respecting the negroes; you know the great numbers in the Southern Provinces; if got in arms against you, it would much embarrass you. I told the gentleman if the Ministry act in that way they would be worse than barbarians.

The Ministerial writers are continually publishing in favour of their Army; two days ago it was in the papers that Burgoyne had marched round by Roxbury undiscovered, and attacked the American Army in their trenches, and routed them, killing fifteen hundred: but this is now found false. They complain of killing too great a proportion of their officers; but I told him it was fair fighting to take an enemy up and down, as they could. He said that if the Americans did not fight openly, but from behind trees and ditches, that the Army would give no quarters; I told him that would produce the same treatment from the Americans.

The following account I had from one in office: five thousand men are at this time to be sent to New-York, and in the course of the winter to be augmented to twelve thousand from Gage’s Army; five sail of men-of-war are already sailed, and sundry men are gone in them who know the country, and are to go in disguise through it, in order to burn and destroy the furnaces that cast cannon and military stores. The livery of the soldiers is to be green, faced with red; it is said that fourteen thousand suits are already sent to Canada, with blankets and presents for the Indians, in order to get them to join the Ministry; Albany, Crown Point and Ticonderoga are to be taken and garrisoned, that a free communication may be kept up with Canada, and that the communication between the Northern and Southern Colonies may be cut off. I hope they never will effect this; the greatest care must be taken to prevent the Indians joining them. One Browne, who was an officer in the last war. has gone over to engage them.

What will you do for intelligence from hence, if your ports are all shut? I think sundry vessels ought to be permitted to go to each of the West-India Islands, on purpose that a communication may be kept up between the Colonies and England, otherwise you will be totally ignorant of what is designed against you here.

LETTER FROM A GENTLEMAN IN LONDON TO HIS FRIEND IN THE AMERICAN CAMP.

London, August 24, 1775.

I am greatly pleased, and also greatly affected by your letter: the times are full of danger and distress, and such times as we could never have expected. This horrid civil war astonishes all Europe, and will be both the wonder and execration of future ages. The Americans, however, will be fully acquitted by all impartial historians, for it must always be confessed that their moderation has been beyond all example for men that were previously determined not to be enslaved. But what will be said of our King, our Ministry, and our Parliament? Can there be found ink black enough to record their crimes? for surely no crimes can be of a deeper dye than premeditated murder; and such it most certainly is, in all the abetters of the Ministerial mandates; wherefore, as St. Paul says, “may the Lord reward them according to their works.”

I congratulate you most sincerely on the success that has hitherto attended the Provincials, a success the more elating to me, as it was in some degree unexpected; for though I doubted not the justice of your cause, nor had the least suspicion of your courage as individuals, yet something more goes to the gaining of a battle in the open field; and I must confess I did fear that the first onset of the Regulars would have made such an impression that your Troops must have given way; I am sincerely glad it has proved otherwise, and I prophesy that the brave Provincials will give additional proofs both of courage and discipline in every future engagement.

But after all I am rather hurt by this delay, and was in hopes before now to have heard that they were in possession of Boston. What is the occasion of their procrastination? Do the Americans think it unfair to attack the few Troops that are there, and wish for a more equal combat? or do they wait the event of the Petition from the Congress? Believe me when I assure you, that if some capital stroke is not struck during the present campaign, your cause will suffer greatly, as you may rest assured that no accommodation is intended from hence, however you may be amused with pretensions of that sort, but, on the contrary, when matters are a little riper for it, all the powers of hell are to be let loose upon you; and if you find it difficult to dislodge six thousand men from their holds, how will you repulse twenty thousand? For so many will certainly come, and some of them very shortly.

On our part we can do nothing but rail at the Government, without taking one step towards righting ourselves, or assisting you. Oppressed as we are by the Tory Ministry, who are supported by a venal Parliament, and nearly equally divided without doors, what remains for us, but to curse our own luxury and effeminacy, and to look back with astonishment at the Pyms and Hampdens of former times—characters which we have not virtue to imitate.

It is with pleasure I hear that you are so forward in your works of saltpetre and gunpowder. You offer noble premiums of encouragement, and they must be continued, as no price should be spared for so essential an article.

I am informed that a blustering Proclamation is coming out, declaring the Americans to be in a state of rebellion. Names cannot alter the nature of things, and I apprehend that wise men will pay very little regard to the peremptory orders of a despotick Ministry, when unsupported by the Constitution.

I write to many of my friends by this conveyance; some of them may possibly have sealed your glorious cause with their blood before this reaches you. Peace and glory to their respected shades! As for myself, though I am no soldier, be assured in all confidence that I shall not cease to wish well to American liberty, nor fail to give more signal proofs of my attachment to the support of it, than mere wishes, when a suitable occasion presents itself.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM WM. H. DRAYTON AND WM. TENNENT TO COUNCIL OF SAFETY FOR SOUTH-CAROLINA, DATED AT FORD’S, ON THE ENOREE, AUGUST 24, 1775.

The most perfect good order prevailed with the people, who heard us with much attention. But Kirkland treated the Congress, the Committee, the Council, and ourselves, with the highest insolence. Nay, he was on the point of assaulting Mr. Drayton; and in all probability would have done it, which would have brought on bloodshed,* but that the pressure of the people about Mr. Drayton gave him to understand that an attack made by him would be premature. Imagine every indecency of language, every misrepresentation, every ungenerous and unjust charge against the American politicks that could alarm the people, and give them an evil impression of our designs against their liberties and the rights of Great Britain; imagine all you can on these points, and you will not exceed what we heard, as well from Kirkland as from Brown. Our indignation was painful, for we were obliged to conceal it; and our situation was as disagreeable as you can well conceive. Brown loudly declared, that when the King’s Troops arrived, he would join them against us; and he hoped every other person in these parts would do the same.

We have the pleasure, however, to inform you, that the address from the people of England to the people of America appears to have lost its credit. Brown read it; but he had but few hearers: we did not think it worth our while to attend to it, or say one word in answer to it.

We waited so long for the assembling of the people, and the discourses and pamphlet took up so much time, that no election could be held. This day fortnight is appointed for the holding of it.

Kirkland and the Cunninghams appeared here with arms, sword and pistol. Their intention did not appear good, and the very small audience clearly manifests that the sentiments of the party continue inimical. However, we have acquired several of Fletchall’s Captains.

There was a subscription of the Association—about seventy names—but most of these persons had already signed, and now again signed in order to give a good example. We shall be at Ninety-Six Court-House on Sunday; and from thence we shall shape our course to Amelia.

* On this progress, Mr. Drayton always had about his person a dirk and a pair of pocket pistols, for the defence of his life, and for protecting himself from insult.