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This collection contains 32 documents regarding the nautical careers of merchant ship captains Jacob and Edward Taylor of Plymouth, Massachusetts. Sailing orders, bills of lading, wage agreements, and other financial and legal records relate to their voyages to Gibraltar, the Caribbean, and Virginia in the late 18th century.

This collection contains 32 documents regarding the nautical careers of merchant ship captains Jacob and Edward Taylor of Plymouth, Massachusetts. Sailing orders, bills of lading, wage agreements, and other financial and legal records relate to their voyages to Gibraltar, the Caribbean, and Virginia, in the late 18th century. Included are 12 items associated with Jacob Taylor (1759-1786), 17 items about Edward Taylor (1794-1798), and 3 additional documents (1828 and undated).

Personal receipts, accounts, and bills of lading (dated in the mid- to late 18th century) relate to Jacob Taylor's career as captain of several merchant schooners and sloops. Taylor frequently traveled to the Caribbean on ships laden with goods such as sugar, beef, and other foodstuffs. Two documents, a bill of lading and a record for the court of the Vice Admiralty at Halifax, concern the Little Betsey's intended voyage from Boston to Gibraltar in early 1759. The court record attests that the ship became leaky soon after leaving shore, and that an inquest formally acknowledged that the ship was not fit to sail. The document also lists the cargo onboard the ship. Other items include partially printed documents concerning pay for Taylor and other crewmembers on the Plymouth and Polly.

The second group of documents concerns Edward Taylor's career in the 1790s. These records primarily relate to his activities as captain of the Swallow, which traveled to Martinique, Guadalupe, and other Caribbean ports at the behest of Boston merchants William Jackson, Thomas Jackson, Jr., and Barnabas Hedge, Jr. Four sets of orders from the merchants direct Taylor to take command of the Swallow and Caroline, and list the goods he should procure while abroad, such as molasses. These instructions and a signed affidavit from Guadalupe also concern a French embargo against English goods and encourage Taylor to behave in a civil manner toward "belligerent" ships. Payment agreements are also included, as are a small, partially filled account book and an invoice for cod shipped on the Swallow.

The remaining items are a partially printed, signed insurance agreement for Philadelphia Merchant William Dowell (October 19, 1759); a partially printed document dated 1828, showing the value of cargo aboard the Mary and Hero; and an undated page of financial accounts.

• Joseph Taylor
  • Lemuel (Schooner)
  • Little Betsey (Sloop)
  • Mars (Ship)
  • Plymouth (Sloop)
  • Polly (Schooner)
  • Salley (Schooner)
  • Willingmind (Schooner)
• Edward Taylor
  • Betsy (Schooner)
  • Caroline (Schooner)
  • Swallow (Schooner)

The Nathanael Greene papers contain Greene's military and personal correspondence during American Revolution, with the bulk of the collection documenting his command in the Southern Department (1780-1783). The collection includes Greene's communications with George Washington, the Continental Congress, the War Board, state governors, and Continental Army officers and subordinates. Also present are military documents, such as returns, memoranda, and expense reports, and personal letters to and from his wife Catherine. In addition to this finding aid, the Clements Library holds a List of Contributors.

The Nathanael Greene papers (approximately 5100 items) contain Greene's military and personal correspondence during American Revolution, with the bulk of the collection documenting his command in the Southern Department (1780-1783). Included are Greene's communications with George Washington; the Continental Congress; the War Board; many state governors, such as Thomas Jefferson; and Continental Army officers and subordinates. Also present are various military documents, such as returns, memoranda, and expense reports, and personal letters with his wife Catherine and friend Charles Pettit.

The majority of the collection has been published in the Rhode Island Historical Society's The Papers of General Nathanael Greene (1976-2005). Much of the published material, however, is abstracted, and hundreds of the collection's letters and documents were left out of the volumes. Many of the unpublished items are documents (memoranda, returns, expense reports etc.) and letters to or from persons other than Greene, though occasionally Greene letters and drafts were omitted.

