Papers of John Adams, volume 7
1779-01-07
Your Excellency did Us the Honour to inform Us, sometime ago, that in order to obtain the Liberty of Americans, taken on board of English Vessells by his Majestys ships it was necessary, that We should inform your Excellency, that they had been made Prisoners by the English and forced into their service.1
We accordingly request the Liberty of William Berry, William Keating, John Williams, Abraham Fairman, Robert Boughoss
There is another Person Prisoner in Granville, whose Name is Jonathan Akin who was taken Prisoner by the an English Frigate, and imprisoned for some Time at Portsmouth.
Sartine to the Commissioners, 14 Nov. 1778 (above).
For the memorial of 21 Oct. 1778 signed by Berry, Keating, Williams, Fairman, Bongass, and Handly, see the Commissioners to Sartine, 12 Oct. 1778, note 8 (above). No previous mention of James White or Jonathan Akin has been found. Presumably this letter resulted in the release of the men, but no reply from Sartine has been found.