receive any letter or message, nor communicate any intelligence to or from any person but with the privity and permission of the Governor, or other person authorized by him for that purpose, to whom all letters or other papers coming to my hands shall be delivered before their seals shall be broken, or they shall be otherwise opened; and this promise which I make on the faith of a gentleman shall be binding on me until I shall be enlarged from my captivity by exchange or otherwise with the consent of the Governor of Virginia.

VIRGINIA [L. S.]

Under the faith of the above parole- -is discharged from his confinement in the Publick Jail, is to prepare himself immediately and to take hist departure with such Gentlemen as shall be appointed to escort him to Hanover Court house where he is to continue till further orders, not going more than one mile from said court house in any direction.

The County Lieutenant of Hanover has authority to inspect and licence all letters from the said.

As we had suffered already from the simple assertions of obscure persons, one of whom John Dodge, was known by several Virginians to be an unprincipled and perjured renegade, and as we had experienced the inhumanity of the executive power. It plainly appeared that this parole was offered from no other motive than to lay us open to the malice of the first informer when we should probably have been imprisoned as before, with the aditional Stigma of having broken a parole which it was next to impossible to observe in all its parts.

October the 9th. The soldiers were sent from the Jail to the Barrack where being allowed to cut wood a part was sent to the Jail for us, and even the American Soldiers on guard, tho' miserably bare of clothing themselves, used to spare a part of their own fuel for the dressing our victuals.

On Christmas day the Soldiers were marched away to King William County.

The weather at this time became so intensely cold that we could not rise from the floor, but continued day and night in our blankets. The Scurvy began to make its appearance and our legs to swell. The Jailor then concluding we could not survive the severity of the cold in our present situation, took us to an upper room in the Jail where Prisoners had formerly been kept, this tho' it had no windows but an open grate was more tolerable than the Dungeon, we could light a fire in the chimney and by sacrificing part of our blankets to stop the grated window and stuff the cracks in the ceiling we

made a shift to endure in the daytime, at night were remanded to our Dungeon.

April 18th 1780. Lieutenant Schieffelin made his escape in company with Monsieur De Rochblave and after great resques and difficulties got to New York.

We were

June 1st Mr. Maisonville destroyed himself August 1st. marched from Williamsburgh-Major Hay and I sent to the Jail at Chesterfield. The Surgeon and Mr. Bellefeuille to King Williams Court House. Captain Lamothe and Mr. Dejean sometime in last October accepted the parole formerly rejected, the former went to Hanover, the latter went to Colo. Clarke but what is become of him I have not since learn'd.

Some time in September a second parole was offered for our consideration. which varied so little from the first that we chose to remain prisoners rather than accept it.

While at Chesterfield our confinment was rendered very tolerable, and several of the Military and others who were convinced of the injustice and illiberality of our treatment shew'd by their behaviour what opinion they had of the executive power. In this Jail Major Hay and I had a very severe tho' short attack of fever which was pretty generally felt thro' the country, we were well attended. We had liberty to walk about in the neighborhood of the jail. On the 23rd Lieutenant Col. Towler who had been a long time prisoner to the English on Long Island arrived at Chesterfield.

Having

He had had hopes of procuring an exchange, and got permission to come to Virginia to effect it if practicable. He brought me letters from my friends at York which gave me to understand, that unless I accepted the parole, there was little probability of my procuring an exchange. therefore written to Brigadier Hamilton to request the continuence of his kindness to the prisoners now removed to Fredric Town, I with Major Hay accepted the parole following.

I Henry Hamilton Lieutenant Governor and Superintendant of Detroit hereby acknowledge myself a prisoner of war to the Commonwealth of Virginia, and having permission from His Excellency Thomas Jefferson Governor of the said Commonwealth to go to New York, do pledge my faith and most sacred promise upon my parole of honor, that I will not do, say write or cause to be done said or written, directly or indirectly, in any respect whatsoever anything to the prejudice of the United States of America, or any of them, untill I shall be enlarged from my captivity by exchange or otherwise with the consent of the said Governor of Virginia or his successor & that I will return when required by the said Governor or his Suc

cessors, to such place within the said Commonwealth, as he shall point out, and deliver myself up again to him or the person acting for or under him. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Chesterfield this 10th day of October 1780.

HENRY HAMILTON, [L. S.]

The within mentioned Henry Hamilton, having sigined a parole of which this is a copy, has permission to go to New York and to remain within such parts of that State as are in possession of the Armies of his Britannick Majesty, until he shall be exchanged or otherwise liberated with consent of the Governor of Virginia for the time being, or until he shall be recall'd by him.

Given under my hand and Seal of the Commonwealth of Virginia at Richmond, date within written.

TH. JEFFERSON, [L. S.]

Having accepted this parole we hastened to Williamsburgh on our way to Hampton and there were stopped by the Lt. Governor who as General Leslie had just arrived thought it not advisable to let us pass, and gave orders for our being escorted back to Richmond. This treatment I resented telling them they might march me back a prisoner, but that this was a step they might judge imprudent in the present juncture.