The Correspondence and Documents series (4720 items) contain Greene's incoming and outgoing communications, documenting his military leadership, decision-making, and activities during the American Revolution. A prolific letter writer, he communicated with governors of the southern states, merchants selling to the quartermaster's department, complaining civilians, British officers, and, during his later years, business associates. During the war, he reported regularly to George Washington, the president of Continental Congress and certain committee members, and the Board of War. Also important are the letters to and from his fellow and subordinate officers in the quartermaster's department, the militia of the southern states, and the regular southern army, such as Ichabod Burnet, Mordecai Gist, James Gunn, Isaac Huger, Henry Knox, Henry Lee, Francis Marion, Israel Putnam, Arthur St. Clair, and Otho Holland Williams, among many others. In addition to letters, the series contains orders, memoranda, intelligence reports, expense accounts, and official letters. Of note are two letters from General Rochambeau to Greene written in Washington's cipher with contemporary translations (February 26, and April 6, 1782).

Although the bulk of the collection concerns military affairs, personal and family letters are also present, including 96 letters between Greene and his wife Catherine (Caty) Greene, and 70 letters from Greene's friend Charles Pettit of Philadelphia. Catherine also received letters from army officers and other prominent government figures, as well as from admirers, family, and friends.

The Household and Personal Accounts series (232 items) contains receipts and bills for Greene and his family, covering 1779 to 1786.

The Letters and Memo Book of Nathanael and Catherine Greene series (119 items) contains two volumes of letters to and from Nathanael and Catherine Greene, and one memo book. Letters fall into four categories: letters from Nathanael to Catherine Greene, letters from Greene to various recipients, letters to Greene, and letters to Catherine Greene. These letters concern both personal and military matters and include letters to Catherine after Greene's death. In addition to the letters, the volumes are illustrated with engraving portraits of the following contributors: Nathanael Greene (9 portraits), Edward Carrington, Thomas Jefferson, Mordecai Gist, Henry Lee, Alexander Martin, Robert Morris, Otho H. Williams, Henry Knox, Tobias Lear, Samuel Livermore, Edward Rutledge, Littleton W. Tazewell, and Anthony Wayne (2 portraits). The memo book (22 pages) contains Greene's notes on personal accounts throughout 1776. Many entries record debts incurred by Greene while in military service. Also present is an index of the letters, with abstracts, created by George H. Richmond for an auction.

The Battle of Cowpens Letters series (17 items) consists of 15 letters and two engravings (January-June 1781). These comprise Greene's retained copies of letters to generals Daniel Morgan, Thomas Sumter, and Francis Marion concerning the American victory at the Battle of Cowpens (January 1781), and the failed siege of Fort Ninety-Six (May-June 1781). The engravings are of Greene in military dress and of a neoclassical memorial celebrating Greene with the subtitle "a patriot, a hero, a friend."

The First Overtures for the Cessation of Hostilities in the American War of Independence Made by the British to General Nathanael Greene, 1782 series (16 items) is a volume containing letters and documents to and from Greene concerning Britain's peace proposals in 1782. Included are letters from Greene to various British and American officers, with details on receiving peace documents and discussing terms of peace. Each item is transcribed. Also present is a facsimile of the volume with photostats of each item.

The Last Will and Testament series (4 pages) comprises a contemporary copy of Greene's will from October 11, 1785. The will contains Greene's signature and seal.

The Penn-Gaskell family collection contains correspondence, documents, and other items related to the descendants of Christiana Gulielma Penn, a great-granddaughter of Pennsylvania founder William Penn, and her husband, Peter Gaskell.

The Penn-Gaskell family collection (18 items) contains correspondence, documents, and other items related to the descendants of Christiana Gulielma Penn, a great-granddaughter of Pennsylvania founder William Penn, and her husband, Peter Gaskell. Many of the items concern Thomas Penn-Gaskell and Peter Penn-Gaskell, grandsons of Christiana Penn and Peter Gaskell.

The materials pertain to topics such as real estate, genealogy, and finances. Documents include 2 copies of Thomas Penn-Gaskell's will (October 9, 1823); marriage certificates for Peter Penn-Gaskell and Louisa Heath (February 15, 1825) and for Peter Penn-Gaskell and Mary Kathleen Stubbs (July 7, 1869); and Peter Penn-Gaskell's appointment as a justice of the peace for County Cork, Ireland (November 20, 1880). The collection also includes a book containing copied documents pertaining to Peter Gaskell's affairs in Ireland in the 1760s, compiled by Thomas Penn-Gaskell in November 1785. The copied documents and financial records largely concern land ownership.

This volume was owned by successive generations of the Hoyt family in Stamford, Connecticut, and Hudson, Michigan, in the 18th and 19th centuries. Its contents include military accounts from St. Johns, Newfoundland; arithmetic problems and solutions; and drawings of animals and natural scenes, including two hunters' encounter with a bear.

