7431. RETALIATION, Governor Hamilton's case.—[further continued].
Governor Hamilton and
his companions were imprisoned and ironed,
1st. In retaliation for cruel treatment of our
captive citizens by the enemy in general. 2d.
For the barbarous species of warfare which
himself and his savage allies carried on in our
western frontier. 3d. For particular acts of
barbarity, of which he himself was personally
guilty, to some of our citizens in his power.
Any one of these charges was sufficient to justify
the measures we took.—
To Colonel Mathews. Washington ed. i, 233.
Ford ed., ii, 262.
(Wg.
1779)