Anne Conyngham to John Jay, 17 July 1779

Philad a . July 17. 1779

Hon d . Sir

I beg leave to trouble your Excellency and the Honorable Congress, with the perusal of the inclosed letter from my Husband, Cap t . Gustavus Conyngham, late Commador of the Cutter Revenge, now a Prisoner and in Irons on board a British Packet, bound to England. 1

As these Extraordinary and in the present Stage of the War between Britain and America, Singular Cruelties exercised upon the Person of my Husband, have been inflicted, in consequence of his Zeal and Successfull exertions against the common Enemy, in the English Channell, where he first hoisted the American Flag. I take the liberty of calling the attention of Congress, to his distressed Situation and of requesting that thay would be pleased to take such Steps for his relief as have in Similar instances prevented the execution of the bloody and vindictive purposes of the enemy upon the Officers and Citizens of these States. I hope it is unnecessary to say any thing to the Honbl e Congress of my distress upon this Occasion. To have lost a worthy and beloved Husband in Battle fighting for the honour and liberties of his Country would have been a light Affliction: But to hear of a Person thus dearly connected being chained to the hold of a Ship in vain looking back towards the beloved Country for whom he had fought, wasting his Health and Spirits in hopeless grief and at last Compleating the measure of his Sufferings by an ignominious Death under a . 2 Good God my heart Shudders at the thought; Forbid it Heaven, Forbidit it 3 Hon ble Gentlemen the Guardians of the lives and Happiness of the good People of these States that a freeman and a Soldier of America should even fear or feel a moments distress or pain from the hands of Englishmen Unrevenged.

The Delay of a single Hour may fix my Husband–€™s fate for ever. Pardon me therefore whilst I once more intreate your immediate attention to his case, consider Sirs the safety of your numerous Officers and Soldiers by Sea and land is connected with that of my Husband. This I presume will be a sufficient motive with you to procure Justice for him and to afford some consolation to Hon ble Sirs and Gentleman. 4 Your most obedient and most devoted

Anne Conyngham