Sold – In a Letter to Signer Robert Morris, John Hancock Sends First Funds For Relief of American Pr

The Battle of Long Island, fought on August 27, 1776, was the first major battle in the Revolutionary War following the Declaration of Independence as well as the first battle engaged in by an army of the United States. It was also the first combat of the war that resulted in a substantial number of prisoners of war, with over 1,000 being taken. These included scores of officers, the senior one being Col. Samuel Miles. More Americans were taken prisoner in the fall, as the British took New York and pushed the Continental Army to White Plains and beyond. Then came the disaster at Fort Washington, the last position the Americans held on Manhattan Island. On November 16, the British launched a three-pronged attack on the fort. American forces put up a strong resistance (particularly the Maryland and Virginia riflemen led by Lt. Col. Moses Rawlings), but were outnumbered three to one. The fort was surrendered and almost 3,000 Americans were taken, among them Rawlings and Lt. Daniel Cresap, brother of the founder of the Maryland rifle unit. American prisoners of war now numbered over 4300 in all and they were confined in British-held New York. Soon after, the British pushed Washington’s army into New Jersey and headed in the direction of the insurrectionist capital of Philadelphia. The Continental Congress fled the city to seek safety in Baltimore, and would remain there from December 12, 1776 – March 4, 1777. Robert Morris remained behind in Philadelphia to transact all necessary business there.

Neither side was prepared to support large numbers of prisoners of war for extended periods of time, because the standard practice in eighteenth-century warfare was to exchange prisoners rather quickly. However, exchange cartels were forms of treaties, and the British balked at agreeing to such cartels with the Americans because that could be deemed recognition of the United States as an independent nation. The great scarcity of provisions, caused in part by British commissaries’ skimming from the little funds that were allocated for prisoners, and cruel conduct of the British provost marshal, all combined to produce intense sufferings and disease among the Americans.

Soon word got out from New York of the terrible conditions under which the prisoners were being held, and Washington heard of this directly from Col. Miles on the scene there. As early as November 19, he wrote Congress “The Inclosed letter from Cols. Miles and Atlee will shew Congress the distressed situation of our Prisoners in New York, and will become greater every day, by the cold, inclement Season that is approaching.” He soon wrote the British commander, Sir William Howe, proposing prisoner exchanges and a small number were worked out and implemented. Many POWs were so ill and weak that they died shortly after reaching the U.S. camp. On November 27, Washington wrote John Hancock that Miles, "who has been permitted to go to Philadelphia for a few days by Genl Howe, will deliver you this, and inform you of the distresses of our Prisoners and the necessity of effecting their exchange as far as we have Prisoners to give in return." In late December, Washington informed Connecticut Governor Trumbull, “I have felt for our unhappy prisoners, all that you express in yours of the 12th, and I have done all in my power to alleviate their distresses. Col. Miles procured a Supply of 8,000 dollars from Congress to be laid out in Necessaries for them, which I hope would afford them some relief in that respect…” Miles may have returned to New York with gold and silver, but more likely he had been given the promise of some sort of credit line on a merchant there. Whether the funds were ever delivered to Miles for the use of prisoners is not known. Perhaps not, as on February 11, 1777, the New York newspaper Gaine’s Mercury quoted the British Commissary, Joshua Loring, as saying that “but little provisions had been sent in by the rebels for their prisoners.”

