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DOCUMENT 1

Me C 28/2 : Letter from Sir Henry Clinton, Boston, to Charles Mellish; c. 24 Jun. 1775

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In this letter, Clinton describes the Battle for Bunker Hill near Boston.

DOCUMENT 2

Me C 28/4 : Letter from Sir Henry Clinton, New York, to Charles Mellish; 25 Sep. 1776

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In this letter, Clinton gives a cool account of the Battle of Long Island. The numbers at the bottom of the letter were a personal code between Clinton and Mellish, and refer to his new mistress.

DOCUMENT 3

Me C 29/17 : Letter from Dr. John Macnamara Hayes, Hubbarton; to Charles Mellish, 13 Jul. 1777

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In this letter, Hayes describes the advance of General Burgoyne's army into New York State from Canada.

DOCUMENT 4

Ne C 2344 : Letter from Sir Henry Clinton to H.F.C. Pelham-Clinton, 2nd Duke of Newcastle under Lyne; 13 Oct. n.y. [1777]

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In this document Sir Henry Clinton describes his attempts to link up with General Burgoyne's army and supply it from New York. This is a copy letter, probably in the handwriting of a secretary to the Duke of Newcastle who had possibly sent the original letter and its enclosures to Lord George Germain, or some other interested person.

DOCUMENT 5

Ne C 2645 : Letter from General Sir Henry Clinton, New York [U.S.A.], to H.F.C. Pelham-Clinton, 2nd Duke of Newcastle under Lyne; 11 Jul. 1778

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In this letter, Clinton gives a very guarded and brief account of the Battle of Monmouth, New Jersey.

DOCUMENT 6

Ne C 2606 : Letter from General Sir Henry Clinton, to H.F.C. Pelham-Clinton, 2nd Duke of Newcastle under Lyne; 3 July 1779

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In this letter Sir Henry Clinton complains about his inability to pursue an active campaign until his army is the same size as Sir William Howe's in 1777.

DOCUMENT 7

Ne C 2640 : Letter from Sir H. Clinton, New York [U.S.A.], to H.F.C. Pelham-Clinton, 2nd Duke of Newcastle under Lyne; 19 Nov. 1779

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This letter relates to the repulse of a Franco-American expedition against Savannah, Georgia.

DOCUMENT 8

Me C 29/60 : New York Gazette, 17th May 1781

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This newspaper report gives 'an account of the operations of his Majesty's Forces in Virginia' during April and May 1781.

DOCUMENT 9

Ne C 2292 : Letter from Sir Henry Clinton, to H.F.C. Pelham-Clinton, 2nd Duke of Newcastle under Lyne; 17, 20 & 23 Sep. 1781

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In this letter, Clinton is beginning to worry that Washington's threatened attack on New York is a feint and that Lord Cornwallis' army in Virginia is in grave danger.

DOCUMENT 10

Ne C 2309 : Copy letter from C. Cornwallis, 2nd Earl Cornwallis, Yorktown [U.S.A.], to Sir Henry Clinton; 11 Oct. 1781

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In this letter, Cornwallis states that his position at Yorktown is very dangerous.

DOCUMENT 11

Ne C 2311/1 : Copy letter from C. Cornwallis, 2nd Earl Cornwallis, Yorktown, to Sir H. Clinton; 15 Oct. 1781

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In this letter, Cornwallis states that the Franco-American attack has captured his outworks and he cannot hold out much longer.

DOCUMENT 12

Ne C 2290 : Copy letter from Sir H. Clinton, H.M.S. 'London' off Chesapeake Bay [U.S.A.], to G.S. Germain, 1st Viscount Sackville; 29 Oct. 1781

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Clinton reports the awful truth - the reinforcements have arrived too late to save the British force at Yorktown.

 

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