Christian Stenger and William Straughan: Petition to
the American Commissioners
DS: American Philosophical Society
<On board the Ranger, May 18, 1778: One of us commanded
the Dolphin, sunk with her cargo, and the other the Lord
Chatham, captured in the Irish Channel. We have dependent
children, eleven and eight of them respectively, and they will
be reduced to begging if we are held for long. Capt. Jones gave
us an “Ovasif Promisse” to release us in return for our help in
navigating off the Irish coast. If you agree, let us be put on one
of the Dutch ships now in Brest, which will take us to some
French or Spanish port where we are sure to find merchant
friends.>
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