Washington, George, 1732-1799 to Matthias Ogden re: plan to capture Prince William Henry and Admiral Digby
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC04386 Author/Creator: Washington, George, 1732-1799 Place Written: Morristown, NJ Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 1782/03/28 Pagination: 1 p. : Height: 31.7 cm, Width: 19.7 cm Order a Copy
Approving a plan to capture (or kidnap) the future William IV but advising Ogden to treat them with respect and warning him (in a postscript) to avoid touching neutral ground. Boatner's Encyclopedia of the American Revolution notes the plan was compromised and abandoned. A docket on the verso indicates that the letter was shown by Louis W. Lane before 1838 [sic?] to King William who remarked: "I am obliged to General Washington for his humanity, but I'm damn'd glad I didn't give him an opportunity of exercising it towards me." (Also see related GLC 7436, a "Vue d'Optique" print of the arrival of Prince William Henry ("Quillaume [sic] Henry") in New York.)
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