Primary sourceLetter6 May 1783
To Sir Guy Carleton, 6 May 1783
George Washington · 6 May 1783
A letter in which Washington negotiates with the British commander over the return of escaped enslaved people as the Revolutionary War ends.
Washington's letter negotiating the return of formerly enslaved people, showing his stance as a slaveholding commander.
About this source
What it is
Written by George Washington on 6 May 1783 from Orange Town to Sir Guy Carleton, the British commander in North America, this letter concerns carrying out the terms of the peace treaty ending the Revolutionary War. It is preserved in the published collection of Washington's writings.
Why it matters
The letter addresses the evacuation of British-held posts and the treatment of enslaved people who had fled to the British during the war, referred to in the treaty's property clauses. Washington pressed for their return as American property, revealing his position as both a national leader negotiating peace and a slaveholder protecting his own economic interests and those of other enslavers.
Look closer
- What does Washington's language about 'Negroes or other Property' reveal about how enslaved people were legally viewed?
- Why might Washington treat the return of formerly enslaved people as equally important as the evacuation of military posts?
- What does this letter leave out about the experiences of the people being discussed?
This letter is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of George Washington on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.
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