Samuel Tucker to the American Commissioners
ALS: American Philosophical Society
<On board the Boston, Port Louis, July 14, 1778: A letter of the
8th from Mr. Livingston tells me that a prisoner exchange is
possible. I enclose a list of those on board, and a list of men
recaptured, I suppose, in one of my prizes; the other two have
already arrived. I am waiting on orders to join Capt. Whipple.
He tells me he will be ready by the 20th and expects me to
wait at the river’s mouth.
The enclosed statement written by one of the marines and
signed by five others will show the treatment they received
from me and my officers. Gen. Latuch [La Touche] will wait
on you with an account of Sergeant Cazneau [Cazeneuve]; it
is false, in that the sergeant is indebted to the ship. Every one
begged me to take the marines back because they were destitute,
but I refused all but those mentioned in the statement;
them I took to show that their report was untrue.
Please, if possible, exchange Captain John Lee, taken in the
brig Fanney [Fancy] and a brother of mine his master, Andrew
Slyfield, who are in Mill Prison, and my nephew John Diamond.
I should be glad to have a number of my captives exchanged
for those in that prison. O that I were manned with
Americans or others I could depend on! But I must do my
best. p.s. The Britannia has just arrived, and I am happy that
my men are not prisoners.>
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