Marshall, John. Letter signed to David Lenox, Washington, [D.C.], 28 January 1801

MARSHALL, JOHN

LETTER SIGNED ("J. MARSHALL") TO DAVID LENOX, DISCUSSING THE BRITISH IMPRESSMENT OF AMERICAN SEAMEN

One page (10 x 7 7/8 in.; 252 x 200 mm) on a bifolium, integral address leaf, Department of State, Washington, [D.C.], 28 January 1801, with two engraved portraits; old folds, very minor soiling, tape along top edge of integral address leaf not affecting text, some offsetting to first leaf.

The British Royal Navy's primary recruiting method from approximately 1790 to 1815 was to board foreign neutral vessels and remove any seamen considered to be British (in practice, any who spoke English). It is suspected some 9,000 American men were seized wrongly during this period, and only those whose native-born citizenship could be established were grudgingly returned. Here Marshall writes to Lenox, the U.S. Agent in London who dealt with such matters, and provides proofs (not present) for several victims.