Boston 28 April 1778
Dear Sir,
I mentiond some Time [ago] that Capt. Adams1 who was a passenger on Board the Raleigh was come to Town, & gave a very unfavourable Account of Capt. Thompson's2 suff'ring the Alfred to be taken this Hour the Alfred's Surgeon3 is arriv'd & tells me poor Hinman4 fell a Sacrifice to ye most unparallel'd Cowardice of Thompson, the particulars are forwarded by Mr Bingham5 from Martinico, the Inhabitants of this Town are impatiently waiting for Justice to be administer'd to the two Culprits—Capt. Hinman by the former Account, by Adams, as also by the Doctor's Account did his Country & himself great Honour, he fought both Ships 'till he discharg'd ten broad Sides the Circe6 & Ariadne7 being one on his Quarter, the other along side of him, the one a twenty the other an Eighteen Gun Vessell Capt. Pringle the eldest Captain receiv'd Capt. Hinman with Politeness & has discharg'd all his Men, save the old Country Men, but pours the most bitter Execrations against Thompson.8 I feel concern'd to give this Account as it gives me the highest [pride?] to hear & speak well of Characters, But when a person so highly criminal as to betray so important a Trust as he has, if the Doctor's & Captain's Evidence be true, I think no Punishment can be too great for him. The Doctor's & Adams's Acct. so exactly agreeing, who were on Board diff'rent Vessells, leave no Room to doubt of the Facts, unhappy that the Man who had the Confidence of the public should act so base a part—I deplore the Loss of ye brave Biddle9 & Compy. the loss of him so soon after that of the brave & worthy Capt. Chew10 is truly melancholly—but tho' we make no Figure by Sea, yet such has been the Case that we have made out by land as greatly to humble the Man who declar'd he would bring America to his Feet. May the next be the last Campaign that we may once more enjoy the Blessings of Peace with an unimbarrass'd Trade, which will enable us to wipe off the Debt in which we are involved by this very expensive War, Mr. Jarvis11 will be in Town before the12 Sale of the Snow13 & shall then fix on buying her. I hope we shall be able to mann her with some of the return'd Men from ye Alfred. the worthy Mr Hancock leaves Boston next Week I wish you a happy Meeting & am yours &c
JB—
LB, DLC, John Bradford Letter Books, vol. 2, pp. 126–27. Addressed at top: “Honble. Robert Morris Esqr,"
1. Capt. John Adams, former commander of Massachusetts packet schooner Lynch.
2. Capt. Thomas Thompson, commanding Continental frigate Raleigh.
3. Dr. Amos Windship, of Boston.
4. Capt. Elisha Hinman, commanding Continental Navy ship Alfred.
5. William Bingham, Continental Agent at Martinique.
6. H.M. ship-rigged sloop-of-war Ceres, Comdr. James Richard Dacres, commander.
7. H.M. frigate Ariadne, Capt. Thomas Pringle, commander.
8. For more on this action, see NDAR 11: 329, 575, 624, 647, 660, 684, 708.
9. Capt. Nicholas Biddle, commanding Continental Navy frigate Randolph.
10. Capt. Samuel Chew, commanding Continental Navy brigantine Resistance.
11. Leonard Jarvis, Deputy Continental Agent for Massachusetts at Bedford in Dartmouth (now New Bedford).
12. The words underlined are repeated at the top of page 127.
13. Snow (or brig) Robert, James Hall, master. In his letter of 13 Apr., Morris declined Bradford's offer to purchase prize snow Robert. Bradford to Morris, second letter of 28 Apr., LB, DLC, John Bradford Letter Books, vol. 2, p. 127.
