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The Virginian Exiles were a group of 41 people, mainly affluent Quakers from the Philadelphia area, who were seized and searched under suspicion of disloyalty to the American revolutionary cause. During the year 1777, after Congress received documents suggesting a meeting of Quakers in Spanktown, New Jersey that were conspiring to work with the British,they convened a committee of three members which included John Adams and Richard Henry Lee to determine what action should be taken against the accused Quaker loyalists.

After deliberation, the committee ordered the Pennsylvanian Council to seize and search the Quaker citizens. Despite their countless written protests, in the end 20 of the original 41 accused loyalists were forcibly banned to Winchester, Virginia. They were released and most began moving back to Philadelphia by April 1778.

The Decision, Action, and Aftermath

By late August of 1777, the war effort was not working out in the colonies favor. British General Howe had landed in Maryland and was beginning his march toward the capital of Philadelphia in hopes of crushing the rebel’s dreams for an independent country. Around the same time, General Sullivan of the American forces allegedly seized letters from the enemy that suggested a meeting of prominent Pennsylvanian area Quakers that were supplying British troops with information on the American troop movements and numbers. These supposed loyalist documents along with a report from General Sullivan to Congress, served as the cause for the paranoia, searches, and confinement that took place thereafter. Whether the meeting actually took place or whether the documents were legitimate was not investigated. The members of the committee set to review these allegations were in a heightened state of awareness. With the liberation of the colonies in the balance, emotions ran high and accusations were not taken lightly. With no hard evidence or major facts, the committee led by John Adams reported to congress that the Quakers shared an opposition to the cause of colonies. They agreed that the Quakers were out to harm the effort and “injure” the cause for American freedom. Despite whether these things were ever discussed at this meeting, many Quakers did in fact have reason to be compassionate towards the British colonies. Besides considering their moral stance on the sins of war and the Quakers stern belief in Pacafism, they had political and economic ties to British merchants and businessmen. However, despite the religious justification, many could not excuse the loyalist feelings of the Quakers, regardless of what actually took place.

With the committee’s recommendation for arrest, Congress released its recommendation to the Pennsylvanian Council. Shortly thereafter, a list of 41 Quakers was released. The individuals on this list were labeled sympathizers and therefore subject to searches and seizures carried out forcibly by the Council. With their homes, desks, papers, and documents searched, the Quakers were forced to be held up in a Masons Lodge. Naturally, the captives began the process of protesting. Calling on Pennsylvanians own Deceleration of Rights, they argued that their liberties were being violated by the same statutes which gave them those rights. However, they failed to realize the times in which they were seized. Realizing that the captives were of prominent standing in the community, the Pennsylvanian Council did what it could to give special treatment to the arrestees. These Quakers were prominent in the communities where they resided and so they felt it necessary to give them options. They felt in unnecessary and cruel to keep them in common prisons which Quakers themselves help to reform. So, in able to be released, the captives were demanded to swear allegiance to the American cause and denounce British rule. They also were to cut British ties and remain voluntarily confined within their homes until further notice. Immediately, the number of captives was reduced to 20 Quakers who refused the special treatment. Although they were treated with leniency, the Quakers were still seen as a threat to the revolution. John Adams and Richard Henry Lee, the two members of the council who determined their fate, spoke in letters denouncing the way in which Quakers were hypocrites. They felt that money and power were the true reasons why Quakers refused the Revolutionary cause. The seizure of prominent members of society showed that the Revolution was of upmost importance and would not be jeopardized regardless of social standing. The justification for the seizures was something that most could get behind. With an approaching British army at any turn, the risk of having enemies amongst the patriots was too big of a risk for the revolutionaries.

Prominent Quaker Captives

John Hunt- a Quaker merchant and religious minister from London, England. The Hunt family resided in what is now known as Darby. Thomas Gilpin- successful businessman in the fishing industry who moved to Philadelphia and became an original member of the American Society of Philosophy as well as the Quaker’s Society of Friends. He published a book documenting the Quaker story during the exiles entitled “Exiles In Virginia”. Israel Pemberton- wealthy merchant and Quaker civic leader who promoted healthy relations between Quakers and Native Americans. Edward Pennington- wealthy merchant and leader in Philadelphia commercial world. He was a member of the American Philosophical Society and prominent in Pennsylvanian politics.

Location and Condition

Within days after their arrest, the remaining Quakers were led to Winchester, Virginia where they would be held for 8 months. During their time in captivity, the Quakers were not held in jails or locked up in quarters. The Council did however, demand that the arrest, travel, food, room and board be financed by the prisoners. Yet besides having to pay for food and shelter, their time in “captivity” was quite free and lenient. The Quakers were allowed to have guests, take walks in the countryside, and even leisurely go horseback riding. One captive, Thomas Pike, even rode away during the apprehension and supposedly returned to Philadelphia.

The Death of two Captives and the Resolution

Thomas Gilpin and John hunt were two Quakers who did in fact die before they were released from captivity. Thomas Gilpin caught a cold in the March of 1778 and never fully recovered. John Hunt was stricken with a disease and needed his leg amputated. Both men were dead before the end of March though this cannot be directly contributed to their conditions. During this entire ordeal, many petitions were submitted to the government by the families and captives. One petition was met with consideration from the Pennsylvanian council and by the end of April they determined that it was time for their release. The petition read: “We, the afflicted and sorrowful wives, parents, and near connections of the Friends in banishment, at and near Winchester, think our selves bound by the strongest ties of natural affection, sympathy, and regard, to request you, that you suffer Christian charity and compassion so far to prevail in your minds as to take off the bonds of those innocent and oppressed Friends, and entreat you not let the ruin of such . . . to lie at the door of a people professing the tender and compassionate religion of Christ . . The melancholy account we have lately received, of the indisposition of our beloved husbands and children, and that the awful messenger—death—had made an inroad on one of their number, (Thomas Gilpin,) to the unspeakable grief and irreparable loss of an amiable wife and children, hath deeply affected our mind , and divers our families are in a distressed situation. We therefore ardently desire you to make the case your own. . .”- Letter from the Prisoners' Relatives and Friends to the Congress, Board of War, President and Council, and Assembly of Pennsylvania. Ironically, Thomas and Hunt died before there release in April of 1778. These deaths spurned controversy over the treatment of the individuals while in captivity. However, these deaths were not the only thing that caused common people and members of government and military alike to reconsider the Quakers treatment.

Changes in the Aftermath of Exile

In light of the continuous petitions from the captives families and the ardent protests from the captives themselves, we can see that Congress and the Council had no choice but to end the exile. The deaths of two prominent exiled Quakers during the captivity made the argument even more uncontestable as time went on. However, these were not the only factors which were at play during this time. The treatment of Quakers during times of national distress brought up many questions when it came to governmental power. Many feared and debated the power of the government to search and seize with little or no evidence. Congress understood that in times of war things must be done, but the case of Quakers had some members scared that the precedent could go too far. A debate raged whether it was Congress’s right to conduct such tyrannical behavior with such little evidence and with no legal rights given to the Quakers. Even General Gates of the American Army told the captives that if he had been there during their seizure he would spoke against it. In the end, the banishment was seen as a violation of legal and human rights to many in Congress and the Council and behavior as such could no longer be continued.