Displaying 1 - 20 of 102
The Congress having Committed to our charge and Management their Ship-of-War Called the Reprisal commanded by Lambert Wickes Esq. carrying 16 Six Pounders and about one hundred and twenty men ー we have allotted her to carry Doctor Franklin to France and directed Captain Wickes to proceed to the Port of Nantes where the Doctor will land and from thence proceed to Paris, and he will either Carry...
Date: 24 October 1776
Volume: Volume 6
After expressing our Hopes, that this will find you all three safely fixed at Paris, we proceed with Pleasure to acknowledge the Receipt of Mr [Silas] Deane's Letter of the 1st October — When we reflect on the Character & Views of the Court of London, it ceases to be a Wonder, that the British Ambassador, and all other British Agents, should employ every means that tended to prevent European...
Date: 21 December 1776
Volume: Volume 7
You will be pleased to receive herewith copies of our letter of the 21st instant, and of it's inclosures, which we recommend to your attention — Since that letter was written, General Washington, having been reinforced by the Troops lately .commanded by General Lee & by some Corps of Militia, crossed the Delaware with 2500 Men, and attacked a body of the enemy, posted at Trenton, with the...
Date: 30 December 1776
Volume: Volume 7
. . . It concerns Us not less than We are sure it will You, that you should have heard so seldom from Us, but the vigilance of the British Cruizers has prevented our most earnest solicitude for this purpose. The manner in which they now conduct their business proves the necessity of the request made by Congress for the loan, or sale of a few Capital Ships. The entrance into the Delaware and...
Date: 2 February 1777
Volume: Volume 7
We have the honor to inclose you a Resolve of Congress that is of great Importance to the public Service, which has suffered considerably the last Fall, and during this Winter, by the insufficient manner in which our Soldiers were clothed. Having found much Delay heretofore in getting Cloth made up, the Congress desire that 40,000 compleat Suits of Soldiers Cloaths may be sent.2 In...
Date: 17 February 1777
Volume: Volume 7
Honorable Gentlemen. By this Opportunity I forward you Sundry dispatches from Congress and the Committee of Secret Correspondence Still at Baltimore, and from them I have just received the enclosed resolve of Congress dated the 5th Inst Copies of which I Shall transmit you by various Conveyances, in order that you may give orders for procuring the Articles required and to have them Collected...
Date: 18 February 1777
Volume: Volume 7
In Secret Committee of Congress
Honorable Gentlemen
Baltimore Feby 18th 1777
You will receive herewith a Copy of our Letter of Yesterday by the Lexington with its enclosures. This goes to Boston for a Passage from thence. An armed Vessel belonging to that State will carry the dispatches, & will be governed by your directions respecting her Load back, & the Time of her return. Should you...
Date: 18 February 1777
Volume: Volume 7
. . . We see by the speech of the King of Great Britain to his Parliament, that much money will be called for, no doubt, to prosecute the war with unrelenting vigor. That we shall oppose with all our power is certain, but the event must be doubtful until France shall take a decided part in the war. When that happens, our Liberties will be secured, and the glory and greatness of France be placed...
Date: 19 December 1777
Volume: Volume 7
. . . if you do but effect our European War to employ the British Navy, this Country will become Free and independant in a shorter time than cou'd have been expected. I fancy Genl & Ld Howe have it in View to attack this City they may possibly get possession & if they do it will probably bring on their ruin, for they will then raise a Nest of Hornets that they dont expect & are taught...
Date: 28 March 1777
Volume: Volume 8
Herewith you will please to find Triplicate & Copy of my two last Letters to Mr Deane; but as they are adqressed to him in an official Capacity, I have thought proper to place them under your Notice, & Shall in future do myself the honor of directing my Letters in the like manner, as I am informed by my last Dispatches from Congress, that you are jointly appointed Commissioners of the...
