1. For proposals involving the exchange of Convention Army prisoners, American officers and privates, and Lt. Gen. John Burgoyne, see Skinner to GW, 10 March; and GW to Skinner, 12 April, found at Skinner to GW, 10 March, n.6. See also GW to Skinner, 14 and 16 April.

2. The enclosed copy of Skinner’s letter to Joshua Loring, British commissary general of prisoners, written from New York City on 15 May and labeled “(No. 1),” reads: “I am not Authorized to Assent to your proposal of the 3d of March last, but am again to propose to You the Exchange of Lieutenant General Burgoyne and the ballance of Privates due to me, against and for the American Officers unexchanged and Prisoners with you as contained in that proposal; for many reasons this Exchange ought certainly to be carried into Execution previous to any other Exchanges whatever; Shou’d you Consent to it you will find that there will be Still a Ballance due from you which I am to propose may be applied to the relief of our Officers to the Southward.

“I hope you will think this proposal is by no means unreasonable, as the former Objections respecting the Exchange of Lieutt General Burgoyne cannot now be made—And as you cannot pay us the Ballance of Privates you may give us an equivalent in Officers” (DLC:GW).

The enclosed reply from Loring to Skinner is dated 15 May at New York City and docketed “(No. 2)”: “In answer to your Letter of this date respecting the Exchange of Lieutt General Burgoyne I beg leave to repeat the proposal made you on the 29th April for this Gentleman’s Exchange Viz:

“Prisoners taken at the Cedars[:] Valued as ⅌ Tariff[,] 747. One Brigadier General Charlestown Prisr[,] 200[;] One Colonel[,] 100[;] [Total] 1047[;] Ballce in our favr to be hereafter Accounted for[,] 3[;] [Total] 1044” (DLC:GW). The dockets on the enclosures indicate that the original letters were dated 12 May.

American soldiers had been taken prisoner at the Cedars, a post on the St. Lawrence River, in May 1776. For the remaining captives, see Samuel Huntington to GW, 21 Feb. 1780.

3. Commissioners for prisoner exchange negotiations met at Germantown, Pa., in June 1778 (see Elias Boudinot to GW, 28 June–6 July 1778).

4. Skinner enclosed a proposal from Loring given at New York City on 17 May 1781 and docketed “(No. 3),” which asked “to send a Cartel Vessel or Vessells from Charlestown South Carolina in Order to Convey from thence a Number of American Prisoners of War to Philadelphia, provided that on their Arrival there, Mr Skinner will engage to deliver a like Number of British and German Prisoners of War as shall be nominated by Mr Loring in Exchange for them, and who are to be (within Eight days after the Arrival of said Vessels) Embarked and dispatched with proper passports to proceed to New York.

“Mr Skinner will of course Obtain General Washington’s acquiescence to this Proposal & if it should be approved of by him to be ratifyed on his part, and that he will grant the necessary Passports that such Vessels as may be sent from Charles Town on the purposes before mentioned may be Considered as under the sanction of Flags of truce” (DLC:GW). Loring had prepared a memorandum for Gen. Henry Clinton on 1 May: “As We are indebted to the Rebels 300 privates, and from the best Information I have been able to procure, we have still 1000 Men if not more Prisoners with them, I beg leave to submit it to the Consideration of His Excellency The Commander in Chief, whether it would not be adviseable, to order all the rebel Privates Prisoners at Charles Town that Lord Cornwallis may not have Occasion for, to be sent to New York by the first safe Opportunity, & if none should Offer soon, to know what Number We may Engage to deliver the Enemy by a Cartel that may be sent immediately from Charles Town to Philadelphia” (P.R.O.: 30/11/6, Cornwallis Papers).

5. The “Sugar House,” a five-story stone prison in New York City, had gained a notorious reputation.

6. GW replied to Skinner from New Windsor on 14 June: “Upon my return from Weathersfeild I found yours of the 19th May inclosing sundry propositions of the British Commissary of prisoners. That of setting Genl Burgoyne against the disputed claim of the Cedars is inadmissible—nor can I say any thing to the proposal respecting the Charles town prisoners, as I have good reason to beleive that a Cartel has been settled between General Greene and Lord Cornwallis, tho’ I know nothing of the terms or in what manner they are to be carried into execution.

“It is very strange that our privates should be detained in New York when a considerable indisputed Balance of those under that description is due to us—and when it neither interferes with the southern or convention prisoners. I can only recommend it to you to press Mr Loring to the release of all who are at present in New York.

“I should have answered you sooner, but I have been in daily expectation of seeing you, as I was told you were to have returned immediately from Eliza. Town. … P.S. General Greene has since writing the above furnished me with a Copy of the Cartel entered into between him and Lord Cornwallis, by which the Charles town prisoners are to be exchanged for those taken to the southward” (Df, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW; Tilghman inadvertently wrote “Corrnwallis” on the draft). For the cartel, see Nathanael Greene to GW, 10 May. For GW’s travels, see The Wethersfield Conference and Aftermath, 14 May–16 June, editorial note.