1777
December
Friday 5th
Cape Finesterre S 32" [ilkg.] Did. 12 Leagues
Mode and fair at 7 AM saw and gave Chace to a Sail in the SWt. Qr. at Cape Finestere bore SBW Dist. 12 Ls. at Noon spoke with the Chace found her the Annie Brig from Newfd. which had been taken by the Sturdy Beggar 11th Novr.... Continue Reading
Both my duty and present Situation oblige me to take the liberty of writing to you; Had I been treated as any man of my station should Expect here At Dunkirk, I could have been of some Service to the Cause long since, moreover there is no greater Sign of Our Departure at present than was ten days Ago as the wind still continues in the same point, besides Our Going to Nants by Sea is very... Continue Reading
J'ay reçu, Monsieur, votre lettre du 1er. de ce mois par laquelle vous m'informez que les Capnes. des frégattes anglo américaines le Raleigh et Lalfred sont arrivés à L'Orient, et que vous leur avez notifié de mettre en mer au premier vent; j'approuve ce que vous avez fait à ce Sujet. Je Suis [&c.]
Je reçois des plaints, Monsieur, que vous voulez forcér les Capitaines des frégates américaines de partir sans leurs vivres et leur artillerie. Si cela est vous allez trop loin: il suffis que vous exigiez leur départ dès qu'elles seront en stat de reprendre la mer. Je vous prie de me mander ce qui en est; et en faisant executer les ordres que je vous ai donnés ci-devant, de ne point donner lieu à... Continue Reading
Having made an agreement with Mr John King in behalf of the Common Wealth of Wirginia for a quantity of Salt to be deliver'd in James River, ⅌ our Ship the Algonquin, as you'll be pleased to See by the inclosed Contract, this Ship is quite ready Since a fortnight to put in Sea, only expecting a fair Wind, having for Pilote for the American Cost Mr. Joseph Pryce from... Continue Reading
I have kept the Duplicates of the Dispatches to this Time in Expectation of a private Hand, that failing I am now obliged to send a Man on purpose, but in the least expensive way. If you have no further commands for him please to discharge him directly; he is not to return Post unless you order him so to do.—
The minister lately sent orders to stop the Lion, after that, orders came to allow but a... Continue Reading
"On the 12th ult. a few leagues to the westward of Cape Ferrol, we fell in with an American privateer, called the Boston Hero, of 18 guns and 120 men, who ordered all the crew into a pilot-boat we spoke with, that landed us at the Groyne. His sending us all on shore, made me suspect he meant to dispose of the cargo at some of the Spanish ports: I therefore wrote to Cadiz, as the wind was fair for... Continue Reading
A Paper sent to Lord North on 8th December 1777 relative to the American war and urging more efforts to be made at home.
The mode of carrying on the war in America has been such for the last two years that the fleet has not been employed in the purposes in which it can be most useful
towards distressing the enemy, and making them feel their inability of holding out against the mother country.... Continue Reading
The Commissioners expect in about Eight or Ten Days to dispatch another Packet for America & Consequently will not detain Capt. Young1—I send you the Gazette Extraordinary of the Court of London which peruse & forward to Mr. Hancock with the other News Papers sent you—We are still uncertain how soon Capt Nicholson will be ready for Sea, or if... Continue Reading
J'ai reçû, Monsieur, La lettre que vous m'avez écrite le 1er. de ce mois contenant les réponses aux questions que je vous avois chargé de faire au Cape. Fautrel; Et Sur le Compte que j'en ai rendu au Roy Sa Mé a bien voulu agréér Sa justification et faire cesser Sa détention.1 Je joins ici en conséquence l'ordre pour le faire mettre en liberté que vous... Continue Reading
[1777]
Decer.
Tuesday 9
Cape Ortugal So 18.46 Et distance 34 Leagues
fresh gales & Cloudy at 6 AM/Saw 2 Sail to the Sowards, wore Ship & gave Chace, Punish'd Alexr Forbes, wth. 12 lashes for Mutiney, ½ past 11 brought the chace too, found her the Smyrna Galley, taken by ye Sturdy Beggar Provincial Privateer, hoisted ye... Continue Reading
Ha destinado V.E. la Carta No. 1178. de 26. de Noviembre1 á los puntos relativos a las Colonias Anglo-americanas, y voi á contextarla despues de haber enterado al Rey de las diversas especies que contiene, y tomado sus Rs. ordenes sobre cada punto.
Ha parecido mui bien á S.M. quanto V.E. ha trabado con Mr. Grand, interlocutor de los Diputados Americanos, sobrè... Continue Reading
Before I went to Versailles I carefully perused the different Papers transmitted to me in your Lordships Dispatch N° 70, and made an Extract of such Parts of Governor Morris's Letters as I thought it would be proper to communicate to M de Vergennes; and in order to avoid the possibility of any Personal Discussions between Governor Morris, and M de Bouille, and at the Same Time to guard Against... Continue Reading
Inclosed you have copies of three letters which I had the honor of writing to you while fitting out at Portsmouth. Which place I left the 1st. Ulto.—After passing the Western Islands I fell in with and brought too a number of ships but met with no English property 'till within Eighty leagues of Ushant I then fell in with a Fleet of Ten Sail under a Strong Convoy bound up... Continue Reading
. . . By advises from my house at St. Andero I find Capt. Babson of one of our freind's privateers1 who lately sail'd from Bilbao fell in with about 20 sail of Newfoundlanders under convoy of a strong arm'd vessel with whom she fought two hours & took 6 vessells, but the arm'd one gott away; Babson lost two officers & two privates but got safe to said port... Continue Reading
Instructions to Mr Thornton1 [Paris, 11 Dec. 1777]
You will receive herewith a Letter to Lord North and another to Sir Grey Cooper Secretary of the Treasury,2 to which you are to endeavour to obtain Answers.
As the Purport is to obtain Permission to visit & examine into the Situation of our People in their Goals, and administer to their Relief we hope a... Continue Reading
Receiving frequent Accounts by American Prisoners who have escap'd from your Goals, of the miserable Situation & hard Treatment of their Countrymen at Portsmouth & Plymouth, we have prevail'd with a Gentleman, Major Thornton, (to us much a Stranger but who appears a Man of Humanity) to visit the Prisons there, and give from us some Relief to those unfortunate Men. I hope that thro’ your... Continue Reading
Traitement et Conditions accordées par M M Bérard Frères et Co. Armatures du Vaisseau la Brune a l'Etat Major du d[it] Navire pour le Voyage de Nantes et dela aux Isles de L'Amerique Francoise Ports et Colonies de l'Amerique Angloise et Insurgente dans un ou plusieurs Ports ou Rivieres, y faire un Chargement et Retour a l'Orient ou dans tout autre Port de France ou Le Navire fera Sa Decharge... Continue Reading
As the situation of affairs in Pensylvania, when I sailed from Portsmouth, rendered the conveyance of Letters from the Eastern States not altogether certain, I take the Liberty of inclosing Copies of those which I had the honor of writeing to you while fitting out.
It is not in my Nature to persist intentionally in an Error, therefore I always wish to take the earliest Opportunity of... Continue Reading
I think it my duty to give you some Acct of my Passage from Portsmouth to this place, as this may perhaps find you at home in the Bosom of domestic happiness. I had passed the Western Islands before a Sail appeared within our Horizon from the Masthead; but this Halcyon Season was then interrupted, and changed into continued alarms Night and day till the Ranger cast Anchor here the 2... Continue Reading