EXTRACT OF A LETTER TO A GENTLEMAN IN PHILADELPHIA, DATED LONDON, JULY 8, 1775.

I am happy that you are settled in Philadelphia, a city that is and shall be blest. The great founder, Penn, was inspired with true wisdom, and God gave him a heart to form a City and Colony for a refuge to the persecuted asserters of the rights of human nature at this day, when it is the determination of Administration, at least part of them, with the King, to destroy such Towns as lay on the sea. But don’t be frightened or deceived; they cannot accomplish their horrid schemes. Your securing Ticonderoga and Crown Point has overthrown their designs, and now in revenge they say we will destroy their Towns, You see by this what you are to expect. The heart of Pharaoh is hardened, and the chariot will be driven so fast that the wheels will fly off in a sea of blood.

Our worthy Lord Mayor has exerted himself abundantly. He has called a Common-Hall of the Livery, and held a Common Council at three different times, and sent up a Petition and Remonstrance; and this day the proceedings of the City are in the press, to be published to all the Counties in England; and our patriots, with an American bravery, are determined to protest against the doings of the Parliament, and enter into an Association. They have drawn up very spirited resolves. But as yet you must have patience; great bodies move slow. The people of England have long been inured to oppression, and are not so quick in their feelings as the Americans. They are, indeed, more moderate, but have already discovered their abhorrence to the plans of the tyrants in such a manner as to make them repent they laid them; and in a few months, should there be no submission on your side, (which God grant there may not,) they will call home Gage, and let you alone awhile, as they cannot get men to go on so horrid an errand. The officers hear that the riflemen intend killing them only, which is most excellent news, as it not only discourages the officers, but makes the soldiers think well of the Americans, as they hate their officers, and will certainly desert, if they have opportunity. It is not England, but only eight Ministers of State, with the King and his tools in Parliament, that are fighting against you, and use every unfair means to deceive the people of England. I understand Fort Ticonderoga is to be retaken by Carleton, who has one thousand Scots Highlanders sent over to him, commanded by Col. Murray, with one thousand nine hundred more, who are now enlisting in Scotland; this you may depend on.

Our wise Ministry, in order to deceive the people, circulate false reports in the papers and otherwise every day, both for and against the Americans, that men’s minds may be so confounded, they will not know what to depend upon; but you may depend upon it, that should it cost all the blood and treasure of Old England, they would prosecute their efforts to subdue you. Even the officers who are to execute their plans are ignorant of their ultimate designs.

They now give out that Lord Chatham is to be called in to head a new Administration, and that a new system of politicks is to take, place; but nothing can be further from their intentions. Lord Chatham never can come into their views, and those views being the possession of place, power, and treasure, they will never give them up as long as they can possibly hold them. They have brought the King so far into their measures that he cannot recede; so that they are now together in the place where they will remain till your wisdom and bravery shew the people of England that tyrants are to be got at by very simple means.

No statute can be to put arms into the hands of Roman Catholicks, and in consequence; if you could procure proof that General Carleton has done this, and convey that evidence to this City, you would find the great cause brought to issue here in a few months, sat verbum! Your salvation depends on your firmness and assiduity. If you submit, sixty of you are to be hanged in Philadelphia, and the same number in New-York; five hundred Pounds is offered for Captain Sears’s head in particular—a secret order.*

INDEPENDENT COMPANY OF ALEXANDRIA TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Alexandria, July 8, 1775.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY: Your favour of the 20th ultimo, notifying your intended departure for the camp, we received, and after transmitting copies to the different officers to whom it was directed, we laid it before a full meeting of your company this day. At the same time that they deplore the unfortunate occasion that calls you, their patron, friend, and worthy citizen, from them, and your more tender connexions, they beg your acceptance of their most hearty congratulations upon your appointment to the supreme military command of the American confederated forces.

Firmly convinced, Sir, of your zealous attachment to the rights of your Country and those of mankind, and of your earnest desire that harmony and good will should again take place between us and our Parent State, we well know that your every exertion will be invariably employed to preserve the one and effect the other.

Your kind recommendation, that a strict attention be had to disciplining the company, shall be complied with, and every possible method used for procuring arms and ammunition.

We are to inform you, Sir, by desire of the company, that if at any time you shall judge it expedient for them to join the troops at Cambridge, or to march elsewhere, they will cheerfully do it.

As the success of our arms, during the unhappy contest for our liberties, will ever afford us the highest satisfaction, and as reports heretofore have been various and unauthentick, we entreat your Excellency, should there be any future engagement, and your leisure permit, to favour us with an account. Let our concerns for the cause we are embarked in claim your excuse for this freedom.

We now recommend you to the favour of Him by whom Kings reign and Princes decree justice; and wishing all your counsels and operations to be directed by his gracious providence to a happy and lasting union between us and Great Britain, we are, with great regard, for selves and the company, your Excellency’s most obedient and humble servants,

JAMES HENDRICKS,
GEORGE GILPIN,
ROB. H. HARRISON,

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM MESSRS. BRADFORDS, OF PHILADELPHIA, TO THE PRINTER OF A PUBLICK PAPER IN LONDON, DATED PHILADELPHIA, JULY8, 1775.

By the papers you will find that we are forced into a war with our brethren of Great Britain; you will also find that an overruling Providence covered our heads at the Lexington, Noddle Island, and Bunker’s Hill actions. Our people have not in those three battles lost more than one hundred killed, and about two hundred wounded; whereas, the Ministerial Troops have at least lost fifteen hundred killed, and one thousand wounded.

In the affair at Bunker’s Hill, it is asserted by many respectable people, who have, since the action, got out of Boston, that the Welsh Fusileers have only one Captain and ninety men left out of the whole Regiment; and that Gage has lost four Colonels and three Majors, among whom are Colonel Nesbit, Majors Pitcairne and Sheriff. However the ministerial account may gloss over matters, their loss has been such that a few more such victories would leave Gage but a few men, and we should joyfully put up with the disgrace of a retreat every day for a month upon the same terms. Tell Lord Sandwich that Lord Howe says, the rebels fought more like devils than men, and that if our re-enforcement had come up in time he must have been totally defeated.

Our Congress are still sitting, and likely to sit for some time. Seeing they were involved, they have taken all the necessary steps; they have an army of eighteen thousand or twenty thousand, headed by General Washington, around Boston, who are well armed, and have magazines sufficient for two years, notwithstanding the steps taken to keep warlike stores from cowards and poltrons, who had only broomsticks and rusty guns.

You may likewise tell, his Lordship, that our Army is able to cope with thirty thousand such troops as Gage now

* Mr. Holt, the printer of the New-York Journal, has also had repeated notices from persons of eminence in England, that he is among the number of the proscribed who are ordered to be sent to England