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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.

Washington, George, 1732-1799 to Caesar Rodney

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC06484 Author/Creator: Washington, George, 1732-1799 Place Written: West Point, New York Type: Letter signed Date: 26 August 1779 Pagination: 3 p. : address : docket : free frank Height: 30 cm, Width: 17.7 cm Order a Copy

Circular letter written by Washington as commander of the Continental Army to Rodney as Governor of Delaware. The two page letter is accompanied by a leaf entitled "List of American Officers Prisoners who have violated their Paroles belonging to the State of Delaware." Says that he needs the help of the executive power of Rodney to recapture prisoners who have violated their paroles because they have served with the state militia and not the Continental Army. Washington claims it is a matter of honor for prisoners on parole to follow the stipulations of that condition. Says it will help facilitate honest exchanges in the future and keep others from violating parole. Says he does not have sufficient power to recapture these men and hopes Rodney can do it properly. The list for Delaware consists of one officer and another that is crossed out. The address leaf and the list of parole violators are each on separate sheets of paper. Washington's red wax seal is mostly intact.

Washington, George, 1732-1799
Rodney, C. A. (Caesar Augustus), 1772-1824

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