Charles Cornwallis to Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette regarding a prisoner exchange - American History 1493-1945 - Adam Matthew Digital

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Field name	Value
Collection Reference Number	GLC04775
From Archive Folder	Documents Relating to 1781
Title	Charles Cornwallis to Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette regarding a prisoner exchange
Date	18 July 1781
Author	Cornwallis, Charles Cornwallis, Marquis (1738-1805)
Recipient	Lafayette, Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier, Marquis de
Document Type	Correspondence
Content Description	Written by Cornwallis as commander of British forces in the South to Lafayette who commanded American troops in Virginia. Says some of the prisoners settled on for exchange have been sent to Lafayette and that the remainder will be sent on Lafayette's assurance that he will release an equal number of British prisoners and send them to James City Island where the Flag vessels will remain to rescue them. Trusts that Lafayette will keep the newly released prisoners inactive for a reasonable interval until returned British prisoners can be put back into active duty. Separate note written in different hand (the signature cannot be deciphered) says this letter came into his possession through John Armstrong, James Madison's Secretary of War.
Subjects	Revolutionary War Revolutionary War General Military History Global History and Civics Foreign Affairs Continental Army Prisoner of War
People	Cornwallis, Charles Cornwallis, Marquis (1738-1805) Lafayette, Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier, Marquis de (1757-1834)
Place written	near Green Spring, Virginia
Theme	The American Revolution; Foreign Affairs
Sub-collection	The Gilder Lehrman Collection, 1493-1859
Copyright	The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Module	Settlement, Commerce, Revolution and Reform: 1493-1859
Transcript	Show/hide Head Quarters 18th July 1781 Sir A number of your prisoners have arrived from Charlestown agreeable to the Artcl [sic] settled for the Southern department. part of them have already been landed, and the Officers in whose charge they came, have directions to deliver the remainder to persons appointed by you to receive them for receipts, upon an Assurance from you that an equal number of our prisoners shall be sent with as much dispatch as possible to James City Island where the Flag Vessels will remain to receive them. [2] And trusting that your prisoners will remain in a state of inactivity untill a reasonable interval elapses from the delivery of ours to enable us to put our prisoners in Military duty. I have the honour to be Sir Your most obedient & Most humble Servant Cornwallis Major General Marquis de la Fayette [separate note added to the bottom at a later date:] Letter of Lord Cornwallis to the Marquis de la Fayette - Given to me by Major Genl. John Armstrong - formerly Sec. of War under President Madison - [illegible signature]

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