[Stroudwater Falls, Maine] Feby 16. 1776
On the 18th Octor last a Fleet under the command of Capt [Henry] Mowatt burnt the Town of Falmouth as you've undoubtedly heard by Mr F ————. Your House Barn Out Houses, Fences & Office are all in Ashes We had so few Hours notice of our Destruction, that we had no Time nor Team to Save either your Furniture or mine ー I was obliged to flee for my Life ー I knew not where but a Quaker offered me a lodging in his House, which had not a finish[e]d room in it ー However I was obliged by the Offer ー and my Wife & I were forced to foot it with large Bundles on our Arms about 6 or 8 Miles & abused as we passed the Road What little time I had was employed in throwing my Furniture into the Garden, from whence a good deal was stole and the most of the remainder broken or tom in pieces ー The Church is also burnt but not the Meeting House ー All below Doctr [Edward] Watts' except a few Houses in Back Street and Bradburys & Mrs [Elizabeth] Ross's two Houses are clean gone ー The upper End of the Town supposed to be about one third of the whole, is standing among which is the House I lived in by reason of that fortunate Event, I saved some of my Furniture ー but am still in the Woods, where if I cant get off either to London, Boston or Hallifax, I intend to remain till Peace be restored to this infatuated, this distracted Country ー Capt Mowatt was so kind as to offer us (those I mean who had formerly fled to him for Protection), a Passage to Boston, but it was impracticable for us to get on board ー tho we wished to, for had we been discoverd in the Attempt, we shou'd have been shot from the Shore by the Rebels ー nor could we have carried the least Article with us supposing we cou'd have got off ourselves, that alone however wou'd not have stayed us ー I am now at Stroudwater Falls at Mr Geo. Knights ー Son to the Lieutt ー With me (besides Knights and Family) are Mr [Joseph] Dommetts & Doctr Coffins' Familys to the number of 23 Souls in a single-Story Farm House ー We are obliged to have three Beds in the same small Room where we eat and drink ー but still not at Peace ー for we are constantly alarmed ー & Days fixed upon for a Mobing ー Judge how miserable we must me, but indeed it is almost beyond Description or Conception ー Mr Domett was not able to save any of his Furniture except his Clothes and a Bed or Two ー I am told that whilst your House was on Fire a Band of Thieves got into it & have taken a good deal of your Furniture
This I mention, that as you are on the spot you may form some Estimate of the Value of your Houses & Furniture for I have no doubt, but Administration mean to make good to the Friends of Government all Losses sustained in consequence of the present Rebellion ー indeed it will be but Justice ー You may depend that Mr D and I did every thing in our Power to preserve your Interest, but all we were able to do, was to save your Papers that were in a white Trunk ー
I have had no Opp[o] since Septr to send a Letter in ー it is eight Months since I had a Letter from my Father ー I think as a faithful Subject & one who has been imprison'd & otherwise sufferd & still Suffering by the Rebells on Account of his Loyalty & has lost some hundred by the destruction of the Town, has some Claim on Govt for a Provision ー
I will make you acquainted with the Story of my Imprisonment ー After Capt Mowat had gone off, I mov'd into Town again, hoping to spend the Winter quietly there, but the Cerberus, Capt Simons [John Symonds] came in Novr & demanded Sheep & other Cattle of the Town's People, which they positively refused, & sent a Committee on board to tell him so ー Capt Simmons thought proper to keep the Committee Prisoners till the Town complied. Upon this Mr D & I were immediately seized upon and a guard set over us ー and we were ordered to write to Capt Simmons to acquaint him of our Imprisonment, and that we were to be held as Hostages till those he had on board were set free ー Capt Simmons was so good for our sakes to set them at liberty which procured our enlargement, otherwise we shou'd have been close Prisoners at this Day ー