Displaying 41 - 60 of 83
You are hereby Authorized to engage any Person, Seamen, who may present themselves to serve Under my Command in the Navy on board the Ship Amphitrite at Portsmouth in Newhampshire, bound to France. ー on Arrival there they are to be turned over to one of the finest Frigates of the French Navy ー she having been Purchased for the United States by their Commissioners at the Court of Paris and to be...
Date: 23 May 1777
Volume: Volume 8
I take the Liberty, of acquainting you that in obedience to Orders from the Honble the Marine and Secret Committees of Congress, bearing date the 9th ulto, I immediately repaired here in Order to proceed in the French Ship Amphitrite from hence to Charlestown South Carolina and thence to France, the intention of the Secret Committee was first to avail of this Ships Guns and Men to make a Cruizing...
Date: 3 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9
Your esteemed favor of 21st Ulto duely Appeared — At the same time I recd orders from Congress to repair immediatly to Portsmouth in order to Proceed to France in the Ship Amphitrite — I returned here a day or two Ago — And now Send you a list of Persons concerned in the capture of the Ship Alexander — the bearer Mr [Joseph] Vesey deserves to Share with the first class of Officers — however he...
Date: 9 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I had the pleasure of writing you last week — but could not be very particular as I had but a few Minutes warning of the Opportunity — I depended with a degree of certainty on receiving the return of our letters to the Honble the Secret Committee P the last post — no return however hath Appeared; which makes me very Uneasy Indeed! — A whole Month hath elapsedSincemyfirstcopieswerforwarded.—...
Date: 26 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I should have made an earlier reply to yours of 17th June instant had I not expected that Yesterdays post would have brought me letters from Congress that would have determined the time of my departure. these letters however, have not Yet Appeared - so that I remain in a degree of Uncertainty. — I think myself obliged to you for the preference which you give me by expressing a desire to Sail...
Date: 26 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9
You are hereby Ordered and directed forthwith to wait on Captain Mathew Park of the Marines at Providence And to take Orders from him for your government in the Enlistment of Able Bodied Men, especially Seamen, to Serve in the Navy Under my Command —
You are to Put into his hands the Account of and Receipt for All the Arms which were taken in the Mellish &c and you are to put into his hands ...
Date: 2 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I have now to inform you that I yesterday recd Orders from Congress to proceed from Portsmouth in the Ship Ranger instead of the Amphitrite — Captain Roach [John Roche] being suspended in consequence of a com plaint from this State — I am the more sensibly Affected on his Account as congress have thought proper to put the Ship under my direction — And I wish heartily that he May be able to...
Date: 2 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
having now received Orders from Congress to proceed from Portsmouth in the Ship Ranger instead of the Amphitrite — agreeable to your desire I am willing to make Trial of your intrest and Address in enlisting Able Bodied Men, especially Seamen, to Serve in the Navy under my Command. — You are therefore Ordered and directed forthwith to proceed to Salem in this State And in that district to exert...
Date: 3 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I am come here on a disagreeable errand — to Supercede you, against whom I have no cause of complaint. Delicacy would not permit my more early Appearance. I wished to give you time to consider Seriously whether your Suspension can be in any respect Owing to me: You must be convinced that it was not when you recollect that I was Appointed to command a far better Ship than the Ranger: Besides, I...
Date: 12 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
You being nominated as Lieutenant of Marines in the Service of these States, are hereby Authorized and directed forthwith to Enlist as many Able Bodied Men as possible to Serve in the Navy under my Command2 —You are to enter All the good Seamen who present themselves — as Sundry petty Warrant Officers will be Appointed from Among them.
I will shortly send you with hand Bills for your...
Date: 15 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
Inclosed I send a Copy of my last of the 17th Current from hence. — several officers have been Appointed since that time and I have reason to think that the Compliment will soon be completed both with respect to Officers and Men —
When I took Command of the Ranger she was scarcely half Rigged — and the workmen are now, and will be for some time necessarily Employed Colo Whipple writes you pr...
Date: 21 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
Encouragement for seamen.
Whereas the seamen of these States have for some time past been dis couraged from entering into the navy, by thinking they have hitherto been unfairly dealt with in respect of prize money, and the regular payment of wages: Therefore, to remove all cause of future complaint, I will be answerable to every person who may enter to serve under my command, for the punctual...
Date: 26 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
You are hereby Ordered and directed forthwith to proceed to Newburyport Boston and on your way there endeavour to assist Mr Charrier whom you will find enlisting Men to Serve in the Navy Under my Command — You are to present the Memorandum of Articles wanted for the Ranger to Messrs Livingston and Turnbull who will Oblige me by rendring you every possible Assistance. — but my principle design in...
Date: 27 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
. . . I have been unhappy in reflecting that I have been no less than five times baffled in the various Services, which have been pointed out for my Honor arid benefit since my arrival at Boston in the Alfred, yet I mention not this as an excuse for my Silence, — I acknowledge that Silence to have been blameable. I have now the fairest Prospect of getting the Ranger compleatly manned — hitherto...
Date: 28 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
As I learn from you, that the Seamen who have enter'd for the Ranger for One Cruize expect to receive an Advance of Forty dollars and that the Landsmen expect to receive an Advance of Twenty dollars as mentioned, in the hand Bills, ancl as I would by no means deceive any Man, who has Enter'd or may Enter to serve under my Command, it is proper that you should inform them, that at the time when...
Date: 29 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I request you to Send me by the bearer Captn Parke your Accots Against me as Commander of the Sloop of War Providence and Ship of War Alfred for the Slops and Cash Supplied while under my direction. — these Accounts being, as I have repeatedly told you, Absolutely necessary previous to the Settlement of my Accounts with the Continent. — as I am on the eve of departure, I expect your immediate...
Date: 8 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9
Inclosed you have sundry letters &c which you are at liberty to use at discretion — for I can unbosom myself to you with the utmost Confidence, — you have laid me under the most singular Obligations, & you are indeed the Angel of my Happiness; since to your Friendship I owe my present enjoyments, as well as my future prospects. — I will not attempt to thank you by letter, but endeavour to...
Date: 17 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9
Yesterday Genl Whipple shewed me a letter which he had Just receiv'd from you by return of Express wherein you mentioned my having Orders for France, I apprehend you allude to my former Orders from the Secret Committee, as I have receiv'd none lately to that Effect, as the Raleigh and Alfred have proceeded for France, should any Enterprize be adopted there I dread the thoughts of being set under...
Date: 24 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I am happy to hear of your safe arrival at Boston. — I am almost in readiness for Sea, so that I cannot hope for the pleasure of seeing you in Boston before my departure; you will oblige me much by a Copy of your prisoner's scheme of quartering the Officers and Men in different rates of the Enemies Navy and what he. conceives to be their duty respectively. — Thompson and Hinman are gone; and by...
Date: 24 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9
Yours down to the 21st is with me. — with respect to the Swivels unless they can be done this week the time will not now Admit to have them Cast — therefore desire Captain Bradford to Apply for Captain McNeills or any other Eight Short Swivels fit for Tops and Send them here without loss of time. — Should not Colo Fraizer continue determined to proceed in the Ranger the Qr Cask of Wine will be...
Date: 24 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9