Indenture
Colonel Edward Antill
Colonel Edward Antill signature

1780


1775 1776 1777 1778 1779 1780 1781 1782 1783...


Edward Antill's exchange was effected Nov 2, 1780. The four children that he mentions in the letter to General Washington were:
    Isabella Graham Antill, born 4 May 1767
    Mary Antill, born 18 January 1771
    Julia Antill, born 28 March 1772
    and John Antill, born 15 December 1779, died in Flatbush October 1781. Edward's wife Charlotte was pregnant with their fifth child, Henrietta, when he wrote his letter. Henrietta was born 12 September 1780.

While Edward was a prisoner, he apparently spent some of his time either writing, or copying, scientific papers, a collection of which belongs to The Historical Society of Pennsylvania. (Search the page for 'Antill') The papers, dated 1780, include "'The principles of geology and astronomy,' 'elements of chronology,' 'elements of all the syllables within the English language,' 'a table of the sun's declination from 1764 to 1795,' and a table showing the number of miles to each degree of longitude and latitude."


Edward Antill to George Washington 27 Mar 1780
Journals of the Continental Congress 6 May 1780
George Washington to John Adams 10 May 1780


George Washington Papers at the Library of Congress, 1741-1799:
Series 4. General Correspondence. 1697-1799
Edward Antill to George Washington, March 27, 1780

May it please Your Excellency        Flatt Bush March 27th [17]80

Assured this will be delivered you, by Mr. Bradford now exchanged: I could not in Justice to myself, & Family, forego so good an opportunity, to mention my situation to You Sir; particularly as it is to escape the prying Eye of Impertinent Curiosity.

Once more, in Anxious Expectation, of a Change, in our unfortunate situation; we have waited the result of the Commissioners meeting at Amboy: The Breaking off, that Negotiation (as we are informed) without Effect has thrown a Damp upon our Spirits, and in a peculiar manner affects me. It is perhaps, unworthy a Soldier to complain, as he is to lay his Amount, in similar Difficulties, upon his becoming one: but, when He daily sees, an affectionate & delicate wife, and four small children, heretofore Tenderly brought up; driven from their native Home, and encountering every difficulty of Poverty, & Distress, on his Account; it calls up, in him, the feelings of an Humane Husband, and a Tender, & affectionate father. It would be unpolite, to detail Your Excellency, with a Detail of personal sufferings; But appealing to your well known Tender feelings, & Humanity, I must Earnestly Request you will endeavour my Exchange, on the Ground of my peculiar situations as I know of but one of my rank before me in Turn, and he a single Man. Or that you would be graciously pleased, to order a reasonable provision to be made, for my Wife & Family in our lines, where I would send them, (being unable any longer to support them Here) and then if we are to continue Prisoners, Let England, xx or Prison Ships, be our Doom I hope the same Love of my Country, that xx sword, will support me with a manly fortitude, thro Every Scene of Accumulated Distress.

With a wish for a line from Col. Harrison in Return to this by any officier coming in who could bring it. I have the Honor to be your
Excellencies most obedt & most Hbbl Servt
Edwd Antill

His Excellency General Washington
with the Most Perfect Respect
Your Excellencies most
Obedt & most Hubl
servant
Edwd Antill


Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789
MONDAY, MAY 6, 1782

On a report from the Secretary at War, to whom was referred a petition of M. Dedevans:

War Office May 3rd, 1782.

Sir,

I have attentively examined the papers which accompany the petition of Captain Desdevens, and find that he rests the justice of his petition on the following facts and observations.

...
8. He assisted Col. Antill in surveying and pointing out proper ground on which to erect batteries to prevent the enemy's shipping going up the river. The fatigue of this service induced a pleurisy which continued him sick a long while. ...


George Washington Papers at the Library of Congress, 1741-1799:
Series 4. General Correspondence. 1697-1799
George Washington to John Adam, May 10, 1780

Head Quarters, May 10, 1780

Sir: From the distressed situation in which I am informed Lt Colo Antill is on Long Island, I desire that you will send him a Barrel of Beef and One of pork, and Two Barrels of flour. They ought to be good. If You cannot procure them yourself, You will apply to the Commissary who must furnish them. The sooner Colo Antill can receive this supply the better. I am &c.12(12)

Note 12: The draft is in the writing of Robert Hanson Harrison.





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