2. See John Brown's letter to Gayton, March 22, 1776.

3. What Gayton summarized in a paragraph regarding Ebenezer Smith Platt was described in detail later by Elizabeth Wright, daughter of Patience Wright, the wax modeler, in a letter to Benjamin Franklin. It reads in part:

the 13th of Jully 1775 there Arived A Vessell in Savanah Harbour Commanded by A Captain Maitland, Laden with Goods and some Powder & Arms from Merchants in England Consignd to their Correspondents ー Merchants in Georgia ー the People of Georgia at that Time had just fonnd a Congress amongst themselves and began as well as the Other Provinces to be Divided into Liberty & tory Partys-The Merchants to whom the Goods were Consignd were of these different Oppinions ー A Stoppage of Trade then takeing Place and Goods being rather Scarce ー the Congress Previous to the Arival of the Vessel Purchased the Goods of the Merchants at An Advanced Price ー but rather against the Will of those of them who were in the opposition to the Congress ー in Consequence of which the others fearing there might be any obstruction to the Landing the Goods or that Possibly A Mob might be Rais'd to Destroy or Prevent the Congress from obtaining them ー applied to Mr Plat with two other Gentlemen to go on board the Vessel which Lay some Miles off and see that She was Safe brought up to the Town and that none of the Goods Should be Landed ti! Her Arival There ー they gave them an order to the Captn & Mate to Receive and Entertain them in the best Maner on Board ー but they seeing the Captn afterwards in Town shew'd Him the Order ー and As He was not going on Board again just then He gave them an order to the Mate, much to the same Purpose as the other, viz, to Receive & treat them well ー & was very Polite & Friendly-but by what hapned afterwards it appears that He was rather Averse to the Congress haveing the Cargo ー they staid on Board 6 Days ー Saw the Vessel brought up to the Town and Nothing Landed Except some Horses for Governor Campbell at Charlestown south Carolina ー they then went on Shore thought No more of it and Another Commite was sent in their stead, who Landed the Cargo ー after Captn Maitland had Cleard His Vessel in Georgia he set sail with a Cargo from there for Jamaica ー and soon after Mr Plat went as Merchant in a Vessel of His own which He had fitted out for the same Port leaving his Partner to superintend his Business & Property in the Mean time ー After His Arival in Jamaica He Saw Captain Maitland There who was Exceeding Friendly to Him & invited Him to Make His home on Board His ship whilst he Staid in Kingston ー this offer He Declined ー but they frequently fell in Company with Each other and allways upon the footing of Friendship for about 8 weeks when they hapned one Evening to Meet in a Coffee House in a good deal of other Company amongst which was Captain Miller of New York, with several other Captains some of them had got a little heated with the Liquor and one amongst the rest, gave as A Toast "Damnation to all Americans" to which Mr Plat Reply'd, that No Gentleman of Honour or Goodness Could drink such a Toast as it was Repugnant to the Rules of Society ー on which the other grew warm as well as some of the Company ー and Mr Plat fearing A Quarrel imediately Withdrew ー Captai1i Maitland who by this time had grown warm with the Liquor and Conversation soon after His Departure, Cryd out "That Damned fellow was one of them on Board my Ship at Georgia with an order from the Congress and Landed the Powder and Arms for them["] ー most of the Company was Exceedingly Pleasd at the Discovery and the next Day Reported it all over the town, not omiting the Governor Sir Bassil Keith-who imediately sent word to Captain Maitland that He ought to Come & Exhibit an information Against Mr Plat ー the Captn having grown sober again was Exceedingly Sorry for what he had said and sent word to Mr. Plat that He wish'd he would Absent Himself or Leave the Place, Eke He must be oblidged to Comply with the Governors Comands

Mr Plat Amazed, tho indifferent, at his information returnd Answer that His Business did not Suit him to leave the Place at that Time ー that He had nothing to dread from any information He Could make against Him ー and that He was at liberty to act as he thought Proper in the Case ー Mr Plat was at that Time haveing Disposed of his Vessel & Cargo fitting out another for Turtling & fishing before His Return to Georgia ー as He Lay off in the River Prepared to Sail ー the Admiral's Boat Came allong Side and Asked for Mr Plat the Captain Reply'd that He was on Board ー on which they imediately Seiz'd the Vessel & Crew alledging it was on account of An information of Captain Maitlands against Mr Plat, before the Governor-Mr Plats Captain & Crew were Set at Liberty about 3 weeks afterward ー but Mr Plat was Confind in Irons and for a fortnight Debard from Seeing or writeing to Any of His Friends ー and treated with the greatest insolence and indignities by the Sailors.

Franklin Papers, V, 56, APS.