This book was owned by successive generations of the Hoyt family in Stamford, Connecticut, and Hudson, Michigan, in the 18th and 19th centuries. The front cover of the hide-bound volume bears the faint remnants of the English royal arms. Writing on the inside of the front cover indicates that the volume was owned by Jonah Hoyt (or Hait) before being presented to his grandson, Fred L. Hoyt, on his 21st birthday. The early pages include 7 pages of accounts for the receipt of military stores and provisions at St. Johns, Newfoundland, between September 1762 and August 1764. The section also contains a birth register regarding the children of Jonah and Anna Polmateer Hoyt.

The bulk of the volume is mathematical problems and solutions, including exercises related to multiplication, division, fractions and decimals, currency reduction, and the rule of three (cross-multiplication). Several measurement conversion tables, brief poems, penmanship exercises, and geometric line drawings are interspersed throughout this portion of the book, which also includes signatures by Jonah Hoyt and his son Lewis. Most of the poems are brief and humorous, with longer poems concerning a visit to London and the virtue of patience. Newspaper clippings regarding the death and funeral of George Washington, the wealth of Cornelius Vanderbilt, presidential election results from 1789 to 1872, and Ralph Waldo Emerson's poem "Boston" are laid and pasted into the volume. A few plants are also laid in, as well as a letter from T. Andrews to Mary Andrews about life in Ypsilanti, Michigan, in February 1837. Decorated cutouts made from colored paper are pasted into the volume.

Emery Hoyt and other family members created many drawings, which appear after the arithmetic problems. Two are colored: a partially colored view of a church resembling a castle and a reproduction of an engraving showing a waterfront scene (the original engraving is laid into the volume). Most of the remaining pictures are pencil drawings and sketches of wild animals, including woodland creatures such as squirrels and deer; farm animals such as horses, cattle, and pigs; and African animals such as elephants, an oryx, and rhinoceroses. Other scenes of note show two hunters during an encounter with a bear, with one of the hunters preparing to hit the bear with the butt of his rifle; a safari hunter beside an elephant; and cavalry officers stabbing and shooting Native Americans. Also included are an outline of the state of Maine and a sketch of a sailing ship.

The Thomas Gage warrants are financial documents authorizing payment for the British military forces in North America from the conclusion of the French and Indian War through the beginning of the Revolutionary War. The warrants are one series within the larger Thomas Gage papers. The Gage Warrants Finding Aid and Index provides additional information on the Gage Warrants and an itemized list of volumes 6-36.

The financial records contained in this collection represent financial accounts for British forces in North America from the conclusion of the French and Indian War to the beginning of the Revolutionary War. These documents are secretarial copies retained by Thomas Gage (1720-1787) for his personal records.

• Subsistence warrants: Documents issued by Gage authorizing payment for regular salaries and rations.
• Warrants for extraordinary expenses: Documents issued by Gage authorizing payment for irregular expenses.
• Temporary warrants: Documents signed by Gage allowing financial advances.
• Annexed accounts: Detailed lists or accounts affixed to warrants, often including vouchers and receipts from various middlemen and agents. These may be lists of bills of exchange and are occasionally signed.
• Abstracts of accounts: Abstracts or explanations of complex accounts.
• Vouchers: Receipts showing payment.
• These may include:
  • Bills of lading: Used when dealing with hired ships.
  • Pay rolls: Listing of personnel, their occupations, and their wages.
  • Invoices: Enumerating goods received.
  • Bills of exchange: Calling for one party to pay a certain amount to a second party; may be accompanied by receipts.

• Memorials: Signed statements certifying that a service has been performed.
• Legal documents: Depositions, testimonies, contracts, or other witnessed and sworn statements.
• Discharges: Documents releasing men or vessels from military service.
• Wrappers: Papers in which documents were originally contained.

See the Gage Warrants Finding Aid and Index (pdf) for more information on the Gage Warrants and an itemized list of volumes 6-36.

See the finding aid for the Thomas Gage papers for a complete description of the collection.

The Abraham Whipple papers contain letters and documents relating to Whipple's employment with Rhode Island merchant Nicholas Brown and Company (1763-1767), and his service in the Continental Navy, 1776-1780. The collection documents his 1778 mission to France, his role in the southern naval operations during the Revolutionary War (1780), and various other letters, bills of lading, accounts, and receipts.

