Boston 1st July 1778
Sir,
The honour of receiving a Letter under your Signature1 gave Me a singular Pleasure, especially as it will give both yourself & your Friend2 singular Pleasure to hear of the Conduct of Don Francisco Pruna3 who claim'd in Behalf of his Owners, he allow'd she had been in Possession of the Enemy a Term of Time4 which entitled ye Captors to a Moiety the other Moiety is reserv'd for the Benefit of the Owners, this Intelligence I've this Moment receiv'd from the Attorney5 I employ to do all my Busness in the public Way The Ship was sent to Bedford6 where it seems the Capt. resides I shall write to Mr. Jarvis7 by to morrow's Post & desire him to shew the Capt. every Mark of Civility & to assist him in every Respect. You may rest assured, Sir, that nothing shall be wanting in my Power to render the Capts Detention agreeable as possible, pray let Me receive Orders how to dispose of the Owners part of Vessell & Cargo—Rice is at present in great Demand, I suppose it will command 12 Dollars at Bedford, it would give 14 here, Im very happy in congratulating you Sir, on ye Atchiev'ments of Capt. Jones8 in the British Seas, I hope its' a Prelude to future Glory, in hopes whereof I have the honor to subscribe Myself yours &c
J B—
LB, DLC, John Bradford Letter Books, vol. 2, p. 148. Addressed at top: “Honble Francis Lewis Esqr."
1. Letter not found. Presumably it was similar in content to the letter Lewis sent to John Langdon, Continental Agent for New Hampshire, on 12 June, above.
2. Don Juan de Miralles, a Cuban landowner, had been sent by the Spanish governor of Cuba to visit Congress in the guise of a merchant and gather information about the war and "any design prejudicial to Spain and her American possessions” that might be attempted by Britain or the United Sates. Letters of Delegates 10: 82-84. Miralles had arrived at York, Pennslyvania., on 9 June.
3. Don Francisco Pruna commanded the ship Nuestra Señora del Carmen, bound from Charleston, South Carolina, to Cadiz, with a cargo of rice. See Lewis to Langdon, 12 June, above.
4. Ship Nuestra Señora del Carmen was captured on 28 Mar. 1778 by H.M. frigate Carysfort, Capt. Robert Fanshawe, commander, off Charleston, South Carolina, and was sent to New York City for trial in the Vice Admiralty Court of New York. See Journal of H.M.S. Carysfort, NDAR 11: 822–23 and n. It was recaptured by the Massachusetts privateer schooner Hornet, Capt. Nathaniel Bently, and carried into Boston where Pruna claimed it.
5. John Lowell, lawyer at Boston.
6. Bedford in Dartmouth (now New Bedford), Massachusetts.
7. Leonard Jarvis, Deputy Continental Agent at New Bedford, Massachusetts. See John Bradford to Leonard Jarvis, 1 July, immediately below.
8. Capt. John Paul Jones, Continental Navy.
