1. Phillips enclosed a copy of his letter to Abraham Skinner written at New York City on this date: “Upon the Commission breaking up at Amboy every interference of mine concerning prisoners of war ceased, and I have never since that period intermeddled in any matter concerning them; except in such particulars as relate to the transactions at Amboy. A number of persons were there exchanged by consent of the several Commissioners, and lists signed reciprocally by the Commissaries General of Prisoners Mr Loring and Mr Beattie; it is on this account partly that I now write to you to inform you that some of the persons exchanged have not been sent in on your part, particularly a Conductor Riley from Reading and Ensign Rynd from Rutland in the Massachusetts, the latter Gentleman was a Volunteer when taken and exchanged against a Volunteer of Colonel Baylor’s Corps, I am to desire that these persons may be sent in and I cannot help remarking that a want of attention in these instances is a great hardship upon the Individuals concerned, and can only serve to create distrust which I was in great hopes, after the adjustment of all the particulars between the Commissaries at Amboy, would never have arisen—I will venture to say that we have been punctiliously correct on our part. A List of the Officers on parole on both sides was certified and signed to by the two Commissaries by which a balance of a Major and a Captain was on our side, and I requested Major Harnage and Captain Hawker might be sent in which General Washington was so obliging as to direct, and they are arrived here and it leads me to desire you will present my compliment of thanks to the General upon the occasion. In the list above mentioned there is a Major Von Stein of General Knyphausen’s Regiment who has been sent out from New York to Lancaster, it being His Excellency’s intentions that he should remain there until exchanged—This gives again a balance in favour of the parole Officers on our side, of the value of a Major, and I am to request the following officers may be sent in on parole in consequence, Captain Morris Robinson Ensign Frederick Phillips Robinson, taken at Stoney Point, and Mr Pausch the principal Surgeon of General Knyphausen’s Regiment. If you will take the trouble to examine the Tariff you will find the numbers to stand thus[:] Major Von Stein 28 Captain Robinson 16 Ensign Robinson 4 Surgeon Pausch 6 [Sum] 26[.] I am to desire you will take General Washington’s commands upon the subject of this letter, to whom I have sent a copy of it, and I make no doubt His Excellency will order the Officers as above described to be sent into New York upon their paroles” (DLC:GW).

Skinner replied to Phillips on 4 June: “I have attended particularly to the Contents of your Letter of the 2d inst. with which I was honored yesterday and in Answer thereto I must beg leave to inform you that in consequence of the Exchange entered into at Amboy, Colo. Beatty immediately on his return from that place took the necessary Steps to have the several Persons Exchanged forwarded to New York—I know not what to attribute their Stay to but you may be assured that every thing shall be done to compleat the Exchange as far as in my Power. with respect to Major Von Stein who was included in the Exchange List, I am informed by him that his Stay at Lancaster will be uncertain and in consequence of his being included in the List he conceives himself at Liberty to return whenever He finds it convenient[.] I have his Excellency the Commander in Chiefs Commands to send in Surgeon Pausch of General Knyphausen’s Regiment (who will be forwarded without delay) and I will take his further Orders relative to Major Von Stein, Captain Robinson and Ensign Robinson” (DLC:GW). For GW’s directions to send Wilhelm Pausch into New York City on parole, see his letter to Skinner of 4 June; see also Board of War to GW, 24 May, and n.2.