[Beverly, October 22, 1775]
At Cambridge I was ordered by Gen'l Washington to take the command of a detachment of said army and proceed on board the Schooner Franklin, on the 16th October 1775 his instructions and additional instructions, I send you a true copy of them. Before we sailed from Beverly I think it was a Mr. Morris [Stephen Moylan] an aid to Gen'l Washington came to me and asked for those instructions that he might see them, which I had receivd and was sealed and on the subscription p[a]rt was wrote (not to be opened till out of sight of land) I delivered them into his hand he immediately returned them to me, he had the same interview with Commodore Broughton, I believe in the same way. I remark on this that General Washington might be suspicious, this being the first enterprise of this nature with sealed orders, might start the mind, but the horrors of death in all its forms would not have opperated to have broke a seal or denyed a duty2 ー as to the time of sailing from Beverly I cannot say positively but I believe the 20th or 21st October.3
1. John Selman to Elbridge Gerry, March 18, 1813, printed in Salem Gazette, July 22, 1856.
2. The letters were sent by Colonel Reed to Moylan on October 19, who reported the same day that the letters would be delivered "to each Capt on their departure." Washington Paners, LC.
3. The sailing date was October 22, 1775; see Moylan's and Glover's letter of this date.
