Volume 5
May 1776.
Mondy 20.
Moord at Brunswick
A M unbent all the Sails tarrd the Rigging &c taken by the Rebells the latter end of March the Arm'd Sloop General Clinton with pilots looking out for Sr Peter parker & his fleet.2
Date: 20 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
May 1776
Monday 20
in Wilmington River Cape Fear No Caroline
Modt and fair sent the Boat to tow a fire Raft the Rebbels had Constructed to Burn us and the Glasgow pacquett towed it to the Edge of the marsh Island and set it on fire
Date: 20 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
The third day of May we cast anchor in the harbor of Cape Fear, in North Carolina, as did sir Peter Parker's ship, of fifty guns, a little back of the bar; for there was not depth of water for him to come into the harbor: These two men of war, and fourteen sail of transports and others, came after, so that most of the fleet rendezvoused at cape Fear, for three weeks. The soldiers on board the... Continue Reading
Date: 20 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
I beg you will be pleased to acquaint my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that since my last to you, dated the 22d of January last, informing their Lordships with the arrival of His Majesty's Sloop under my Command upon this station, I dispatched Lieutenant Osborn of the Raven in a Pilot Boat mann'd and Armed to a Sloop in the Offing which he took on the 4th of February; her Cargoe consisted... Continue Reading
Date: 20 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
I take the opportunity of Captain Spears of the Ship Champion to transmit to you the fair Copy of our last years work. ー
It is generally thought here, and indeed both Mr Cobb and I are of the same opinion, that it would be very imprudent to proceed among the Florida Kays, where we left off last year, considering that New Providence has lately fallen into the hands of the Americans, and their... Continue Reading
Date: 20 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
Sir. I entreat you will acquaint my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that it has given me the greatest Concern to perceive by Mr [George] Jacksons Letter of the 20th February last, their Lordships had been pleased to approve all the appointments I had made in Consequence of Captain Gordons Dismission, except that of Lieutenant Young to Command the Pomona; and that their Lordships added "I... Continue Reading
Date: 20 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
Sir I had the honour to receive from Mr Charles Chabert your Excellencys Letter of the 14th Current Complaining that Captain [John] Colpoys of His Britannic Majesty's Ship the Seaford, had on the 10th Instant wrote to desire your permission to Seize an American Vessel (from Philadelphia) then lying in the Road of St. Eustatia; this Letter I certainly disapprove of as he had no Authority or... Continue Reading
Date: 20 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
I am very sorry my Situation is such as to oblige me to apply to You as a Prisoner, I can remember a Time when I could have esteemed You a Friend, & Acquaintance, You no doubt will recollect it, in 1769 when I frequently had the Pleasure of paying my Respects to you in Boston; however not to trespass too much on yr Time, I must beg to inform you that the Purport of this Letter, is to seek a... Continue Reading
Date: 21 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
May 1776
Sunday 19
[Off Newport, Rhode Island]
At 3 A M, Weigh and at 7 Do abrest of the Light house, almost Calm
Moderate Breezes & Clear, At 6 P M, Nowman's Land, Bore NBW 5 Leagues, at 7 Do Saw a large Ship, a Stern standing after us, At 8 Do Sounded 25 fathom, At 10 Do, saw the Ship a Stern comeing up fast The Cabot bore away to the Eastward, & we made sail to the South'd, at 11... Continue Reading
Date: 21 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
The Night after we left New Port being Chased by a Vessel we took to be the Cerberus the Cabot Run a more direct course for Nantucket Shoals than I thought safe to do by which Means we have lost company with her. This Morning we took a Sloop bound from Salter tudas to Liverpool in Nova Scotia.2 Mr [Philip] Brown my third Mate to whom I have given Charge of Her will Give You what... Continue Reading
Date: 21 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
We find That upon the Eleventh Day of April AD.1776, the Brigantine called the Georgia Packet, her Appurtenances and Cargo, were brought into the Harbour of Newport in the Colony of Rhode Island, by one of the British Ships of War called the Scarborough, then employed against the united American Colonies. ー We also find that on the same Day, the said Brigantine her Appurtenances and Cargo, were... Continue Reading
Date: 21 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
When you arrive at Philadelphia please to get directions to me from the Congress or the Naval Committee what I shall do with the Negro Slaves taken in the Bomb Brigt and what I shall do with the New Providence Sloop which I took to bring the Guns to New London ー And let the Congress know that it will not be in my power to Mann the Fleet without their Orders for Shipping men out of the Army. I am... Continue Reading
Date: 21 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
You will on Receipt of this deliver to Messrs [Levi] Hollingsworth & [Thomas] Richardson the Bomb Brig or Schooner as they may think best if they have occasion for them ー And if you can Collect any of the hands that belong to the Fleet you must get them onboard and take Charge of the Vessel yourself, and follow such directions as you shall Receive from them.
Date: 21 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
I this day receiv'd yours and observe the Contents ー and as to the Order of Congress to deliver the Cannon to you there was a discretionary power in me to Stop as many as I thought would be for the benefit of the Fleet, and as I was & am still Careening the Fleet I think it not safe to part with the Cannon before the Ships are in a posture of defence ー
I yesterday receiv'd an Order of... Continue Reading
Date: 21 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
that your Petitioner desireous to be of Service to his Country has Quit'd the land Service with a design to get into the Fleet under Your Comd & as your Petir is well versed in the Small Arm exercise ー would be greatly obligd'd to your Honr if a Vacancy should present that You would Cons[i]der your Petir as he is now & has been for some Time upon Expences This from your most Humble Sr.
Date: 21 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
Sir Inclosd is an Accott of what I have Advanct to the People belonging to the Fleet for Nessesarys wich they Could not do without Amountg to 18.15.11 also Fifty dollars wich I have Deliverd to Sargt [William] Hamilton2 & John MackNeil 2d Mate of the Providence to pay their Expences on the Road and wich Sum they are to Accott with you for ー I thought it best to send them of[f] for... Continue Reading
Date: 21 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
We came to this place on Saturday evening where we learnt that Commodore Hopkins was at Newport in the Fly therefore delivered the Order of Congress to Danl Tillinghast Esqr as directed who advisd us to proceed to Newport where we should meet the Commodore, Sunday evening we delivered him the Order, he informs us he left 34 of the Cannon mostly heavy at N London & brought only 12 24 & 12... Continue Reading
Date: 21 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
...I have now Batteaus sufficient to move three of the four remaining Regiments, and on Wednesday Evening I shall have enough for the last of the Brigade, and by that Time the Nails now here will be all expended, but shall probably e'er then receive those your Excellency ordered from New York, with which I propose to build about forty Batteaus more, twenty to be employed on Lake George and the... Continue Reading
Date: 21 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
I am induced to trouble Your Excellency with this Letter, lest You should be deceived by the Information I Gave You with respect to the Depth of the River Opposite this Fort which was very Erronious: Oweing intirely to want of Recollection in the Gentleman fr[om] who I had my Information he had tak[en] its depth but had forgot it. I have since sounded it and found it to be 28. 31. & 32... Continue Reading
Date: 21 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
Capt Wm Goforth arrived here about an hour since with the inclosed letters ー Express from Canada, which I mean to forward on to Amboy very early in the morning, and beg your Excellency's particular answer in regard to what you would have forwarded from this place, ー Capt Goforth commanded the Schooner in the river St Lawrence he says ー that not more than 100 Men are taken prisoners & them all... Continue Reading
Date: 21 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
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