Trenton [N.J.] May 20th 1778
[Extract] Dr. Sir
. . . I suppose you will have orders from Mr Hugg to buy both Rum & Wine aboard the prise—1 The Prise sent in by Captn Shaler I suppose must be sold at Vendue2 you wont fail to let me know the time— Major Clark Called on me just now by Desire of Col. Wescott3 to know if I wd. choose to be concerned in a Pilot Boat He & others are about fitting out, I desird him to tell the Col. I would willingly hold an Eighth or more if he held more— and that you’d pay him for my share, which you will do— By no means forget the Keg tongues—4 My Compt to Mrs. Ball & am [&c.]
John Cox Asst Qr M Gl
PS shall set out for Camp in an hour5
L, Nj, Department of Defense Collection, #4227. Addressed: “To/Mr: Joseph Ball/Depty. Quartr. Mastr. Genl./Batsto.”
1. Col. Joseph Hugg of Gloucester, N.J., was commissary for the New Jersey militia. GW Papers, Rev. War Series, 13:601n. Presumably this was the prize brigantine William, whose condemnation proceedings were advertised in the New Jersey Gazette on 23 Apr. 1778.
2. Capt. Timothy Shaler of the New Jersey boat Chance. According to the bond for Chance, Cox was a part-owner. Nothing more is known about the prize except that the New Jersey Gazette announced on 27 May that “Several” prizes had been recently captured and sent into Little Egg Harbor, N.J.
3. Probably Maj. Thomas Clark of the East New Jersey Militia Artillery. Col. Richard Wescott, whose name is sometimes spelled Westcott or Westcot, was part-owner with Cox of the boat Chance. DNA, PCC, item 196, vol. 2, p. 91(M247, roll 202).
4. In the extracted portion of this letter, Cox asked Ballto remove a keg of fine “Irish [beef] tongues” from a shipment that would be passing through Batsto and reserve it for Mrs. Esther Bowes Cox.
5. The camp of the Continental Army was at Valley Forge,Pa.
