Displaying 1 - 20 of 33
I take the Liberty, of acquainting you that in obedience to Orders from the Honble the Marine and Secret Committees of Congress, bearing date the 9th ulto, I immediately repaired here in Order to proceed in the French Ship Amphitrite from hence to Charlestown South Carolina and thence to France, the intention of the Secret Committee was first to avail of this Ships Guns and Men to make a Cruizing...
Date: 3 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9
. . .Our principal Harbors being blocked up by the British Navy, I am very fearfull of our Commerce being greatly interrupted, & that it will be impossible for the Congress to export Sufficient Funds to preserve their Credit abroad, by enabling their Agents to fulfill their Engagements. . . .
Date: 12 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9
Since my last I am not favor'd with any of yours — The goods are all gone to the Ship and I hope by the begining of the week will be all Stowed away — I find there are here a number of Americans two or three Vessells that have lately come in being for Sale; if you think proper to encourage any operation of a warlike nature Iimagine Icould muster Officers an[d] men sufficent for such a Design — A...
Date: 19 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9
This will inform you of my Safo Arrival at this Port Yesterday in Company with Captain Samuel Nicholson of the Sloop Dolphin, We parted from Capt Johnston on the day before Yesterday a little to the East of Ushant — Now for the History of our late Cruize. We Sail'd in Company with Captains Johnston & Nicholson from St Nazair May 28th 1777, the 30th fell in with The Fudrion [Foudroyant] about...
Date: 28 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9
This will inform You of Capt Wickes & Self being Safe Arrived at this Port. Capt Johnson I beleave is Still out — On Thursday the 26th Inst off Ushant we fell in with an English 74 Gun Ship who gave us Chace wch Obliged us to bare away &run up this Channell he was to windward of us & the wind at S.W. Soon after the chace began Capt Wickes made the Signall for Johnson &mySelf to...
Date: 28 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I arrivd here this morning with a determination to comply with your orders & not to suffer Captn Cunningham to sail but as a merchant vessel returning with merchantable property to his own country. I found the parties concernd Disposd, of themselves, to comply with this disposition, heartily sick of having ever attempted other projects & resolvd for the future to seek other scenes of...
Date: 30 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9
My last by the Post informed you of the return of the Mercury and the summary of the News she brought, I now send you a number of papers which did not come into my hands 'till today being brought by one of the Ship's Officers. The Captain tells me that about the 10th or 12th of May Capt manly with a Frigate of 36 Guns Capt McNeil with another of 28, and another Frigate of 36, with 30 sail of...
Date: 30 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9
Mr Montaudouin set of[f] this Morning with my Letters relative to the Captures made by Capts Weeks Johnson & Nicholson Since which the prize master who has come in here has arrived to town2 there is but one prize arrived at painbeof & her Cargo is not known her papers being distroyed she has Cork & hides betwen Decks but we are yet unacquainted with what is in her Lower...
Date: 1 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I wrote you the 28th June advising of my Safe arrival at this Port also informing of the Success of our late Cruize & have now the Pleasure to Acquaint you of the Safe Arrival of Captain Johnston in the Brig Lexington at Morlax, I have wrote him & desired if he is not well Situated there to get a good Pilot & Come up here — I should be very Glad if you would let me know where you...
Date: 4 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I omitted mentioning in my last that I had Drawn on you in favor of Messrs Montadouin for 1500 Livers at 8 days date which please to honor — Capt Hynson & myself will go to paimbeof tomorrow to Examine the Due De Chartres.2 I mentioned to you that her price was 68,000 Livers but that is the price offered for her the Owners Ask 70,000 for her this is a great deal of money but I...
Date: 5 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I received your favour of the 3d Instant and am much obliged for your Attention to the Contents of mine — As you have not been very particular in regard to the Sale of the Dolphin, it will not be in my power to execute that business without more particular instructions on that head — first I shall be glad to know wheather you would Sell her as she is Arm'd or weather we should reserve the Cannon...
Date: 9 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I this Morning Recd Orders from Capt Wickes to furnish him with an Inventory of the Sloop Dolphin, I am now about to furnish him with one, wherein I shall Mention every thing bekmgg to her; I believe She will not fetch much more with her Cannon &c, therefore wou'd advise keepg them & Sendg them too Nants, as they are very Scarce & hard to be got there. here there is plenty, & the...
Date: 9 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I received your favour of the 4th Instant ordering me to Send our Prizes to the Address of Mr Williams at Nants & give orders to our Prize Masters Accordingly this order will be Chearfully comply'd with by me — I should be very glad to know my future distination & whether I am to go out as Soon as fitted for Sea, as I am told the Minesters has ordered me out of Port I shall get my guns on...
Date: 13 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I have received none of your favours by the two last Posts — Things remain in the same Situation here as When I wrote you last, We are Suffered to go on & Refit, but very Slowly the Tradesmen of this Port Work but very slow &we Cannot hurey them Much for fear of being Stop'd I think we Can be ready to Sail by the first of Next Month if not Stop'd here — I received a Letter from Captain...
Date: 23 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I have bought the Due de Chartres for 70,000 L payable at 4, 5 & 6 months but I was obliged to Submit to a Conditional Sale that if before the day of my purchase she should be ready sold in Paris the bargain is Void but if Accts of Such a previous purchase do not Arrive by next Tuesday the bargain with me to be good & as the time betwen this & Tuesday does not admit of information to...
Date: 24 April 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I Wrote You on the 22d Inst wherein I gave You my Oppinion of the Duke De Charters, & that She was not to be Purchased, I am now to inform You She was Purchased Yesterday by Mr Williams for 70 Thousand livres & a Good bargin for She is well worth the Money, this Ship I am told I am to go out in, and as French Property, I will if You Please give You my Oppinion on that head, of wch You...
Date: 24 April 1777
Volume: Volume 9
. . .the Commissary of this Port, received orders Yesterday in Conjunction with the Judge of the Admiralty not to Suffer us to depart the Port on any Consideration Whatever, without pirmission from the Minister of Marine at Paris & I have been obliged to give my Parrole not to depart without Orders —
We are now Compleatly fitted & Shall be ready to go to Sea, as soon as we Can be Suffered...
Date: 1 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I have just received your favour of the 28th Ulto and shall take care to observe all your Directions with the greatest Exactness, but I must first inform you of a most vexatious turn our affairs relative to the Due de Chartres are about to take, unless we can sufficiently oppose the Design. When I bought this Ship the Condition was, that if she was previously sold at the Day of the agreement with...
Date: 2 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9
. . .Thinking that the Duede Chartres is lost from us & knowing the necessity of having a Ship immediatly I have been trying every means of getting one, There is a Ship on the Stocks that is now so advanced that 6 weeks only is required to Launch & deliver her in the mean time her Riggen Sails & every thing may be getting Ready & be Compleat in time She is between 4. & 500...
Date: 5 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9
. . . We are now all ready & Clear for Sailing, only wait your Orders, our powder is Stop'd in the Magazine and will not be dilever'd without a positive Order from the Minester for that purpose — Capt Johnson is all ready and Clear to Sail only Waits your Orders & leave to depart from the Port of Morlaix — the Bearer of this is a Young Gentleman of good Family & Charactor & is...
Date: 7 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9