55A. PRISONERS ARE A THREAT IN PENNSYLVANIA Fine content war-date A.L.S. of WILLIAM A. ATLEE (1735-1793) Deputy Commissary General in area of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to Commissary of Prisoners ELIAS BOUDINOT, 2pp. legal folio, Lancaster, Aug, 14, 1777. In small part: "...I was a little while ago favored with yours...relative to the Prisoners of War in Lancaster and Reading in case the Enemy should advance towards the head of the Chesapeak Bay...the Hessioan Prisoners...[are] chiefly out at work among the Inhabitants...I have no doubt the Congress, Council or Board of War have ordered Persons at Baltimore, Annapolis or some Places down the Bay to sewnd intelligence to Lancaster of the Enemy's approach, that as much time as is possible may be had to bring in the Prisoners, provide Guards for them and send them off...The Militia of the County are now gathering...to march to Chester. I left several Companies at Lancaster on their way...there are at Lancaster fifty or sixty, I believe, of the British deserters who have been suffered to inlist in the Corps intended for Georgia...Committee & Inhabitants...[are] very uneasy at their being so long at Lancaster & so near their old Comrades the British Prisoners there...they would be more properly placed & less dangerous elsewhere...". Very thin mounting strip on left margin, chip at lower left affects nothing, else very good. $400-500