The Abraham Whipple papers (84 items) contain 51 letters, 1 letter book, and 32 documents relating to Whipple's employment with the Browns of Providence (1763-1767) and his service in the Continental Navy, 1776-1780. Represented are his 1778 mission to France, his role in the naval operations at Charleston (1780), a memorial of Whipple's services in the American Revolution, his financial accounts with Congress, and various other letters, bills of lading, accounts, and receipts.

The earliest 9 items relate to Whipple’s career as commander of the privateer Game Cock and as an employee for Nicholas Brown Company on the Sloop George (1763-1767). Included are receipts, bills, and sloop accounts, largely for transporting food, supplies, and, in once instance, slaves.

• February 9, 1763: Shipping receipt for shipping two slaves from New York to Rhode Island
• February 28, 1764: Detailed directions from Nicholas Brown and Company on how to evade compliance of the 1733 Molasses Act
• March 29, 1765: Sailing orders from Nicholas Brown and Company, to sell cargo in Surinam and purchase high quality molasses and cloth

The collection contains 64 items documenting Whipple's activities during the Revolutionary War (1773-1780), including prize ship accounts, naval orders, and intelligence. Eighteen items relate to Whipple's mission in France while 16 items concern southern navy operations and the defense of Charleston, both of which were reported on by Southern Department Commander Benjamin Lincoln.

• July 2, 1775: Commission from the Rhode Island Assembly appointing Whipple the captain of the Katy [Caty]
• January 6, 1776: Naval Committee report on how prize money should be distributed between privateers and Congress
• June 22, 1776: List of the crew of the Columbus with names and ranks
• January 23, 1777: Receipt for the captor's share of the prize ships Royal Exchange and Lord Lifford
• October 13, 1777: Directions from the United States Navy Board to assist General Spencer in an attack on Rhode Island
• October 28, 1777: Letter from John Deshon with updated intelligence, calling off the Rhode Island attack, and advising a run for New London
• April 25, 1778: Whipple's oath of allegiance to the United States administered by William Vernon
• July 13, 1778: Orders to return to America from the American commissioners to France, signed by Benjamin Franklin, Arthur Lee, and John Adams
• June 12, 1779: Orders from the Navy Board Eastern Department to intercept British transports from New York
• January 24-April 22, 1780: Ten letters from Benjamin Lincoln regarding southern naval operations and the defense of Charleston, South Carolina
• June 10, 1780: Certificate of Whipple's order to provide passage to Newport for officers and servants captured on the American ships Queen of France, Boston, and Ranger

The collection contains 10 items that are dated after Whipple's retirement from the Navy. These include Whipple's appointment as master of the sloop Sally, and his efforts to be repaid by Congress for expenses during the war. Of interest is Whipple’s address to Congress, outlining his service during the Revolution and requesting a pension (June 10, 1786). Whipple wrote the final two items from Marietta, Ohio. The first is addressed to Benjamin Bourne and Francis Malboan of Philadelphia regarding loans he made to the United States during the Revolution. The second is a printed bill of lading for shipment of sugar arrived in Philadelphia.

The letter book (68 pages) consists of copies of 101 incoming and outgoing letters written while Whipple was commanding the frigate Providence on his mission to France to procure supplies for the American army (February 22, 1778-January 12, 1779). The volume contains copies of Whipple's instructions from the Navy Board Eastern Department in March and April 1778 (located at the end of the volume), and communications with the American commissioners in Paris - Benjamin Franklin, Arthur Lee, and John Adams.

• May 31, 1778: Paimbeouf, France
• June 9, 1778: Nantes, France
• June 14, 1778: Paimbeouf, France
• June 16, 1778: Nantes, France
• June 25, 1778: Nantes, France
• July 9, 1778: Paimbeouf, France
• July 13, 1778: Nantes, France
• July 31, 1778: Paimbeouf, France
• August 9, 1778: At sea in the Bay of Biscay
• August 18, 1778: Brest, France
• September 27, 1778: Newfoundland
• October 16, 1778: Portsmouth, New Hampshire
• January 12, 1779: Boston, Massachusetts

This scrapbook contains correspondence, documents, maps, and ephemera related to the family of Jabez Huntington of Norwich, Connecticut, including his sons and other descendants. The items pertain to the American Revolution, education, family history, and life in Connecticut from the 1770s to the 1830s.

