Dear Sir

My being out of Town for sometime past must be the excuse for my not writeing you ere this, your kind favour from Springfield I have received. It would have been of little Service if you had gone by the way of Providence, as the Guns cannot be had from there Cap. [Nathaniel] Falconer went from hence two Days since for Providence by him you'll be informed of all Matters from that Place — I've no prospect of Guns unless from Connecticut or Philadelphia; I understand that the Guns at Hartford, are ready for the Ship at Middletown which is not ready to receive them now if them were immediately ordered for me & another sett cast for her there, or sent from Philadelphia it would do pray mention this matter to the Honie Committee if they should order it would be best to send off immediately to Hartford and order the Guns to be balled to Boston and delivered to the Agent Cap. [John] Bradford for me from whence I may have them by Water the Guns for the Ship are those 26 Twelve Pounders, 6 sixes or fours twenty swivels. — For Mercy sake let something be done immediately or our Ship will never go to Sea, I do not expect to have one Man left in few days In short them want to be excused, as they have great offers every Day in the Privateermg way there is scarce now one single man out of employ fit for Midshipman Privateers every Day calling for Men — Pray let me have also an order to Enter Seaman from the Continental Troops, here, as they can be filled up out of the Country (that is if the Guns are ordered) I've received no Orders from the Honorable Secret Committee Relative to the Goods by [Thomas] Palmer please mention this least my Letters should have miscarried, which I wrote them

I've now the pleasure to Inform you that the McClary Privateer Cap. [Robert] Parker got home few days since and has brought in here one fine River built Ship with five Hundred & odd Hogsheads Jamaica Rum Designed for Quebeck for the Army there, there is one Hogshead Sterling old Stuff for Burgoine & one for Carlton this prize is worth at least 20,000 Lawful Money, also a Brigantine with about two Hundd Hogsheads Sugar and a Ship loaded with Mahogany these three prizes with the two small Schooners sent in before makes verry successful Cruise. —

I have begun to Load the Ship I bought have had the Carpenters to work ever since put in new hooks new Steps some new Ceiling new Top's some new Yards her Cargo will consi[s]t of about Twenty Thousand feet of Mahogany about thirty Masts & Bowsprits from 18 to 26 Inches compleatly hewed about Two Thousand Inches sparrs, about Thirty Thousand Oak Plank Plank measure as much pine about Thirty Thousand Staves white oak & red &c pray let me know if the Honle Committee see fit to take her by Charter or any other way they think best & what Goods they choose purchasd pray let me know this by return of Post as she will be ready to go in about three weeks pray be good enough to see that my Letters to the Honle Committee, are laid before them least the Hurry of Business should omit them, I've reason to believe that some of my Letters to the Honle Committee have miscarrd; as their Letter to me refers to mine to Mr [Josiah] Bartlett & does not mention mine to the Board which I wrote at the same time pray try to forward all these Matters by return of Post

I went to Cambridge to the appeal of Lears [Tobias Lear's] case but the Court is adjourned to February &his property &Yettons [Hopley Yeaton's] laying Spoiling I wish if it can be done you'll get the sense of the House about that matter whether if we should loose it at Cambridge we may not apply to Congress for redress for it is an unheard of piece of Robbery not even to allow them their Adventures tho' they are americans and proved Friends to the Cause of America as any on the Continent. I hope the Congress will order the Cause before them or the Men will be totally Ruined ² all are well of our Friends — God bless you — With Friendship I am [&c.]

PS please to Remember me to Mr Bartlett if he's there which I do not expect & also to Mr [Matthew] Thornton