he prays that the arrest under which he now is may be removed. I have it in command from his Excellency, to let you know that he has no objection to his enlargement, provided he can make it appear clear to you that he is no longer inimical to the Country.

I am your most humble servant,

STEPHEN MOYLAN.

To the Committee of Safety of Dedham.

STEPHEN MOYLAN TO DAVID PARKER.

Cambridge, November 4, 1775.

SIR: By his Excellency’s command, I wrote this day to the Committee of Safety of Dedham, letting them know that he had no objection to your enlargement, provided you satisfied them that you are not inimical to the liberties of your Country.

I am, Sir, &c.,

STEPHEN MOYLAN.

To Mr. David Parker.

STEPHEN MOYLAN TO SAMUEL GOODWIN.

Head-Quarters, November 4, 1775.

SIR: I am commanded by his Excellency to acknowledge the receipt of your favour of the 28th ult. He is pleased that you had supplied Colonel Arnold with the plans for his route to Quebeck. If it hereafter should be found necessary to lay out the road you mention, his Excellency won’t be unmindful of your offers of service for that purpose.

I am, Sir, your most humble servant,

STEPHEN MOYLAN.

To Samuel Goodwin, Esq.

WILLIAM BARTLETT TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Beverly, November 4, 1775.

SIR: Since I have had the honour of a commission under your Excellency, I have never had an opportunity before to return you my hearty thanks. The honour conferred on me I gratefully acknowledge, and hope I shall be able so far to do my duty as to meet with the approbation of your Excellency; if so, I am sure of doing honour to my Country, which is my sincere desire.

I have the pleasure of informing your Excellency, that this morning, at daylight, there appeared two sloops at anchor under one of our islands, called by the name of the Misery. One of them came to sail, and went in a direct course for Boston; the other, being very much torn to pieces in the gale of wind, was unfit to proceed on her intended voyage. Two resolute people, in a small boat, went off, and took possession of her before we knew of it in this part of the Town. However, some of Captain Brown’s Company of stationed men, together with a number of inhabitants, armed, went down and brought her up safe in this harbour. I have taken the liberty of taking her under my care. My instructions are short with regard to such prizes; as I hope many such may be taken, which Providence may force into our harbours in gales of wind, before next spring, beg your Excellency will give me particular instructions with regard to them. I find, by examination, that Captain Ritchee has been a long while out of Boston, has been blown off the coast as far as the latitude thirty-eight; but there being no log-book on board, must refer to the bills of parcels for the confirmation of the matter with regard to the time he has been from Boston. I have procured all the papers on board of her, and send them to your Excellency by Captain Brown. Captain Ritchee’s crew consists of his father, one white man, one mulatto fellow, one negro, and two women, passengers, which I shall keep secure until further orders from your Excellency. As Captain Ritchee had the original bills of parcels, I thought it would be most satisfactory to send them up to you, which I believe contain the chiefest part of her cargo, except one barrel of pork, one barrel of flour, and one barrel and one hogshead of rum, part of a hogshead of tobacco, and one trunk of English goods. Your Excellency will find, by some of the papers enclosed, that Captain Ritchee has been one voyage, if no more, to Annapolis, and carried up provisions to the Ministerial Army; and make no doubt but his intentions were the same now, if Providence had not frowned upon him.

I would inform your Excellency that Captain Adams, commander of the Privateer Warren, has carried a sloop, loaded with wood, as I am informed, bound to Boston, into Portsmouth. I have heard nothing concerning the rest of the privateers since their sailing.

I shall wait your Excellency’s orders with regard to the above; and beg leave to subscribe myself your Excellency’s most obedient humble servant,

WILLIAM BARTLETT.

To his Excellency General Washington.

JOHN ADAMS TO ELBRIDGE GERRY.

Philadelphia, November 5, 1775.

DEAR SIR: I am under such restrictions, injunctions, and engagements of secrecy, respecting every thing which passes in Congress, that I cannot communicate my own thoughts freely to my friends, so far as is necessary to ask their advice and opinions concerning questions which many of them understand much better than I do. This, however, is an inconvenience which must be submitted to, for the sake of superior advantage.

But I must take the liberty to say, that I think we shall soon attend to maritime affairs and naval preparations. No great things are to be expected at first, but out of a little a great deal may grow.

It is very odd that I, who have spent my days in researches and employments so very different, and who have never thought much of old ocean, or the dominion of it, should be necessitated to make such inquiries; but it is my fate and my duty, and therefore I must attempt it.

I am to inquire what number of seamen may be found in our Province, who would probably enlist in the service, either as marines, or on board of armed vessels, in the pay of the Continent, or in the pay of the Province, or on board of privateers fitted out by private adventurers.

I must also entreat you to let me know the names, places of abode, and characters, of such persons, belonging to any of the sea-port Towns in our Province, as are qualified for officers and commanders of armed vessels.

I want to be further instructed, what ships, brigantines, schooners, &c., are to be found in any port of the Province, to be sold or hired out, which will be suitable for armed vessels. What their tonnage, the depth of water they draw, their breadth, their decks, &c., and to whom they belong, and what is their age.

Further, what places in our Province are most secure and best accommodated for building new vessels of force, in case a measure of that kind should be thought of The Committee have returned, much pleased with what they have seen and heard, which shows that their embassy will be productive of happy effects. They say the only disagreeable circumstance was, that their engagements, haste, and constant attention to business, were such as prevented them from forming such acquaintances with the gentlemen of our Province as they wished. But as Congress was waiting for their return, before they could determine upon affairs of the last moment, they had not time to spare.

They are pretty well convinced, I believe, of several important points, which they and others doubted before.

New-Hampshire has leave to assume a Government, and so has South-Carolina; but this must not be freely talked of as yet, at least from me.

New-England will now be able to exert her strength, which a little time will show to be greater than either Great Britain or America imagines. I give you joy of the agreeable prospect in Canada. We have the colours of the Seventh Regiment, as the first fruits of victory.

JOHN ADAMS.

To Mr. Elbridge Gerry.

COMMISSIONERS FOR FORTIFICATIONS TO NATHANIEL WOODHULL.

Highlands, November 5, 1775.

SIR: You will he pleased to lay this letter, with the enclosed, before the honourable Congress for this Province, by which they will see the necessity there is of immediately settling those matters Mr. Bedlow laid before them, when he was in New-York last. We have had some evil persons already among us, who have instilled into the minds of the people at work here, that there is no security for their pay. This has given us a deal of trouble, with a set