Boston 8 April 1778
Honble, Gentlemen,
I herewith transmit to the honble Board an Inventory of Goods1 deliver'd Me by Capt. Hopkins,2 being the Continental Part after an equal Division of the whole, I wish I could give the agreeable Intelligence of the Arrival of either of the Prizes,3 but we have not heard from them, tho a few Days ago we find they were not at Rhode-Island, the Winds & Weather being very unfavourable for a long Time past, We Still expect them. The Brig Dispatch is, I hope, at her Port,4 having had a fine time for several Days after sailing. we yesterday heard of Capt. Chews5 Death, who died bravely fighting a Ship of twenty six Pound Cannon,6 his Brig was arrivid at Martinico in a shatter'd Condition the particulars you'll have no Doubt from the Board—7 last Ev'ning came to Town Capt. Adams8 who was Master of the Lynch Pacquet which I sent to France. he arriv'd in the Raleigh9 6th Inst. at Portsmouth, and says, that on the 6th last month being about eighty leagues from Antigua in Company with the Alfred10 they fell in with two British Cruisers one a 24,11 the other an 18 Gun Sloop,12 that the Alfred was attack'd by the smallest, & the other went to her Assistance at which the Alfred being engag'd with both bore away & gallantly supported a running Fight with the two, however she was obliged to strike after doing great honour to his Colours. Capt. Adams was a Witness to this Matter tho at the same time the Raleigh took no Part in the Action.13 yours &c
J B
LB, DLC, John Bradford Letter Books, vol. 2, pp. 121–22. Addressed at top: "The Honble. Marine Board,” Bradford was Continental Agent for Massachusetts.
1. This refers to 120 bales of duck and osnaburg Capt. John Burroughs Hopkins took out of the prize Neptune at sea. See NDAR 11: 653, 782.
2. Hopkins commanded the Continental Navy frigate Warren.
3. The prizes were ship Neptune, J. Smallwood, master, and snow Robert, James Hall, master. Neptune was recaptured by H.M. frigate Orpheus on 26 Mar. Howe's Prize List, 30 Oct. 1778, UkLPR, Adm. 1/488, fols. 486–87.
4. Continental packet brigantine Dispatch, Lt. John Brown, Continental Navy, commander, had been ordered on 16 Mar. to Charleston, S.C., by Bradford. See NDAR 11: 653–54.
5. Capt. Samuel Chew, commanding Continental Navy brigantine Resistance.
6. H.M. Post Office packet boat Grenville, Capt. William Kempthorne. For more on this engagement, see NDAR 11: 810–11.
7. Continental Navy Board of the Eastern Department.
8. Capt. John Adams.
9. Continental Navy frigate Raleigh, Capt. Thomas Thompson, commander.
10. Continental Navy ship Alfred, Capt. Elisha Hinman, commander.
11. H.M. frigate Ariadne, Capt. Thomas Pringle, commander.
12. H.M. ship-rigged sloop-of-war Ceres, Comdr. James Richard Dacres, commander.
13. The Continental Marine Committee replied to Bradford on 28 Apr., below. For more on this action, see NDAR 11: 575, 708.