In late December, Washington sent Howe a draft for a small amount of money asking that it be given to Gen. Charles Lee, who had recently been captured in New Jersey on December 12.  A month later, he contacted Robert Morris, saying “Complaints of the Usage of the prisoners, both in the land and Sea service, have been the subjects of many of my Letters to Lord and General Howe, but all the Satisfaction or Answer, that I could ever obtain, was, that the Reports were groundless. However upon the Authority of Capt. Gamble’s relation, and the miserable emaciated Countenances of those poor Creatures, who have lately been released, I shall take the Liberty of remonstrating sharply to his Lordship and the General, and let them know in very plain terms, that if their rule of Conduct towards our prisoners is not altered, we shall be obliged, however disagreeable it may be, to make retaliation.” He followed up quickly, writing Howe on January 20, “ I am sorry that I am again under the necessity of remonstrating to you upon the Treatment which our prisoners continue to receive in New York. Those, who have lately been sent out, give the most shocking Accounts of their barbarous usage, which their Miserable, emaciated Countenances confirm…I would beg that some certain Rule of Conduct towards Prisoners may be settled; if you are determined to make Captivity as distressing as possible, to those whose Lot it is to fall into it, let me know it, that we may be upon equal terms, for your Conduct must and shall mark mine. If a real scarcity of the Articles of Provision and fuel, at this inclement Season, is the Cause that our prisoners are debarred them, common humanity points out a mode; which is, of suffering them to go home under parole, not to serve during the War, or until an equal number are released by us for them.”  There would soon be efforts in the American camp to provide relief for Rawlings and other POWs.

In 1776, the Continental Congress established the Marine Committee to handle the new nation’s naval affairs. There were 13 initial members, among them John Hancock and Robert Morris. This committee was responsible for constructing and outfitting a navy, selecting officers, planning operations, setting rules for privateering, and monitoring, countering and destroying enemy shipping. In January 1777, most of the committee were with Congress in Baltimore, while the committee’s records, along with its secretary John Brown, remained with Morris in Philadelphia. This arrangement was proving not to be workable and members were anxious to put it to an end.

As 1777 opened, the Royal Navy was active and a more effective opposition was needed, plus plans were in place for the small American fleet to both oppose these activities in the north and to go on the offensive in the south. Hancock, writing for the committee, sent orders saying “The Marine Committee now at Baltimore have instructed Commodore Hopkins to fit out the two Continental frigates Warren and Providence with all possible expedition, and to order them forthwith to proceed on a Cruize upon the enemies ships of war that are interrupting the commerce of the United States…” On February 5, Hancock wrote to Morris in Philadelphia about the plan: “…we have determined to send all the Armed Vessels mentioned in your Letter to be now at Philadelphia and the frigate Randolph likewise on this business.”

Autograph Letter Signed as President of Congress, Baltimore, February 7, 1777, to Robert Morris, both sending money to beleaguered American officers in New York and insisting that the Marine Committee records be sent to Baltimore right away. “I have only time to forward you the Inclos’d Letters, the one for Col. Rawlings with the two parcels of money for our Friends who are Prisoners in New York. I must beg the favor that you send to Genl. Washington with a request that he would order it by Flag to the persons to whom it is Directed. Pray order the Books & papers of the Marine Committee to be forwarded here immediately, as also Mr. Brown to come here. We cannot do without them, and Congress are uneasy they are not here. God Bless You.” The letter is docketed by Morris on the verso, “Baltimore, 7 Febr. 1777, John Hancock, Esq.”

The funds Hancock sent were for the relief of Fort Washington captive officers Moses Rawlings (who was sent six half Johannes, a Portuguese gold coin worth about $5.00) and Daniel Cresap (who was sent 10 half Johannes). The source of the money was likely the Marine Committee itself or the Board of War, though it is also possible that private merchants might have provided the cash to Congress. On February 12, Morris complied with Hancock’s request, writing to General Washington “I have this morning received the letter & two parcells of money sent herewith, from Mr. Hancock who requests you will send them in by a Flag. The letter is for Lieut. Col. Rawlings, one parcell said to contain six half Johannes is for him & the other said to Contain ten half Johannes for Lieut. Cresap, but both are to be delivered to Col. Rawlings according to the terms of the letter herewith.” With the fate of Col. Miles’ $8,000 unknown and Lee receiving a check, these appear to be the first cash relief monies certain to have been provided by Congress to Americans prisoner of war in the Revolution.

We would like to thank the George Washington Papers project for their generous assistance in the research of this letter.