Board of War to George Washington, 4 June 1781
From the Board of War
War Office [Philadelphia] June 4th 1781
Sir
We have the Honour to enclose to you a Copy of a Letter we recieved from Genl Hamilton of the Convention Troops which we informed him we had referred to your Determination & that he would probably hear from the Commissary General of Prisoners what Directions your Excellency may give on the Subject on the Arrival of the Convention Officers at the Place of their Destination in Connecticut. We have the Honour to be with the greatest Respect & Esteem your very obedt Servts
Richard Peters
By Order
ALS, DLC:GW.
The enclosed copy of a letter British brigadier general James Inglis Hamilton wrote the board from Frederick, Md., on 19 May reads: “Some little time ago I received a letter from Mr Commissary Genl Lorin mentioning that he had received His Excellency Genl Sir Henry Clintons Orders to apply for the Exchange of Lieut. Col. Hill of the 9th Regiment and till such time as it was effected directed that I should apply to Col. Wood or whoever superintended the Troops of Convention to procure liberty for Colonel Hill to go to New York on Parole on Account of his Health.
“I wrote Colonel Wood on this Subject when in Virginia and now that he has returned have renewed my Request which by his representation I flatter myself to have a favorable Answer” (DLC:GW; see also Samuel Huntington to GW, 26 March, and notes 1–2). Hamilton’s correspondence with Joshua Loring, British commissary general of prisoners, and Col. James Wood has not been identified. After being denied an exchange, Lt. Col. John Hill was given parole (see GW to Huntington, 31 March, and n.6, and to the Board of War, 21 June, and n.8).