Mr Speaker read to the House A Letter from William Watson, Esqr dated Plymouth Decr 27, 1775 informing him of the Capture of a Sloop bound to Boston from New York, loaded with Pork Beef Geese Apples &c. sent by Govr Tryon and taken by a Plymouth Privateer accompenying a number of Prisoners sent to this Court under the charge of Mr Elkanah Bartlet.
December 1775
Wednesday 27.
Boston Light House SW dist: 3 Miles
at 11 AM weighed & made sail & runing for Cat-Island. Moderate & Clear at 2 PM Anchored off Cat-Island in 6 fm with the best Bower & veered to ⅓ of a Cable at 3 fired several 6 pounders at a sloop going out from Marble Head,
Thursday 28.
The Entrance to Cape Ann NEbE 1 Mile.
at 7 AM came here his Majesty's... Continue Reading
The Halifax Schooner that came up the Harbour the 23d now sailed with Orders to put herself under the Command of the Fowey, whose Captain had directions to employ her in the best manner he could to curb the Enemy, and to come occasionally to Boston with Intelligence.
This day an Express sent off to the Congress with Letters from the To of Newport on the subject of further supplying Wallace. Christie was carried to Providence & dismissed & returned. Crossen took up Dec. 30.
By authentic Advices from Martinico, we learn, that on the 4th of October last, Capt. Grant Gardon [Gordon], Commander of the Argus [Argo] an English frigate, lying in the Harbour of St. Pierre, sent a Boat with 22 Men on Board a French sloop in that Harbour, in search of Powder, (supposing her to be an English vessel bound to North-America.) Intelligence of this coming to the Master of the Sloop... Continue Reading
A petition of Captain [Simeon] Sellick was presented to Congress and read:
Resolved, That the said petition, with the papers accompanying it, be referred to a committee of three.
The members chosen, Mr. [Richard] Smith, Mr. [William] Floyd, and Mr. F[rancis Lightfoot] Lee.
Agreeable to the order of the day, the Congress resolved itself into a committee of the whole, to take into consideration the... Continue Reading
[Philadelphia] Friday 29 Decr A Petit[io]n from Simeon Sellick committeed to myself, Col. [William] Floyd & Francis Lightfoot Lee Esqr ー The House went into Grand Committee, Govr [Samuel] Ward in the Chair, when it was agreed after much Debate to allow Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina to import as much Salt as their several Conventions or Committees of Safety think necessary, from any... Continue Reading
Philadelphia County ss. ー
Personally appeared John Conners Carpent[ers] Mate of the Cabot Sloop of War in the service of America and made oath, that he went to Sir John Johnston's in Tryon county in the province of New York sometime in March last where he was employed as a Carpenter, and that whilst he was there the said Sir John harboured Alexander White Esquire Sheriff of Tryon county, who had... Continue Reading
I had brought into Hampton river, the night before last, a sloop (in ballast) capt. Bartlett Goodrich, who has been 20 days only from St. Eustatia ー I detained this express, expecting to have some news from Norfolk, as there was a very heavy firing of cannon heard there yesterday, which continued till 9 o'clock at night.
The President laid before the Convention a letter from col. [Robert] Howe, enclosing a letter from capt. Bellew, of his majesty's ship the Liverpool, desiring to be informed if he still persisted in his resolution to restrain his majesty's ships from supplies of provision, with his answer thereto; which being read, were referred to the committee of the state of the colony.
The Convention then,... Continue Reading
... on the arrival of the Liverpool, man-of-war, with a store-ship, we thought it proper to communicate that intelligence to your Committee of Safety, which we did by express, on Saturday last [December 23], and which we hope has reached you ere now. The disgraceful circumstance, to the Colony, of seizing the Printer's materials and servants, in Norfolk; the captivating our friends at Kemp's... Continue Reading
The Honorable General Convention have resolved that no provisions of any kind shall be furnished to the king's ships, so long as they come here with hostile intentions; which resolution they have communicated to cols. Howe and Woodford, and it is supposed brought on the firing from the men of war, mentioned in col. Elliott's letter to his Honour the President, though from a gentleman just arrived... Continue Reading
The following letter was written to the Committee at George-Town:
Charles-Town, Dec. 29th, 1775.
Gentlemen ー We thank you for the intelligence contained in your letter of the 26th, which reached us yesterday, about noon.
If such a fact as you have been informed of was actually seen from the shore of Waccamaw, there can be scarcely a doubt about their destination. We may expect to hear and see... Continue Reading
Dr Sir I come now to acknowledge the receipt of your favor of 4th Augt by Johnson, and Congratulate you, on your being in a place of Safty. To discribe the Sufferings of the late Friends to Goverment in america is impassable, but according to our numbers we are More dispers'd, and oppress'd than the Jews. and when the time of our coming in, or Giting to our own Habitatations again in peace will... Continue Reading
Rear Admiral Shuldham this day arrived in the Chatham of 50 Guns with a War Complement of 350 Men, being the first Ship that had come to Boston with that Establishment; and brought the Vice Admiral common official Orders to deliver the Command of the Fleet to him and to shift his own Flag either to the Boyne, Asia or Somerset, and proceed with those Ships to England as soon as possible.*
Note* In... Continue Reading
December 1775
Saturday 30th
Cape Codd SEbE½E 5 Leagues
at 7 AM hoisted in the Longboat, Weigh'd and came to Sail, as did the Cancaux Lord Hyde [Packet], and William Brig, at 10 took the William in Tow; at Noon in Company as before Cancaux in chase of a Sail to the Noward.
First and middle part fresh Breezes & Cloudy Wr latter Modt with Rain ½ past 4 PM Anchor'd with the best Bower in... Continue Reading
I am now to acknowledge the receipt of your favour of 15th August last inclosing my account Current with Messrs. Peach and Pierce as also my account with you. which I have examined and found both correct and have noted the same accordingly. I observe in yours what you say about my distance from the Sea(of Warr. in answer to which you cant but be sencible that as all commerce is stoped and... Continue Reading
Two letters from General Washington, 19 [18] and 21 December, enclosed a copy of a letter to general [William] Howe, and accompanied with a number of intercepted letters, being received and read,
Resolved, That they be referred to a committee of five.
The members chosen, Mr. [Thomas] Lynch, Mr. [William] Hooper, Mr. [George] Wythe, Mr. Silas Deane, and Mr. S[amuel] Adams.
A letter from General... Continue Reading
Saturday 30 Decr A Letter from Gen Washn with a packet of Letters just taken by Capt. Manley in a Vessel sent with provisions from Lord Dunmore to Gen Howe (the same Vessel mentioned in the last page) 2. these Letters were from Ld Dunmore, one Mulcaster, said to be the Kings Natural Brother, Hon. John Stuart & many more Persons in the Southern Colonies One Col. [Moses] Kirkland of... Continue Reading
Ship Alfred
Brigt Cabot
Dudley Saltonstall
Commander
John B. Hopkins
Commander
John Paul Jones
1st lieut
Hoisted Hacker
1st lieut
Benj Seabury
2nd do
Thomas Weaver
2nd do
John Fanning
3rd do
Danl Vaughan
3rd do
Ship Columbus
Sloop Providence
Abram Whipple
Commander
John Hazard
Commander
Rhodes Arnold
1st lieut
... Continue Reading