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At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Phillips, William, 1731-1781 to William Heath

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC04834 Author/Creator: Phillips, William, 1731-1781 Place Written: Cambridge, Massachusetts Type: Letter signed Date: 17 June 1778 Pagination: 2 p. : Height: 23.2 cm, Width: 18.5 cm Order a Copy

Written by British General Phillips as commanding officer of the Convention Army, which consisted of prisoners of war from the Saratoga campaign to Heath as American commander in charge of the Convention Army. Phillips wants to know if Heath will make efforts for the departure of the Convention Army to Europe as the terms of surrender dictated. Quotes part of a letter from General Sir William Howe, who hopes they can depart soon. Wants to know if Heath has any authority on the subject. Hopes they can act as gentlemen toward each other. Pages are separated and pasted on opposite sides of another sheet of paper.

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