From George Washington to Peregrine Fitzhugh
April 5 1780
Historic background for this Letter
Peregrine Fitzhugh enlisted in the Army of the Revolution at the age of 18 as a lieutenant of the Third Regiment of Dragoons of the Virginia Continental line and was soon promoted to Captain. He was captured at the Baylor Massacre at Old Tappan on Sept. 28, 1778 and was held prisoner on Long Island for two years. This massacre was believed to be one of the worse British atrocities of the Revolutionary War. You can read a historical account here:
http://www.revolutionarywarnewjersey.com/new_jersey_revolutionary_war_sites/towns/river_vale_nj_revolutionary_war_sites.htm
All in all, he was lucky to have been captured and not killed. General George Washington exchanged British Officers for him and others who were captured. This letter coming from Washington to Fitzhugh is informing him that he is being paroled in exchange for equal rank British prisoners:
