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Jenkinson, Charles, 1727-1808 to William Phillips

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC04796 Author/Creator: Jenkinson, Charles, 1727-1808 Place Written: London, England Type: Letter signed Date: 3 November 1779 Pagination: 4 p. : docket ; Height: 33 cm, Width: 20.3 cm Order a Copy

Written by Jenkinson as Secretary of War in Lord North's ministry in London to Major General Phillips as the ranking officer of the Convention Army, which consisted of prisoners of war from the Saratoga campaign. The army was being barracked in Massachusetts. Marked duplicate. References Phillips's letters of 20 March 1779, 30 May 1779, and 3 June 1779. Tries to alleviate the worry that Convention Army officers have about being passed over in rank. Says Phillips must have gotten the idea from the newspapers. At issue was a resolution by the House of Commons that each regiment was to have two companies added. Officers in the Convention Army feared that this would give an unfair advantage in promotions to other regiments. Jenkinson says this is not the case because all the regiments in America were previously organized with 12 companies instead of 10 companies. Says that the government has not forgotten about the prisoners of war and that they will experience its favor and protection in an equal degree to the rest of the army.

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