[Charleston] 22d May 1775.
[Extract]
p Capt Gunn
You think that no Man in England would be better pleased to See a Speedy conclusion of the Subsisting Contest without bloodShed than Lord North ー if his Lordship had ever expressed Such Sentiments I Should have thought him a Shallow politician ー his actions militated against his wishes ー Send out the most arbitrary & cruel Mandates that ever were imposed upon Freemen, Send Fleets & Armies to enforce his Edicts & expect to See a Speedy conclusion to Such business without blood Shed! ー I once hoped & flattered my Self, that a happy but not a Speedy conclusion might have been effected & no blood Spilt ー I thought that Some mediating measures when we were coming near to blows might have been proposed by Wise & temperate Men from each party but now we have reason almost to despair ー the Sword is drawn Hostilities actually commenced by the Kings Troops & many lives lost on both Sides in an action on the 19th April between Concord & Boston, the particulars of which you have heard before this day what will follow, God knows, but I learn that New York pensilvania Maryland & Virginia are in Arms ー North Carolina I am very Sure will be as active as any of them ー in this Colony an amazing readiness is Shewn by the people to contribute all in their power to the common cause ー indeed a few of us have very hard work to restrain the Zeal & ardour of the many from entering upon Acts which appear to us to be at present impolite & inexpedientー
Georgia is, notwithstanding all the flattering accounts of Governor [Sir James] Wright, in commotion ー the parish of St Johns which contains in number of Men & in Riches a Majority of the whole province has Sent a delegate to the Congress at philadelphia & last Week the Magazine under the Nose of the Governor was Stripped of all the public Store of Gunn powder, & I am well assured that at Savanna there is a large majority of the Inhabitants ready to participate in the measures of their American Brethern these are no Signs of a Speedy conclusion without bloodshed ー a little bloodShed on Tower Hill may become necessary in order to prevent a deluge on both Sides the Atlantic ー the Scene is awful, & I have a great part to Act in it ー God grant, I may do my Duty, & then come poverty come Death I will not repineー