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You are to take Command of the Sloop Providence and put her in the best Condition you can ー and you are to take the Soldiers onboard that belong to General Washington's Army and carry them to New York as soon as you can and then return here with the Sloop for further Instructions ー If you should be in want of any Supplys further than what Money you have will answer you may draw on me for so much...
Date: 10 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
By Captn. [John Paul] Jones in the Providence I have sent you as many of your Officers and Soldiers as I could Collect but some of them that I took onboard are Sick and some have left the Fleet, for what Reason I can't tell
Shall Collect as many of those that are left behind as soon as possible and send them by the first Opportunity and Advertize the Remainder as Deserters tho' the Officers tell...
Date: 12 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
You are to take as many Men out of the Alfred as will make your Compliment eighty five, and proceed on a Cruise against the Enemies of the United Colonies for three or four Weeks in such places as you think will most annoy the Enemy if you do not take as many Prizes as you can well Mann sooner
You are also to endeavour to keep Company with the Cabot, and give such directions to Lieutenant Hinman...
Date: 12 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
You are to take Command of the Brigt Cabot, and take as many Men out of the Alfred or Fly as will make your Compliment up [to] Ninety, and go to Sea and Cruise three or four Weeks if you don't take as many Prizes as you can well Mann in less time ー And you are likewise to take such directions from time to time as you may Receive from Captn Biddle
In Case of a Separation with him and you should...
Date: 12 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
When you arrive at Philadelphia please to get directions to me from the Congress or the Naval Committee what I shall do with the Negro Slaves taken in the Bomb Brigt and what I shall do with the New Providence Sloop which I took to bring the Guns to New London ー And let the Congress know that it will not be in my power to Mann the Fleet without their Orders for Shipping men out of the Army. I am...
Date: 21 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
You will on Receipt of this deliver to Messrs [Levi] Hollingsworth & [Thomas] Richardson the Bomb Brig or Schooner as they may think best if they have occasion for them ー And if you can Collect any of the hands that belong to the Fleet you must get them onboard and take Charge of the Vessel yourself, and follow such directions as you shall Receive from them.
Date: 21 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
I this day receiv'd yours and observe the Contents ー and as to the Order of Congress to deliver the Cannon to you there was a discretionary power in me to Stop as many as I thought would be for the benefit of the Fleet, and as I was & am still Careening the Fleet I think it not safe to part with the Cannon before the Ships are in a posture of defence ー
I yesterday receiv'd an Order of...
Date: 21 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
When I arrived at New London I delivered 36 Guns and all the other Stores but 26 Guns and some Trucks which was then onboard the Alfred Columbus & Cabot, and as I could not get Ballast in room of the Guns, brought them here and deliver'd to Governor Cooke which he put into the Fort to prevent the return of the Kings Ships which I consented to on Condition they should be Subject to Order of...
Date: 22 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
I sent the Providence last thursday with all the Soldiers which belong'd to your Army that could then be collected ー since I sent three by Capt Williams and there is some Sick now here which shall send as soon as well ー some few I believe is deserted or gone by Land ー
The Cabot and Andrew Doria both Sail'd last Sunday Morning on a Cruise to the Eastward ー The Columbus hope to send soon ー The...
Date: 22 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
Should be glad you will let me know by the Post whether your General Assembly have appointed any Court to try Prizes agreeable to Orders of Congress ー as it is time we Should do something with the Prizes in New London.
Your answer will oblige Sir Your Friend at Command
Date: 30 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
Please to Send me by Captn [Dudley] Saltonstall as good an Account ofthe Guns and Stores left in your hands as you can get, and likewise should be glad you will send me an Account of your Schooners Cargo, which Captn[Nicholas] Biddle retook2 as the Officers blame me for delivering her till she was Tryed ー should be glad to Satisfy them that they will receive no Injury by that Step ー
I...
Date: 5 June 1776
Volume: Volume 5
Please to get an Exact Account of the number and weight of the Cannon, Mortars, Shells, Shott & Stores left at New London, and also get an Account of Mr [Walter] Spooner of all the Provisions & Stores deliver'd out ofthe several Prizes to the Fleet, and the particular Vessels they were deliver'dto, and also an Account of him of the Schooner's Cargo deliver'd to Mr [Nathaniel] Shaw, and...
Date: 5 June 1776
Volume: Volume 5
I receiv'd your kind Letter of the 31st May & observe the Contents and as for the Southern Colonies being Uneasy it is no more than from the Circumstances of things I before apprehended ー but it was not nor is in my power to prevent it ー but if they think I am partial in favour of the Northern Colonies they are greatly mistaken.
When I went to the Southward I intended to go from New...
Date: 8 June 1776
Volume: Volume 5
Please to deliver Mr [John Peck] Rathburns apprentice Boy to Capt. [John Paul] Jones on his giving you another hand in his Room ー
Date: 9 June 1776
Volume: Volume 5
The Andrew Doria has sent in here a sloop from Tortola, bound to Halifax, with twenty-two hogsheads of rum, twenty barrels of sugar, twentysix tierces of molasses, and 950 bushels of salt.2 The Cabot also sent in a ship two days ago, from Jamaica, bound and belongs to Liverpool in England, with one hundred and fifteen puncheons, and twenty-two hogsheads of rum; eighty-four hogsheads,...
Date: 10 June 1776
Volume: Volume 5
On Receipt of this you are to get what things is absolutely Necessary Onboard Immediately, & what hands is ready, and come directly down here ー
Capt [Philip] Brown will come down with you for a Pilot here is a small Sloop now off the harbour of four Carriage 12 Swivel Guns and about 30 hands ー if you have not hands enough I shall put as many On board here as is Sufficient I am [&c.]
Date: 11 June 1776
Volume: Volume 5
You are with the Providence under your Command to go to Sea with the Sloop, and follow the above directions2
You may send any Vessel in to Port for Tryal that you may think are Acting detrimental to the Interest of the American States ー3
You are first to Convoy the Fly as far Westward as Fishers Island, and any Vessels that may be at Stonington, back by Point Judah, or in...
Date: 13 June 1776
Volume: Volume 5
You are to proceed to New York and there deliver the Cannon agreeable to Messrs Hollingworth & Richardson's Orders. ー2 If you can get any Men you are to take as Many as you can Enlist ー You are to apply to Mr Jacobus Vantzantz for Pig Iron for Ballast or any other Necessarys you want
You may call at New London as you come back and take two Guns with a Sufficient Quantity of Shot...
Date: 14 June 1776
Volume: Volume 5
You are to go to Sea with your Ship as soon as possible and Cruise till your Provisions are out or you have weaken'd your Ship by Manning Prizes so as to make it unsafe to Cruise in such places on our Coast as you may think will be most likely to intercept the Enemies to the United Colonies ー And you are to take and send into Port for tryal all Vessels belonging to or bound to Great Britain and...
Date: 16 June 1776
Volume: Volume 5
Mr [Elisha] Warner comes down and Mr [Philip] Brown. I think it will be best for you to Order Mr [Benjamin] Dunn to act as Lieutenant in the Room of Mr [James] Josiah2 and for Mr Browne to Act as Master ー but think it will be prudent not to give a Commission or Warrant till we hear further from Mr Josiah ー for if he returns he must have his old birth. I am your Friend
Date: 17 June 1776
Volume: Volume 5