. Mathews probably alludes to Spanish fulfillment of a promised loan (see Lafayette’s first letter to GW, 5 Dec. 1780, and n.11)

6. Congress read a letter on 27 April 1781 that Charles-Guillaume-Frédéric Dumas, an agent in Holland for the United States and France, had written to Huntington from The Hague on 23 Jan. about Dutch efforts to join the League of Armed Neutrality. Dumas excerpted a missive reporting that “the agreed-on accession of this rep[ublic] to the Treaties of Russia, Sueden & Denmark for the mutual protection of the Trade & Navigation of their Subjects, has been concluded & signed on Jany 4th. …

“During the whole management of this Treaty, the English had left no artifice untried, in order to get the rep. excluded from this Alliance; & even to the last moment they Strived most desperately against her admission: But the Empress [Catherine II of Russia], & her Ministry, unshaken, rejected their Memorials with firmness & even with indignation” (DNA:PCC, item 93). For the League of Armed Neutrality, see GW to Huntington, 6 July 1780, n.6.

In his letter to the Committee on Foreign Affairs on 22 Feb., Carmichael wrote: “If the Empress does not openly declare against England, she will, at all events, protect the Dutch commerce, and this must terminate speedily in open hostilities. I have observed of late a change of conduct in the Russian ambassador at this court, whom I have an opportunity of meeting frequently in company; from being cold and distant, he is become complaisant and affable. I also find him very attentive to the French ambassador.

“Portugal has been much pressed by Russia to accede to the treaty of the armed neutrality, but the English party at this court is too powerful to expect success from these applications. …

“The Spanish squadron of thirty sail of the line is at sea; that of England it is supposed will sail about this period of time. Mr. Cumberland gives out that he has demanded a passport of the court, but that he is told to have patience. … I beg the committee to consider the intelligence I give them from time to time, particularly that from other countries, as the latest and most authentic I can procure, but which I can not vouch for the truth” (see n.4 above).

7. Another report of German aggression toward Holland had been treated dismissively (see Benjamin Tallmadge to GW, 20 April, n.7).

8. Mathews enclosed an extract of a letter to Brig. Gen. William Moultrie from British lieutenant colonel Nisbet Balfour, dated 30 March at Charleston: “I am now to address you on a subject with which I am charged by Ld Cornwallis, who having in vain applyed to Genl Greene, for an equitable & General exchange of prisoners finds it necessary in justice, to the King’s service, & those of his army, who are in this disagreeable predicament to pursue such measures as may eventually cause it—And as his Lordship has consequently ordered me to send all the prisoners of war forthwith, to some one of the West India Islands, which I am particularly directed to inform you cannot be delayed beyond the middle of next month and for this purpose the transports are now allotted of which an account will soon be transmitted you.

“I am sorry to add, that the treatment our Militia received when made prisoners by Brigdr Genl Marion, is such, as unless speedily redressed, will compel me in justice to those unhappy persons, to a severe retaliation, & in that case, I shall be obliged to separate the Militia from the continintal prisoners of War” (DLC:GW). Lt. Gen. Charles Cornwallis had written Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene on 15 April about prisoner exchanges (see Greene Papers description begins Richard K. Showman et al., eds. The Papers of General Nathanael Greene. 13 vols. Chapel Hill, N.C., 1976–2005. description ends , 8:102).

9. Mathews served as chairman of a congressional committee that wrote Greene from Philadelphia on 30 April: “We are directed by Congress to communicate to you the complaints that have been made, of a number of the british Officers being suffered to remain in Charles Town on parole when the enemy extend this indulgence with a very sparing hand to our Officers, that you should enquire into the matter and rectify whatever improprieties may have arisen in conducting this business.

“It is also the wish of Congress that you would endeavour to negociate an exchange of prisoners and relieve as many of ours as you possibly can, from the horrors of so severe a Captivity as they experience.” The committee informed Greene that his action was urgent “as the enemy have already engaged a very large number of our men, (from good authority we are informed between 5 and 600) and are daily engaging more in their service” (Smith, Letters of Delegates description begins Paul H. Smith et al., eds. Letters of Delegates to Congress, 1774–1789. 26 vols. Washington, D.C., 1976–2000. description ends , 17:198–99). Greene enclosed a copy of a cartel for the exchange of prisoners when he wrote Huntington on 10 May (see Greene Papers description begins Richard K. Showman et al., eds. The Papers of General Nathanael Greene. 13 vols. Chapel Hill, N.C., 1976–2005. description ends , 8:234–35).

The Pennsylvania Evening Post, and Public Advertiser (Philadelphia) for 1 Sept. published an item dated 10 July from “BASSETERRE”: “The vessels which appeared off this island a few days ago, and were by most people supposed to be spies upon our coast, prove to have been six transports from Charlestown, in South-Carolina, bound to Jamaica, with troops on board, under the command of lord Charles Montagu. One of the St. Christophers papers says the number was seven hundred, and the other calls them 560 rank and file, besides commissioned and non-commissioned officers. … These troops are said to have been American prisoners taken by lord Cornwallis, who voluntarily entered into his majesty’s service, on condition of not being compelled to serve against their countrymen.”

Lord George Germain wrote Gen. Henry Clinton from Whitehall on 12 Oct.: “The facility with which Major Odell and Lord Charles Montagu raised their corps among the rebel prisoners for service in the West Indies is a proof that the Americans are not averse to going there, and although the prisoners are now released I should hope by holding out the same encouragement as was given by Major Odell and Lord Charles many of them might be induced to return and engage for that service; and as by that means the rebel force would be reduced and our islands strengthened without drawing more troops from this country” (Davies, Documents of the American Revolution description begins K. G. Davies, ed. Documents of the American Revolution, 1770–1783; (Colonial Office Series). 21 vols. Shannon and Dublin, 1972–81. description ends , 20:237–40, quote on 238; see also Lafayette to GW, 18 Nov. 1780, and n.6 to that document).

Lord Charles Greville Montagu (1741–1784) served intermittently as royal governor of South Carolina from 1766 to 1769 and again from 1771 to 1773. He became a captain in the 88th Regiment of Foot in December 1780, and in February 1781, he held the rank of lieutenant colonel commandant in the Duke of Cumberland’s Regiment. Captured near Cape Fear, N.C., around January 1782, Montagu later became an army major.