[Boston 30 December 1777]
Dear Sr
I arived passenger in ye Bri[g] Gimblet John Lam[b] master in 23 Days from martinico with continal Stores from mr Bingham to Be deliverd to you I came up on that Bisuness We arivd Wednesday Evening She has 17 Brass feild peices among the rest1 Capt Lamb Begs you will Send to him Directly what he is to do withe them as he has great many hands on pay She is Letter marck Belonging to mr more2 & Capt Lamb I sold my rack3 and Broug[ht] whome dry Goods in Lamb in return I am your humble Servt
Henry Billings
L, CtY, Nathaniel and Thomas Shaw Papers, packet 6, no. 326. Addressed: “To/Nathaniel Shaw Esqr./Newlondon.” Docketed: “Henery Billings/Letter/Decemr. 30th. 1777."
1. Besides the 17 four-pound brass cannon, the Irish Gimblet's cargo consisted of “a great Quantity of round shot suitable for the same, about a Thousand Stand of Arms, and 14 Tons of Powder.” Connecticut Gazette, 9 Jan. 1778.
2. Patrick Moore of Martinique.
3. A variant for wrack or a wrecked ship. Billings is referring to his command, the Connecticut privateer sloop Trumbull. She was commissioned on 20 May 1777, mounted 10 carriage guns with a crew of 50 seamen and was owned by Andrew and Ebenezer Huntington, of Norwich. DNA, PCC, item 196, vol. 15, 49.