They seemed to think so for we had liberty to proceed. As soon as I had given certificates, recommending to General Leslie such of the Inhabitants as had shown an attachment to Government or had been kind to us in our distress, we proceeded to York, where some turbulent people were minded to set a guard over us and stop our progress, at length we got to Hampton. This short journey cost us one thousand pounds such was the depreciated state of the paper money at that time.

At Hampton people were civel to us, furnished us with a canoe, which to our inexpressible satisfaction put on board His Majestys Sloop Delight, Captain Inglis, who by his kind reception of us presently recruited our lowered spirits. We next went to wait on Captain Grayton commander of the Squadron.

The chartel vessel which was to have convey'd us from Hampton to New York, had been taken and the Master's certificate not appearing genuine, he with the vessel were detained.

Having paid our respects to General Leslie who received us with the greatest politeness we returned to the Romulus, Captain Grayton's ship. The chartel master was suffered to go to Hampton to prepare for his voyage. The stores which General Leslie and Captain Grayton had most liberally

supplied us were plundered by the Americans on shore for we did not choose to resque ourselves out of a King's Ship, At length we set off from the Romulus in our Chartel, a little miserable sloop of 36 feet keel, for a passage in which we were obliged to pay four hundred hard dollars. A violent gale of wind obliged us to anchor off Smith's Islands, where we were v ry near perishing, our crew was three hours at work to get the anchor out of the ground, at last we got it home, leaving one flook behind, and to our no small mortification were obliged to put back to Hampton. Here we were on the point of being detained by order of General Wilson who had assembled some militia, but our skipper being desirous to get away, and having got another anchor, we once more set sail for New York. A very severe gale of wind took us near the Capes of Delaware when onr skipper not having a log lime on board laid the vessel to, and we had reason in the morning to admire our good fortune, for the wind was right on shore, and it was twelve at night when we lay to, judging by the sun that we were opposite Delaware Bay, as it proved for we had driven seven leagues up the bay from the time of laying to.

We arrived at New York very squalid spectacles, not having had any sleep for three days and nights, our clothes ragged, shoes broken, and so altered in face and figure that our acquaintances could scarcely recollect us. His Excellency Sir Henry Clinton, Major General Phillips, Lord Rawdon were so good as to take several steps towards procuring our Exchange, which finally took place on the 4th day of March 1781, we took our passage for England the 10th but the packet not sailing till the 27th of May our arrival in this country was so late as the 21st June.

Thus Sir I have attempted to give Your Excellency some account of my unfortunate failure, with the causes of it which while I lament I must attribute chiefly if not entirely, to the treachery of persons, whom I had reason to expect, Lenity and moderation would have gained, and whose interest it was to be faithfull.

Among those to be raised for this Service, there was but little choice, the arts of some rebel emmisaries, and the brigues of persons still attach'd to the Interest of France got the better of the good intentions the Canadians might have set out with.

The difficulties and danger of Colonel Clarke's march from the Illinois, were such as required great courage to encounter, and great perseverance to overcome. In trusting to traitors he was more fortunate than myself, whether on the whole he was entitled to success is not for me to determine. If my conduct appears to your Excellency in a justifiable light, I may hope to be more pitied than blamed at least your approbation will enable me to

support the weight of that censure which seldom fails to accompany an unsuccessful enterprise.

I have the honor to be with profound respect, Sir, Your Excllency's most devoted, most obedient and most humble Servant,

Jermyn Street London July 6th 1781

HENRY HAMILTON.

Endorsed: Lt. Gr. Hamilton London the 6th July 1781 Rec'd from Himself N. B. Ent'd Book marked B. no. 1. folio 73

[B 123, p. 53.]

LETTERS OF HALDIMAND, BREHM, AND SINCLAIR.

SINCLAIR TO HALDIMAND.

SIR-From the means of conveying this I cannot do myself the honor of sending Your Excellency a copy of the letter sent from my Lord George Germaine relative to me. When His Lordship judged proper to send me to

join General Howe.

No opportunity tho' repeatedly petitioned for, offered for my attending my Duty in your Province, which I endeavoured to draw General Howe's attention to, by applying for leave to carry with the Artificers from Philadelphia in order to make them of service in Canada, and that they might not remain for the conveniency of the Rebels.

I have only to assure Your Excellency that it gave me the greatest satisfaction to find that I was to have the honor of being under your command, having for you Sir the most perfect esteem and respect.

PATT SINCLAIR,

Lt. Gov'r of Michill.

Halifax 20th Oct'r 1778.

[B 97 1, p. 76.]

INSTRUCTIONS FOR

CAPTAIN PATRICK SINCLAIR, LIEUT. GOVERNOR & SUPERINTENDENT OF INDIAN AFFAIRS AT MISSILC.

1. As soon as you have received those orders you will repair to the Post of Michilimackinac with all possible Dispatch.