Displaying 41 - 60 of 122
...With regard to fiting My Sloop with Guns it is Verey Defecult to geet 3 or 4 pound Canon but I have Boughte Six 3 pounders with Careges all Compleat and Expect 4 More in two or three days with some Swiv[e]lls but thaire is so many Vessells Fiting From this Island that small Canon is Verey Dear Mine when all Compleate will Cost Not less then Seven Hundred Livers Apair Small Arms of the Best...
Date: 2 November 1776
Volume: Volume 7
We received a letter last week from Capt Samuel Smith junr Commander of the Ship Hancock & Adams belonging to Mr Blair McClenachan of this City informing us of his arrival with that Ship and Cargo at the port of Bedford in Massachusets, His letter is dated the 1st instant and he Says that in Latitude 38 ..29 and Longitude 65 ..23 he fell in with the Game Cock Privateer of Rhode,Island...
Date: 15 November 1776
Volume: Volume 7
Sir, I should be glad to be informed immediately whether Two Frigates can be built in Providence to be launched about the same Time the next as the other 2 were the last Spring; and whether the same Commee would undertake agai_n to collect Materials and undertake the Building of them &c —
Date: 16 November 1776
Volume: Volume 7
A Flagg of Truce arrived from Lord Howe in this Harbour this Day — The inclosed Copy will inform your Honor of the Business he is charged with —2 it seems he is confined to those in the Naval Department we have not many of those in that Department in this State, but we suppose there is likely many in the state of Rhode-Island — but since our Arrival in this Town we have been informed...
Date: 22 November 1776
Volume: Volume 7
I sent an Officer with my Orders to take up, and bring onboard the Fleet some deserters who Enlisted out of the Army, and receiv'd their Months pay — and he took up Seven at Warwick, and brought as far as the Fulling mill — where a number of the Inhabitants got together, and took the Men away from him — the names of the Men taken away are as follows —
John Joyce, John Allen, Benjamin Howard, Abel...
Date: 27 November 1776
Volume: Volume 7
This Day between the Hours of ten & Eleven oClock, Hove in Sight a fleet of Eleven Sail of large Vessels Square Rigged Supposing them to be the Enemys fleet, Standing in between Montauk &Rhode Island, and thinking it a matter of the Greatest Importance that your Excellency Should have the Earliest Notice thereof, I hereby Send my Son as Express with these few lines, and think these Ships...
Date: 2 December 1776
Volume: Volume 7
I this moment with Certainty Discover Ten Sail of topsail Vessels Standing to the Northward and Eastward which I dout Not is the British fleet that General lees Adecamp Refers to in his Letter to your Excelency of the 21st of Last month, in all probability, if the wind Stands they Will Be in the Harbour of Newport before Sunset. I therefore think it my duty to Acquant your Excelency of it...
Date: 2 December 1776
Volume: Volume 7
I thought proper to Acquaint your Honour of the Movements of the Enemys Fleet Mention'd in my last — yesterday about two OClock they Hauled up their Courses and kept Hovering Round Untill about Sun Set When they made Sail for Block Island and Came to Anchor on the West Side — this morning about 7 OClock they all Came to Sail (Eleven in Number) and Stood Westward between Long Island and the Main,...
Date: 3 December 1776
Volume: Volume 7
I received your Resolve of this Day 2 and Note the Contents of it; I now let you know I have long had Orders from the Honorable Marine Committee to get all the Vessels out as soon as I could Man them, I should be glad that Your Honble Board wou'd Devise some way to compleat their Men to Enlist, and likewise some way that the great Number of De~erters may be sent on Board, a...
Date: 4 December 1776
Volume: Volume 7
I am honour'd with your Commands of 3d current. Your Vigilance & early Dispatches in Sending off Expresses to the neighbouring States merits the Thanks of this and every other State
By the Inclosed 2 am noticed of the Movement of the Enemy's Ships, (which I thought proper to transmit to your Honour) the Wind being Easterly then, but fair now.
Shall I encourage one or two Aid de...
