Displaying 1 - 20 of 93
Mr [Christopher] Gadsden3 of South Carolina whose Fame you must have heard, was in his younger Years, an officer, on board the Navy, and is well acquainted with the Fleet. ー He has Several Times taken Pains to convince me that this Fleet is not so formidable to America, as we fear. ー He Says, We can easily take their Sloops, schooners and Cutters, on board of whom are all their best...
Date: 7 June 1775
Volume: Volume 1
We have passed a Resolution that each Colony make such Provision as it think proper and can afford, for defending their Trade in Harbours, Rivers, and on the Sea Coast, against Cutters and Tenders. We have had in Contemplation a Resolution to invite all Nations to bring their Commodities to market here and like Fools have lost it for the present. This is a great Idea. What shall we do? Shall we...
Date: 23 July 1775
Volume: Volume 1
We ought to have had in our Hands a month ago the whole Legislative, executive and judicial of the whole Continent, and have completely modeled a Constitution; to have raised a naval Power, and opened all our Ports wide; to have arrested every Friend to Government on the Continent and held them as Hostages for the poor victims in Boston, and then opened the Door as wide as possible for Peace and...
Date: 24 July 1775
Volume: Volume 1
There is another Quantity of Powder arrived in New Jersey, about 5000 Weight from So. Carolina. and it is said that another Boat has arrived in this River with about Six or Seven Tons. It wil be ordered to the Generals Washington and Schuyler.
We have voted fifty Thousand Dollars for Powder to be got immediately ー if possible.
Date: 27 July 1775
Volume: Volume 1
We jointly lament the loss of a Quincy and a Warren, two characters as great in proportion to their age, as any I have known in America . . .2
I have a great opinion of your knowledge and judgement from long experience, concerning the channels and islands in Boston harbour; but I confess your opinion that the harbour might be blocked up, and seamen and soldiers made prisoners at...
Date: 29 July 1775
Volume: Volume 1
There has been a gallant Battle, in Delaware River between the Gallies and two Men of War, the Roebuck and Liverpool, in which the Men of War came off second best ー which has diminished, in the Minds of the People, on both sides the River, the Terror of a Man of War....
It gives me great Pleasure to learn that our Rulers are at last doing something, towards the Fortification of Boston. But I am...
Date: 12 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
You have given me great Pleasure by your Account of the Spirit and Activity of our People, their Skill and success in fortifying the Town and Harbour: But there are several Things Still wanting, in my Judgment. I never shall be happy, untill every unfriendly Flagg. is driven out of sight, and the Light House Island Georges and Lovells Islands, and the East End of hog Island are secured. ー Fire...
Date: 30 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
Your favours of May 14. and 22d. are now before me. The first I shewed to Mr. Morris, as soon as I received it. The last contains Intelligence, from Hallifax of the Streights to which our Enemies are reduced, which I was very glad to learn.
I am very happy to learn from you and some other of my Friends that Boston is securely fortified; but still I cannot be fully satisfied untill I hear that...
Date: 1 June 1776
Volume: Volume 5
...Dunmore is fled to an Island. ー our little Fleet has had a shocking sickness, which has disabled so many Men, that the Commodore has sent on a Cruise two of his ships only. ー
The Difficulty of defending So extended a Sea Coast is prodigious but the Spirit of the People is very willing, and they exert themselves nobly in most Places. ー The British Men of War, are distressed for Provisions and...
Date: 9 June 1776
Volume: Volume 5
I write this in Haste, only to inclose to you, a little Treatise upon Fire Ships ー it may be Sending Coals to New Castle ー But it appears to me of such Importance that I thought my self bound to presume and send it, least this Art should not be understood among you. ー This Art carries Terror and Dismay, along with it, and the very Rumour of Preparations in this Kind, may do you more Service than...
