Sir,

With inexpressable pleasure I rec'd the news of the formidable Fortress of Boston & its environs, being pricipatately evacuated, by the Savage Enemies to America; Let the cause they have Engag'd in, be ever a terror, & a flight with disgrace ー perpetually attend them, is my Ardent wish. Your favr of 25 Ulto & 2d Inst I have recd the former by Cap [John] Frasier; 2 the latter this day & shall pay due attention to your direction in payment of his, & his Mates Loss when properly assertain'd ー I made Strict enquirery of the Pillage when Comr Manly bro't the prize to Town from New Castle, who Manly-like dispised the Act, but cou'd not then find out the egressors. ー The Charge of three pounds you advanc'd for expences on

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the Rainbow, I have debted to that Captor & Credt you. The Uniform proceedings of the Continental Congress, is Conspicous in every resolve yet pass'd, & more particularly so in their late determination of makg reprizals on Brittish Interest, it is Noble, Firm & Sperited-wch (as you observe) Leads on to the Grand Point in Exertion; Shall we be free from a Negidve of any Crown'd head on earth or not ー I daily expect to receive that News ー And in Gods Name, let us all, with one voice say Amen.

The 3d Inst Com Manly bro't in the Brigt Elizabeth, One of the 3d Division wch Saild from Nantasket, with a Valuable Cargo of English Goods & a few hhds Rum & Sugar ー A Mr [William] Jackson who was Passenger & part freighter, and a verrie Tory supposes the Cargo worth Twenty Thousand Pounds Sterlg Those Goods. are the greater part owned by the late Inhabitants of Boston, & by some that were Inhabitants, when the Troops left it, The residue by this Mr Jackson & others of the same cast. The Complicate state of this prize, required my Immediate setg off for Boston Expectg I might find some Directions for my Goverment thare, when I waited on General Ward who, was obliging enough to give me his opinion (but not able to direct, havg receiv'd no Instruction to the point) that the Vessel & Cargo must be libled, & a dividend to the Captors wou'd follow, of all such Goods as might be legally claim'd by the friends to America, & those that was the property of them Enimical, might be decreed forfited. Upon further enquirery I was inform'd a resolve pass'd in Congress, That all Vessels & Goods retaken Previous to a Condemnation by a Brittish Court of Admiltry were liable to a partial decree (by every Colony Judge) to the Captors not more than One Third nor less than a Quarter the Present Prize fals under this resolve; and any other that may be property of our Internal Enemies liable to a full Confiscation may be necessary for my Goverment Therefore shall be much oblig'd by your full direction, of this Capture & a Copy of the Continental resolves thereon. This Brig is owned by a Mr Richard Hart of this Town, taken on her return from the West Indies last Octo & carried into Boston, not condem'd, the Rum on board are Sevente[en] hhds & four of Sugar, not removed out of her from the time of Capture. ー The other Cargo, was in general stolen, by virtue of General How's Proclimation (wh undoubtedly you have seen) appiontg one Crean Brush Superintendant, who by the way was taken in the prize, & is now Confined in the Massts Colony, wth Mr Jackson & Sund[r]y others, by order of the General Court to whom General Ward delivered them

There were a Sergent & twelve privates of the 4th or Kings owne Reg't taken prisioners on board wth the others making Sixty Three Souls, among whom are four Negros (two men & two women) wch I have Confined in Goal here concluding they may be Esteem'd a part of the prize

There appear'd from the Pillage of this Cargo by many of the Passengers, the Property was in him that cou'd secret the most, for when examining the Chests & bedg of the Prisoners, I found great Qtys of Goods that they had Collected while on board, wh were taken out of Ware houses without packing, &:hove promiscously on board the Vessel, even the Sailors had provided for their disposal at pleasure, In fact the distruction of Property (under Cover of General Hows Proclimation) is unparrel'd ー I tho't it my duty to be Critical in examing for Cash wch render'd it necessary to Insist on a Close Scrutiny, and found about one hundd Pounds L My (vizt) £36.18.7d on Mr Jackson & £62.16s. on a Mr Keighley likewise One hundd & fifty nine pounds l/9d Stg of Mr Jackson in five Sets of Exchge, wch I now have in Possesion, considering, that a man so enimical to his Country ought to be disposs'd of any Interest, whereby he cou'd be benifited, added to which they are Navy Bills except £60. which was the draft of Gov. Wentworth; On this point shou'd be oblig'd by your opinion & direction.

I am now dischargg the Cargo as it is in a perishing situation, and when Selected, and the regular course persued th[r]ough the Admiltry, shall advertize agreeable to His Excellencys Instruction to General Ward, who was obligg eno. to give me an abstract. The General Court of this Province findg a dificulty in makg a Code of Laws for the Admiltry Court, did not compleat that Institution their last Session when, they adjourn'd to June, which elapse of time will not admit my ficilitating the disposal of the Prizes under my care, so early as I cou'd wish for the safety of part of the Interest of the Susanna {viz) the Po[r]ter, wch I fear may be spoiled by laying, it not having equal Body, to that commonly imported for Sale, which enduces me to desire your direction for a disposal of that Article, either at Private or Publick Sale

Capt Burk 4 is now here, touchg in for a few Stores, Sails again this day-I shall advise you of their proceedings &c when within my Knowledge. This Letter shall Suberscribe to His Excelly General Washington, agreeable to yr Desire remaing with much Esteem & regard Sir [&c.] Josha Wentworth

please to excuse the course paper, as none other Comatable, & this the manufacture of France, much more of their producg may be the tradg of this Country in my opinion [Endorsed] Sent Copy of this Leftter] from Jos. Wentworth dated 15th Apl at Por[tsmouth] 25th Apl to Congres