Date: 4 December 1776
Volume: Volume 7
Yours of Yesterday I have just recd and I shall take it for granted, that you will take every Legal method to forward the manning of the Ships, and as to what you refer with respect to the Wages and Prize money I must now let you know, that as I am not Agent or Pay Master that I have nothing to do in that matter, further than to use my Influence that Right be done to every Man in the Navy; I have...
Date: 5 December 1776
Volume: Volume 7
Sr I have this day recieved Intelligence from New-London that there are Collected in the Sound near plumb Island Ten English Men of Warr and about 80 Transports And from Another quarter have further Intelligence that some hundred of the Enemies Ships and Transports had passed hell gate, their destination must at present be Uncertain Whether at New London or New-port but New Port may be the most...
Date: 5 December 1776
Volume: Volume 7
I Traveld Westward this morning to the edge of Westerly when meeting Capt Simon Rhodes who Informed Me that he Saw this morning 25 Sail of Vessels Steering Out of New London Harbour for Fishers Island Race and that a Flag of Truce Belonging to thIS State had Come into Stonington Long Point (I suppose Still [Benjamin Stelle]) who Declares that at the East End of Fishers Island he Spoke Capt Simons...
Date: 6 December 1776
Volume: Volume 7
I am very Sorry that Matters have Bin Such that I Could not writ to you.Be fore I arived at Newpot the fifth Day of this Instant when I found Colonel [John] Cook upon a Retreat and I thought it Best not to Countermand the order Bout to asist with all Posable Des patch we have got of [f] a grate quanty of Stock also Chife of the Bagage and war Like Stores But obliged to Leve about fifteen heave...
Date: 7 December 1776
Volume: Volume 7
Yours of the 7th Novr I receiv'd thismorning, and think we can Secure what Prisoners you may please to Send provided they are Sailors, or to be treated as such — That or any other Service which the State requires that is inmy power, Shall be done with pleasure —
I have nothing new since my fast — have not heard any disturbance last Night — You mention a hand Bill inclosed, but there was none in...
Date: 8 December 1776
Volume: Volume 7
About 12 OClock this morning the English Fleet came in to the Westward of James Town, all but three which stood to the Eastward for Secunnet Point — there is in the whole upwards of One ,hundred Sail — Some of the Anchor'd at the North End of Connanicut, and the rest was under Sail at 4 OClock — I am Sir [&c.]
Date: 8 December 1776
Volume: Volume 7
Captain Hacker in the Sloop Providence went down this afternoon below Prudence, and a Ship gave him Chace but she run onshore — he saw one Ship down by Dutch Island and one off Hogg Island — and Mr [William] Barron 2 return'd from Rhode Island, and says the Enemy landed at 8 OClock this Morning 8000 Men and took possession of the whole Island without Opposition, and he thinks have got...
Date: 8 December 1776
Volume: Volume 7
I have this Day Recd your Leter to the Deputy Govrner Read By which I under Stand you are Disireous I Should Keep posistion of the fourt at Bristers [Bristol] ferry and howlens ferry which I am fully of opinon we Can Do in Case we are Soported with Stores and men as to gowing on newport I also think adviseable providad there Can posable Be Boats a nu£ procured So that we Can Land Two Div[i]ssions...
Date: 9 December 1776
Volume: Volume 7
Mr John Tennet a French Gentleman has a Schooner in this Place nearly ready to Sail for Hispaniola, and is very desireous to employ her when She arrives there as a Privateer to cruize against the Vessels belonging to the Subjects of. the King of Great Britain, he proposes to mann her with French Sailors, except three or four Americans for Prize Masters, one of which waits on your Honour with this...
Date: 13 December 1776
Volume: Volume 7
I recd your Honors Letter by Mr Fry and in Compliance with your request have deliverd him the Arms & Military Stores mentioned at foot — I flatter myself that my Conduct in this Matter will be approved of by the Congress as the Publick Safety I am confident requirred it — I hope a Speedy removal of your disagreable Neighbours — should the residue of the Stores be wanted I will exert myself to...
Date: 14 December 1776
Volume: Volume 7