Two Captured Soldiers Seek “Redemption’

In the Summer of 1784 two American soldiers, William Moore of South Carolina and Thomas Ward of Maryland, describing themselves as “unfortunate subscribers,” submitted their third petition  for their release as “redemptioners” and asked that their pay be applied as their “redemption money.” They wrote their  letter on board the vessel “Favourite,” dated the 11th of August 1784. It was addressed  to the Commissioners of the Board of War, a standing committee created by the Continental Congress to supervise the army. Moore and Ward stated that they had been captured by the British on the 10th day of August 1780, following the “Capitulation of Charles Town,” and held for several months on British “prison ships and gaols [jails]” and then “forcibly compelled into the West Indies Service.”

Once they were released by the British, they had to find the means to make their way back to America. Having no money, they joined a crew on an American ship as “redemptioners,” meaning that, like identured servants, they had to provide unpaid service in exchange for their passage to America. “The instant we exercised our liberty we embarked for America as redemptioners, having no cash to pay our passage…” As soldiers “who have spilled their blood and hurt their Constitution[their health] for the Independent Liberty of their happy Country,” they are asking the Commissioners to make arrangements so that the states of South Carolina and Maryland will provide their army pay that can be used as “redemption money” so that they can at last–after almost four years–be released from service.