Date: 6 April 1777
Volume: Volume 8
Herewith is Copy of my last Respects; Since which have received very little News from America ー a Letter from Mr Morris of March 1st mentions, "that on Sunday last, there was a smart Skirmish between a considerable Body" of the Enemy, & a Party of our Troops near Brunswic; ー Our Loss was inconsiderable, but not so with them; ー they lost a great many Men, both killed & wounded;" it adds, "...
Date: 26 April 1777
Volume: Volume 8
Should you see this Letter it will be forwarded to you by Thomas Thompson Esqr Commander of the Raleigh Frigate in the Service of the United States of America. This Ship was built in New Hampshire where is no Foundreys for Casting Cannon and the distance from the places where they are Cast to Portsmouth where the frigate now lies is so great that we think it better to put on board such Guns as...
Date: 29 April 1777
Volume: Volume 8
Immediately After the Rect of your favor of 26th Deer I Set out for L'Orient & have Executed the Business you Desird there in the best manner The time & Surcumstances Would Admitt I have no Great Appinon of the 60 Gunn Ship As Shee is an Ould Ship& A very Slow Sailer Another Very Great Objecktion is her Draft Water being to much for our American ports very few of our ports Would have...
Date: 11 January 1777
Volume: Volume 8
I have bin waiting Ever Since I wrote you last for the Inventory of St John & have not Rec'd. It yet therefore Conclude Mr Gourlade has Sent it forward for Parris Captn. [Samuel] Nicholson Arrivd here Yesterday & produc'd your Instruck,tions to him concerning the vissiting & Inspecting the Ships at L'Orient But I think I have Done Everything that Captn. Nicholson Could Do Was he to Go...
Date: 14 January 1777
Volume: Volume 8
I embrace this opportunity of Captain Nicholson's return to Paris to acquaint you with my arrival here yesterday about four o'Clock in the afternoon ー Mr Penet having some bussiness at Orleans ー detained us at that place a few hours wh together with the badness of the roads rendered it impossible for us to make greater dispatch than we did ー I have now the pleasure to acquaint you that best part...
Date: 14 January 1777
Volume: Volume 8
The two last days have been employed in going to Painbeuf (about 30 miles hence) examining the Mercury, and returning to Nantes. ー I have the pleasure to inform you that what I have hither to seen is very satisfactory, the Mercury appears to be a very good Ship, 7 Years old, burden 330 Tons (Mr Peltrier [Peltier] thinks 350) 78 feet Keel, 26 feet Beam, 10 feet in the lower hold under the Beams,...
Date: 17 January 1777
Volume: Volume 8
Inclos'd you have a letter & Inventory of the Frigate the Count of Maurepat 2 it is the same Vessell that I saw at L'Oriont & Called the St John, I think her Inventory is very short & will want a Large addition if fitted for a Ship of Warr, the Defishencys I Hope will be pointed out by Capt [Samuel] Nicholson when translated into Inglish I hope Capt Nicholson will be Able...
Date: 18 January 1777
Volume: Volume 8
I am just informed that the amphitrite is at last gone, she sail'd yesterday morning at 7 oClock
Nothing is more difficult than to procure Charts of our Coast. I am however well supplied except from N York to Georgia, but here I want particular ones; the Captain will I hope arrive at Boston, if not he must do as well as he can with the general Charts (Mercators &c) . . .
Date: 25 January 1777
Volume: Volume 8
Upon examination of the Concord, her Inventory was found very deficient, ー those things which we thought would be a diminution of her price of at least 5000 Livres were not in her. It seems the owner has lately fitted out a large Ship for the Coast of Guinea and has taken from one to supply the other. This determined Mr Peltier to purchase the Count de Vergennes which is of the same size and age...
Date: 13 February 1777
Volume: Volume 8
This will inform you of my Safe arrival after a tolerable Successfull Cruize, having Captured 3 Sail of Brigs one Snow & One Ship, the Snow is a Falmouth Packet bound from thence to Lisbon she is Mounted with 16 Guns and had Near 50 Men on board She Engaged Near an hour before she struck I had one Man killed My first Leiut had his left Arm shot of[f] above the Elbow2 & the...
Date: 14 February 1777
Volume: Volume 8