Letter from Governour Cooke to General Washington

v5:467

East-Greenwich, March 22, 1776.

SIR: At the request of the General Assembly now sitting here, I make application to your Excellency for six seamen taken from the enemy, and now your prisoners, to be exchanged for six inhabitants of this Colony, who were taken and are detained by Captain Wallace. Four of these men have families, who are greatly distressed. I send this by express, by reason of the danger of Captain Wallace' s being removed from this station, and carrying these unfortunate people with him; or, if that should not be the case, of his sending them to Britain, to the utter ruin of them and their families. We have but two prisoners in this Colony, both officers, and active enterprising men, whom we should be extremely unwilling to give up.

I beg the favour of your Excellency to give this matter the quickest despatch, and to deliver the seamen to Mr˙ Burr, the bearer, to be immediately brought into this Colony.

I am, with great truth and respect, sir, your most obedient humble servant,

NICHOLAS COOKE.

To His Excellency General Washington.