Warfare in North America, c. 1756-1815 | British Perspectives
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Title:
PRO 30/55/076/085 - Copy Letter from John Power to Honble James Birche
Date:
1783
Language:
English
Date from:
1783-07-17
Date to:
1783-07-17
Section:
2 : PRO 30/55 - British Army Headquarters Papers
TNA Shelfmark:
PRO 30/55/076/085
Full Description:
John Power to Major-General Commandant James Birche. Main Guard. Five o'clock afternoon. Memorial. Is a Loyalist from Massachusetts Bay. Has done his best to assist the King's cause by counterfeiting Rebel paper money with the aim of debasing the Rebels' currency. Was approached by James May to make for him a few blank notes of Messrs Morris & Hillegas in order to take in some Rebels who had injured him; subsequent events. Does not consider that he has done anything criminal under British law. Prays for consideration and mercy. 8575. William Nicholls, Lemuel Nichols and Sylvanus Lyon to Carleton. Provost. Memorial. That they are confined in the Provost charged by Colonel Smith, one of the American Commissioners for Superintending Embarkations, for the supposed crime of receiving notes issued by Robert Morris knowing them to be counterfeit and negotiating them as such within this garrison; that they are British subjects, do not accept the jurisdiction of Congress as extending to this garrison and cannot be liable for passing Mr Morris's notes even if they know them to be counterfeit, any more than Congress are punishable under their government for clipping British coins; that William Nichols is in a dangerous state of bad health, will die if not released and is willing to give substantial bail for his release. Pray that Carleton's warrant or that he will grant them a discharge.
TNA Link:
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C16528850
Format:
Handwritten
DOI:
10.1163/37612_WNA_PRO_PRO_30_55_76_85