Displaying 61 - 80 of 102
having a small sloop call'd the Mongomery Robt Willis Master, that I propose to send back to America Arm'd, not having a Commission for her which I apprehend lays in your power to grant. I take the Liberty to make application to you for One. I propose her to mount Six four pounders to carry thirty Men and otherways properly equipt. I am not determin'd if I shall employ the same master back, it...
Date: 10 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I am just Settg off for St Mallo where Mr Williams thinks I had better spend about 3 weeks, in order to be out of the way & give time for our New Ship to be built, I shall have Capt Tanner here to overlook, as much as is Needfull, or we dare appear in — he is an Experienced Man in Ship buildg, &A Compleat Draughts Man, I shall send You the draught of the Ship, drawn by him when finished...
Date: 11 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9
This will inform you of my Present unhappy Situation, the Judge of the Admiralty have Received orders of the 6th Inst from the Minester at Paris, ordering them not to Suffer me to take any Cannon Powder or other Millatary Stores on board or to depart from the Port on any Consideration whatever without further Orders from Paris, in consequence of those orders, they Came on board on Saturday to...
Date: 12 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9
This will be delivered by my very good Friend Mr Beaugear, who has been very kind in rendering me every Service in his power since his Arrival, as I have recommended his House here in a former letter have but little to add on that Subject, they Continue to do every thing in their Power to Assist me and makes my detention as Agreeable as Possible As their influence here is very Considerable, they...
Date: 15 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9
Yesterday arrived here The Brig Liberty Capt Herbert with 108 hhds of Tobo on acct of the State of Virga consign'd to J. Gruel & Co She left Virga July 10th runing the fire of 5 Men of War that guards the mouth of the Bay of Chesapeak. The Capt is a true Tar, has not bro't any papers or letters but what relates to his vessel & Cargoe. . . This day two Privateers arrived here with two...
Date: 18 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I should be very glad to know my future destination and how I am to Act in Regard to the proceedings of the Admiralty Officers at this Port. If I am not dispatched Soon think it Will be Neccessary to hawl the Ship on Shore again & Clean her as She is very Dirty and will not Sail without being Clean. I am informed Capt [John] Green of Philadelphia is now at Nantes unemployed, as he is Married...
Date: 22 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9
Should have wrote you eir this, I had no subject to write upon, knowing you have enough else to do besides reading a Scrawl, which signified nothing. — Yours of the 19th Inst came safe to hand, have to say I have done tolerable well with the French Sailors, many of them finding I would pay them no money have decamped others (some few) have gone on board, Waiting for the orders from Court. I wait...
Date: 26 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I this day received orders from the Minester of Marine at Paris, Notified me by the Comissary & Judge of Admiralty to depart this Port emediately and not to enter again on any Consideration — I was much Surprized to receive those orders without a line from you — I told them I would Sail the first fair Wind and am now Prepairing for Sea, as fast as Possible, but shall endeavour to gain time,...
Date: 31 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9
We your humble petioners beg leave to inform you of the distressed Situation of our Brother; Officers now Prisoners in England, particularly John Nicholson Esqr & his Officers who was taken in the Sloop Hornet in the Service of the United States of America & Thomas Norwood and Nine Men that was put on Board of one of our late prizes, who was taken & Carried into Falmouth and Many...
Date: 6 September 1777
Volume: Volume 9
This will informe you of our Worthy friend Capt Wickes leavg this Yesterday Eve with a fine Easterly Wind (the Dolphin Capt [Francis] Brown) Sailed in Compy at Sun Settg they Discharged their Pilots, when they were Clear of the Rocks &c since wch the wind has Continued fresh from the Eastward, so that I make no doubt but by Noon this Day (Monday) he is off Ushant. he has A french Pilot that...
Date: 15 September 1777
Volume: Volume 9
Your agreeable favour of the 9th Inst was handed me by Capt Bell, with the different packets & letters tomorrow morning shall sail God willing — I forward by Capt Bell my Accots I find a Ballance. I find in favour of the Congress which I shall give Credit if I find no Errors — If any shall settle the same with the agent in America — as every thing has gone thro' my hands perhaps I may have...
Date: 17 September 1777
Volume: Volume 9
On my leavg St Malo I wrote You giveg You an Acct of the Sailg of the Reprisal & Dolphin. Capt [Francis] Brown Arrived here in the Dolphin the Night before last, & Agreable to his Orders from Capt Wickes, Under french Colours, & to the address of Monsr Peltier as Comeg from St Austatia, but haveg no Clearance from that Place or any other Papers, Mr Peltier thought it most Proper to...
Date: 21 September 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I had the honor of writing to you from hence 3d day of June last — Copy whereof is here inclosed. Congress have thought fit to put the new Sloop of War therein mentioned, now called the Ranger under my command, and have authorized Genl Whipple, Colo Langdon and myself to appoint the Officers. When I took this command, the middle of last month; I found that the Cordage and Canvis which had at...
Date: 30 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9
Having presumed to draw a Bill on you in favour of Mr William Dennie a Merchant of this Town for one hundred pounds Sterling, it becomes necessary to appologize for this Step by Explaining the reasons of our Conduct, which otherways must Appear very extraordinary, as we have neither the Express orders of Congress for it or have the Honour of being Connected with you in any other way...
Date: 2 February 1778
Volume: Volume 11
Since I wrote you last I went on A Cruze and fell in With the Brig Gracieux Mr. Augustin Letournois from London Bound to Spain with A Cargoe of Dry Goods the most of the Bills of Lading Consignd to Order.1 On my Asking the Capt If he new that his Cargoe was British property or not he made Answer, I seen where he Loaded and that I had A Good prize On this Answer I...
Date: 4 January 1778
Volume: Volume 11
I am just returned from Painbeuf where I have been with Capt Nicholson to quiet a Discord between the french & americain Sailors, which we have in a great measure effected; and I hope the Steps agreed on between the Commissary at Pain beuf, the Commander of a french Vessell of War, and ourselves, will soon put an end to it. We have offered free Liberty to every french Sailor that...
Date: 6 January 1778
Volume: Volume 11
I beg leave to refer you to my letter of the 2d. instant, and altho' I am not yet in the situation you prescribed for me to transact your Bussiness here, I am nevertheless induced, as well from the season of the year, as the reports of Captains Thompson & Green, to inform you, that the Ship Durass of near Eight hundred Tons Burthen, wch. is here for sale, wou'd be a...
Date: 7 January 1778
Volume: Volume 11
Memorandum
[Between 5 and 8 Jan. 1778]
In Company with some American Gentlemen, it was dropped in conversation that it was surprising the Commissioners at Paris Knowing the deplorable situation of the American prisoners confined in the several prisons in England, that they had not sent them any relief; this induced me to wait no longer for an answer from Lord North,1 to run all risks...
Date: 8 January 1778
Volume: Volume 11
I ask the Commissioners
Whither they do or do not mean that the Ranger should depart before her Prizes are Realized.
Whither the advance paid to the Seamen must be deducted from their Prize Money, and at what Rate?—
And Whither it is not inexpedient for a Ship that is Crank—that Sails Slow—and that is of a triffling force, to pursue a tract where there is almost a Certainty of Meeting with the...
Date: 18 January 1778
Volume: Volume 11
Jany. 19th. 1778 Extract, On my arrival at Brest I went to the Commandant of marine to ask permission for the Ship1 to go to St Nazare to which I recd. a refusal for want of orders. I represented to the Commodore2 (at Quiberon) the inefficacy of the Convoy if we had not liberty to go to St. Nazare that he said he could...
Date: 19 January 1778
Volume: Volume 11