This scrapbook (55 pages) contains correspondence, documents, and ephemera related to the family of Jabez Huntington of Norwich, Connecticut, including his sons and other descendants. The earliest item is a poem dedicated to Kitty Fell, written by William Apthorp in 1763, followed by a letter from William Hubbard to Andrew Huntington concerning Thomas Hutchinson's order to surrender Castle William to Colonel Dalrymple (September 13, 1770). During the Revolutionary War, Andrew Huntington received letters from his brothers Jedidiah and Joshua, who discussed escalating tensions in Boston in 1775, the gathering of Continental forces, and the progress of the war; he also received a note from Jonathan Trumbull excusing him from military duty (September 1, 1775). Other items from the late 18th century include love letters and poems to Maria Perit, cards admitting Perit to balls held at Yale College, and letters from "Lucy" at "Bethlehem" (possibly Bethlehem Female Seminary) to her brother.

A small number of items from the early 1800s pertain to the will and estate of Pelatiah Webster, Charles P. Huntington's father-in-law, and an 1802 return for the 20th Connecticut Militia Regiment. In 1814, Samuel Huntington wrote to his son Julian about his other sons' academic progress. In the 1820s and 1830s, Samuel received letters from acquaintances who discussed political issues, and in the late 1830s he wrote to his son William, discussing William's education at Wesleyan University and the possibility of his attending Harvard College. Some letters are addressed to Huntington family women, including letters from Lydia Sigourney to Mrs. Hannah Huntington (likely Andrew's wife); Maria Perit Huntington letters, often regarding literature and poetry; and letters to Ruth L. Huntington. One letter from P. H. Huntington to "Miss Perkins" contains genealogical information about the Webster, Perit, and Leffingwell families (August 13, 1891).

The scrapbook also contains documents, maps, and other materials related to the Huntington family. Visual items include property maps (cataloged separately); a photograph of Ebenezer Huntington's home in Norwich, Connecticut; a card photograph of Benedict Arnold's birthplace; and engravings of Norwich Bridge, women at leisure, and "Cromwell at Ripley Castle." Genealogical notes, poems, instructions for making a doll, and legal documents (many of which relate to property ownership) are also present. Newspaper clippings pertain to the history of the Huntington family, particularly to Jabez Huntington and his sons.

This collection is made up of correspondence, documents, and other items related to New Jersey politician Jonathan Dayton; his son-in-law, Oliver Hatfield Spencer; and Spencer's son-in-law, William Nelson Wood. The materials concern politics, finances, property, genealogy, and other subjects.

This collection is made up of 3 linear feet of correspondence, documents, and other items related to New Jersey politician Jonathan Dayton; his son-in-law, Oliver Hatfield Spencer; and Spencer's son-in-law, William Nelson Wood. The materials date between 1764 and 1892, and they concern politics, finances, property, genealogy, and other subjects. The collection is arranged into groups of Jonathan Dayton papers, Oliver Hatfield Spencer papers, William Nelson Wood papers, and Spencer and Wood family papers.

The Jonathan Dayton Papers are divided into 3 subseries. The Jonathan Dayton Correspondence subseries is made up of Dayton's incoming (over 310 items) and outgoing (approximately 55 items) letters between 1780 and 1824. Dayton corresponded with family members, professional acquaintances, and political figures. Many of the early letters pertain to Dayton's congressional service, national and local politics, and personal matters. A group of 14 letters from 1807 concern the Burr Conspiracy and its effects on Dayton, who was imprisoned in connection with the incident. Some of Dayton's correspondents discussed Native American relations and the Northwest Territory. Others provided family news from Cincinnati and commented on legal and financial issues.

The Jonathan Dayton Financial Documents (15 items, 1774-1830) consist of receipts, accounts, and account books, pertaining to real property, taxes, and other financial matters. The 2 account books (1792-1793 and 1823) concern shipping costs, livestock, debts, and real property. A copy of Gaine's New-York Pocket Almanack for 1775 contains an unidentified writer's manuscript notes and financial records kept between 1775 and 1779.

The Jonathan Dayton Legal Documents (76 items, 1764-1821) include deeds for property in New Jersey, contracts, records pertaining to court cases, and other items.

The Oliver Hatfield Spencer series , divided into subseries of Correspondence (5 items) and Documents (13 items). Letters to Spencer, dated 1820-1821, concern his claims against the estate of "Mr. Evans." Other items, dated between 1802 and 1856, include certificates, deeds, Spencer's will, receipts, and a military commission. These documents relate to Spencer's medical career, his work for the New Orleans Board of Health and the Medical Board of the State of Louisiana, and his memberships in the Medical Society of Philadelphia and the Chemical Society of Philadelphia. Three later items pertain to his estate.

