Displaying 1 - 20 of 100
A sacred regard to american association on the one hand and an earnest desire not to injure my fellow subjects in Great Britain on the other is the reason of my writing you at this time to request your advice for my future conduct and also to confirm or set me right in my judgment in a late affair that has happend in this Port the case is as follows a Vessell arivd here from Bristol the 2d inst...
Date: 18 March 1775
Volume: Volume 1
Suppose you have had a formidable account of the alarm we had last Sunday morning [May 21]. When I rose about six oclock I was told that the Drums had been some time beating and that 3 allarm Guns were fired, that Weymouth Bell had been ringing, and Mr. Welds was then ringing. I immediately sent of[f] an express to know the occasion, and found the whole Town in confusion. 3 Sloops and one cutter...
Date: 24 May 1775
Volume: Volume 1
Dear Sir You will doubtless before the Rect of this have heard of the bloody Engagement at Charlestown. For a particular Acct of it I must refer You to a Letter I last Week wrote our Friend [Stephen] Collins. The ministerial Troops gain'd the Hill but were victorious Losers. A few more such Victories & they are undone. I cannot think our Retreat an unfortunate one. Such is the Situation of...
Date: 26 June 1775
Volume: Volume 1
Dear Sir One of the many brave and gallant Actions that have graced our Arms, I take the Liberty of writing you an Account of. The most important Transactions, since your Absence, you are undoubtedly already informed of; but as this, I am about to relate, is just come to hand, I embrace the Opportunity of sending you an Account of it by the Express.
Not long before the Date of this, General Gage...
Date: 28 June 1775
Volume: Volume 1
The sea coasts are kept in constant apprehension of being made miserable by the depredations of the once formidable navy of Britain now degraded to a level with the corsairs of Barbary
At the same time they are piratticaly plundering the Isles, and pilfering the borders to feed the swarms of veteran slaves shut up in the town They will not suffer a poor fisherman to Cast his hook in the ocean to...
Date: 5 July 1775
Volume: Volume 1
The powder you sent us arrived yesterday, and was viewed as it passed with a kind of pleasure I suppose you felt in sending it. The want of that article is the only obstacle I have in getting through a project of mine for a fleet. I made the motion early in the Sessions, and though opposed by [John] Pickering, &c., this is the one reason that prevailed.
Date: 7 July 1775
Volume: Volume 1
I always forgot to tell you I have seen your letter to [Elbridge] Gerry, expressing Mr. [Chistopher] Gadsden's opinion about fixing out armed vessels and setting up for a naval power.2 I thought it very happy to have so great an authority confirming my own sentiments, and having proposed in [Provincial] Congress just such a project the beginning of the session, borrowed the letter to...
Date: 11 July 1775
Volume: Volume 1
Whilst we jointly mourn, the Loss of a Warren, and a Quincy,2 who have perished in this Storm of Tyranny and oppression, that almost overwhelms our american Ship of State; may that God, in whose Hands our Breath is and whose [care?] are all our Ways, graciously preserve the Lives of our remaining skilfull Pilots; and enable t,hem to steer the shattered Bark in the Harbor of Peace...
Date: 11 July 1775
Volume: Volume 1
I was struck with General Washington. You had prepaired me to entertain a favorable opinion of him, but I thought the one half was not told me. Dignity with ease, and complacency, the Gentleman and Soldier look agreably blended in him. Modesty marks every line and feture of his face. . . .
There has been a little Expidition this week to Long Island. There has been before several attempts to go on...
Date: 16 July 1775
Volume: Volume 1
The attempt on long Island, the taking off all the stock & afterwards returning to Burn the Buildings (which you will have in the Papers) was certainly a Bold, Intrepid Maneuvre & as such astonished our Enemies. the Barges full of Armed Men were afraid to Attack our Whaleboats. at a proper distance & the Armed Vessels, either agitated with Fear or destitute of Judgment did it without...
Date: 20 July 1775
Volume: Volume 1
Dear Bror Sister Adams2 informs me that you complain that your Friends this way neglect writing to you. I believe a share of the Blame belongs to me, and shall now endeavour to make some amends.
We have lately had several little Expeditions from this quarter against the Enemy, a particular acct of which, as near as I can collect it from those who were present, I shall give you. ー On...
Date: 24 July 1775
Volume: Volume 1
Since I wrote you last the Companys stationed upon the coasts both in this Town Weymouth and Hingam were orderd to Nantasket to reap and bring of[f] the Grain which they accomplished, all except a field or two which was not ripe, and having whale boats they undertook to go to the light House and set fire to it, which they effected in open day and in fair sight of several men of war. Upon their...
Date: 25 July 1775
Volume: Volume 1
The hint you give of inviting all nations to trade with us is indeed a grand idea, and I can easily conceive how bitterly you regret the loss of it. Such a step would have been worthy of such a body. It would have been in the true stile of a Sully, and have produced mightly consequences. I can easily conceive also the narrow principles that operated against and finally destroyed them. The two...
Date: 31 July 1775
Volume: Volume 1
I have had a very Ill Night. Just recoverd from the rash, I went out yesterday to attend the funeral of a poor fellow who the Night before fell in Battle as they were returning from the Light house. (I catchd some cold.) A Sabbeth Evening [July 30] there was a warm fire from Prospect Hill and Bunkers Hill, begun first by the Riffel men taking of[f] their Gaurds. 2 Men upon our side were kill'd, 5...
Date: 31 July 1775
Volume: Volume 1
last Evening arrived here a Gentn from Machias with an Acct of their haveing taken two other Tenders. so that they now have five prizes; three Tenders. & two Sloops taken from Jones. 28 Prisoners are on the road. & will be hear this day. among whom is old Ichabod Jones. the rest are Leuts. of Men of War. Midshipmen. & Seamen. five Sloops after wood. & fresh Provisions are taken by...
Date: 9 August 1775
Volume: Volume 1
Such opportunities as the present do not often turn up in the course of human events ー The picture ー happiness or misery of a great proportion of the human race is at Stake ー and if we make a wrong choice ourselves and our posterity must be wretched ー wrong choice! there can be but one Choice consistent with the Character of a people possessing the least degree of reason ー And that is to Seperate...
Date: 16 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
...2 of our small Cruizers brought into the gut at point Shirley a Ship 34 days from Ireland I had an oppertunity to cast my eye on the Inventory and she has on board 1500 Barrils of powder & 1000 Stand of Arms the rest of the Cargo Consists of intrenching Tools &c in Such Abundance as tho they intended to Cut Cannals thro' America, and Station their Navy up in the Wilderness. as the...
Date: 17 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
A rumor has been spread here, a day or two past, of a british reinforcement arriving at Quebec & obliging our army to raise the siege; which I am loth to believe at present. It seems to my poor understanding in politics, that our army ought to have had a large reinforcement, while the Lakes were passable on the Ice; & that we have depended too much on the impracticability of navigation up...
Date: 20 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
Your esteemed favors of the 29th. Ulto. and 6th Inst. now before and in Answer say I shall att all times be willing to communicate my sentiments or give any intelligence, that may tend to the public good. ー As to Boston I think when the works are compleated the enemy will never attempt coming that way, but as soon As that is compleated hope there will be some way found to keep the ships from...
Date: 22 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
I took a ride last week and ventured just as far as the Stump of Liberty Tree. Roxbury looks more injured than Boston, that is the Houses look more torn to peices. I was astonished at the extensiveness of our lines and their strength. We have taken a most noble prize the inventory of which you have in the paper.2 The poor Captain has since lost his life in a desperate ingagement with...
Date: 27 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5