Date: 9 June 1776
Volume: Volume 5
Dear Sir In the Boston Gazette of the 3d Instant, I have the Pleasure to see your Name among the Councillers, where I have wished to see it, for some Time. ー That refined Ingenuity and pertenacious Industry, which distinguished my Class mate at Colledge, and my Brother at the Bar, I am sure will be of good Service to the Province, at the Councill Board, especially at this Time, when the public...
Date: 12 June 1776
Volume: Volume 5
You have been since called upon for Six Thousand Militia for Canada and New York. How you will get the Men I know not. The Small Pox, I suppose will be a great Discouragement. But We must maintain our Ground in Canada. The Regulars, if they get full Possession of that Province and the Navigation of St. Lawrence River above Dechambeault at least above Mouth of the Sorrell, will have nothing to...
Date: 16 June 1776
Volume: Volume 5
Our Misfortunes in Canada, are enough to melt an Heart of Stone. The Small Pox is ten times more terrible than Britons, Canadians and Indians together. This was the Cause of our precipitate Retreat from Quebec, this the Cause of our Disgraces at the Cedars. ー I dont mean that this was all. ー There has been Want, approaching to Famine, as well as Pestilence. And these Discouragements seem to have...
Date: 26 June 1776
Volume: Volume 5
Your Favour of June 17. dated at Plymouth, was handed me, by Yesterdays Post. I was much pleased to find that you had taken a Journey to Plymouth, to see your Friends in the long Absence of one whom you may wish to see. The Excursion will be an Amusement, and will serve your Health. How happy would it have made me to to have taken this Journey with you?
I was informed, a day or two before the...
Date: 3 July 1776
Volume: Volume 5
The Disign of our Enemy, now seems to be a powerful Invasion of New York and New Jersey. The Hallifax Fleet and Army, is arrived, and another Fleet and Army under Lord How, is expected to join them. We are making Preparations to meet them, by marching the Militia of Maryland, Pensilvania, and New Jersey, down to the Scene of Action, and have made large Requisitions upon New England. I hope for...
Date: 7 July 1776
Volume: Volume 5
Dear Sir. Yours of the 5th came to me the 8th ー You will see by this Post, that the River is past and the Bridge cutt away. The Declaration was yesterday published and proclaimed from that awefull Stage, in the State house Yard, by whom do you think? by the Committee of Safety! the Committee of Inspection, and a great Crowd of People. Three Cheers rendered the Welkin. ー The Battalion paraded on...
Date: 9 July 1776
Volume: Volume 5
our Privateers, have the most Skill or the most Bravery, or the best Fortune, of any in America. ー I hope Capt [Henry] Johnson was in a private Ship. ー 2 I dont like to hear that the continental Cruisers have taken so many and the Provincial Cruisers and privateers so few Prizes ー our People, may as well fight for themselves as the Continent. ー
Date: 17 July 1776
Volume: Volume 5
...You say I must tell you of my Health and Situation. As to the latter, my Situation is as far removed from Danger, I suppose, as yours. I never had an Idea of Danger here, nor a single Sensation of Fear. Delaware River is so well fortified with Gallies, fixed and floating Batteries, Chevaux de Frizes, Ships of War, Fire Ships, and Fire Rafts, that I have no Suspicions of an Enemy from Sea,...
Date: 30 July 1776
Volume: Volume 5
I thank you for your Account of the Prizes taken, by our little Fleet. We may judge by a little what a great deal Means. I hope We shall have more Power at sea, before long.
...Barry has taken another Tender. Another Prize is taken and carried into Egg Harbour, and a Vessell has arrived here with a rich Cargo of Arms, Ammunition, Flints and Lead, and dry Goods from Marseilles. She brings no bad...
Date: 2 August 1776
Volume: Volume 6
Commodore Hopkins had his hearing, as in the Journal. On this Occasion I had a very laborious task, against all the Prejudices of the Gentlemen from the southern and middle States, and of many from New England.... I thought, however that Hopkins had done great Service and made an important beginning of Naval Operations.
It appeared to me, that the Commodore was pursued and persecuted by that Anti...
Date: 12 August 1776
Volume: Volume 6