The William Nelson Wood series includes Correspondence (19 items) and Estate Documents (41 items). James Cook informed Wood of his brother's death in a letter dated February 21, 1831. The bulk of the remaining correspondence, written from 1853-1854, concern the estate of Clement Wood, a resident of England. Two letters by Luigi Palma di Cesnola (June 27, 1864, and July 7, 1864) report the death of Wood's son Oliver during the Civil War and discuss the Battle of Trevilian Station. A subseries of Estate Documents consists primarily of claims made against Wood's estate following his death in 1865.

The Spencer and Wood Family Papers (153 items) consist of letters, documents receipts, genealogical notes, autographs, an invitation, and an essay related to the descendants of Jonathan Dayton, Oliver Hatfield Spencer, and William Nelson Wood. Correspondence, Documents, and Receipts include incoming and outgoing letters related to members of the Dayton, Spencer, and Wood families, often concerning family news and legal affairs. The series includes Genealogical Materials for the Dayton, Williamson, Halstead, Spencer, and Ogden families. Eighty-seven Autographs cut from letters include signatures and handwriting of prominent individuals in the late 18th and early 19th century. The final items in the collection include an essay description of Jesus Christ (with an 1847 song "The Hieland Laddies' Farewell" written on the back) and a vellum invitation for Edward Meeker Wood to attend The General Society of the Cincinnati and the Sons of the Revolution commemorative event for the death of George Washington, held on December 14, 1899.

The Daniel Morgan collection is made up of financial records, legal documents, correspondence, and other items related to General Daniel Morgan and to Willoughby Morgan, his son.

The Daniel Morgan collection is made up of 63 financial records, legal documents, correspondence, and other items related to General Daniel Morgan and to Willoughby Morgan, his son. The majority of the collection consists of accounts, bonds, promissory notes, and other documents pertaining to Daniel Morgan's financial affairs. Accounts and invoices record Morgan's purchases of clothing, wagon-related equipment and services, and other items. Some of the later items do not concern Morgan directly but have his legal endorsement. Also included are two outgoing letters by Morgan, a 9-page legal document about a lawsuit against Morgan, and a deposition that Morgan gave in a different dispute. Other items are a bond regarding Morgan's marriage to Abigail Curry (March 30, 1773) and Morgan's political address to the citizens of Allegheny County about politics and the militia (January 17, 1795). Three of the documents pertain to enslaved and free African Americans (November 6, 1773; June 13, 1789; and March 28, 1799). Later items mostly pertain to the estate of Willoughby Morgan, Daniel Morgan's son. James Graham wrote two letters to unknown recipients in 1847 and 1856 about his efforts to write Daniel Morgan's biography, which he subsequently published.

Printed items include a map of the surrender of Yorktown (undated), a newspaper article from a Winchester, Virginia, paper about the possible disinterment of Daniel Morgan's remains (August 18, 1951), and printed portraits of Daniel Morgan with manuscript and facsimile autographs.

This collection contains 56 letters and documents written and received by Irish politician George Macartney. Most items pertain to Macartney's service as governor of Grenada, Tobago, and the Grenadines from 1776-1779.

This collection contains 56 letters and documents written and received by Irish politician George Macartney. Most items pertain to Macartney's service as governor of Grenada, Tobago, and the Grenadines from 1776-1779.

The first item is an 11-page essay supporting the right of Parliament to tax Great Britain's North American colonies, written around 1765. The remaining material is comprised of letters and documents regarding British colonies in the southern Caribbean. Many items concern British military operations and the French navy, particularly the fleet of the Comte d'Estaing; some pertain to prisoners of war and to the payment of black troops. Macartney's correspondents included British Army general James Grant, Royal Navy officers Samuel Barrington and John Byron, and George Sackville Germain, Secretary of State for America during the Revolutionary War. One letter from French Army general Theobald Dillon is written in French, and is accompanied by an English translation (March 17, 1787). Other items, such as indentures and grants, concern the ownership of land in the southern Caribbean. Some correspondents discussed commercial affairs, such as exports from Curacao. One item, dated 1792, relates to Philippine commerce in light of the declaration of Manila as a free port (in 1785) and the French Revolution.