Colonial Connections

Sir Head Quarters Fredericksbg [N.Y.] 14th[–16] Novemr 1778

I am favd with yours of the 7th. We are yet under as much uncertainty as ever respecting the evacuation of New York. My advices from Lord Stirling of the 11th say that another fleet of one hundred sail had collected at the watering place, and that they had some Hessians and troops of other kinds on board, but he does not mention the estimated number. He also adds that but few ships are left at New York, so that if the fleet above mentioned does not carry off the whole, a Garrison must of necessity remain or wait the arrival of more ships, which is not probable.

Inclosed you have a Resolve of Congress directing me to procure intelligence from Canada and Nova Scotia. I have laid a proper train to obtain the necessary information from Canada, but I must depend upon you, from your situation, to procure the best you can from Nova scotia. If you have an opportunity of getting any thing from Canada, I shall be glad you will do it, as, by comparing the two accounts, we may form a better judgment. [148]

No doubt proper advantage will be taken of the Winter to establish Magazines of Flour to the Eastward, which will not be so difficult now you are releived from the Convention Troops and the French Squadron. I am Sir Your most obt and hble Servt

Go: Washington

16th I have your favr of the 10th and am obliged for your care of the Box committed to Colo. Harrison who is not yet arrived—nothing further from New York of any consequence.

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Granville near Annapolis Royal Nova Scotia

August Sir

Being sensible from the nature of true greatness & goodness, that the greatest & best of men was never unwilling to accept a tribute of respect from the least of their Friends, gives me tacit leave, to address myself Great Sir, to the most illustrious character, the Annals of Fame can glory of—altho there is nothing that relates to me or mine—worthy the notice of so august Personage, yet I presume my simple narrative will not be displeasing.

I am a native of the state of New york, and as such had (during the struggle for American Liberty) a peculiar regard for the wellbeing of my Country—her cause I espoused, in her cause I bled & bled profusely & freely—throug the well directing providence of GOD, after a Bloody war, a happy, advantageous peace took [578] place August Sir, according to the desire of your heart & power of your Arms, for which may the Almighty arbitor of war & peace for ever be adored.

In 1788 I trust by the direction of Heaven—& by the advice of my Brethern & Friends of the Methodest connexion I sail’d from New york to Nova scotia, to Preach the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ—sometime since I enter’d into the domestic Life—on the 14th April 1792 my wife was deliver’d of a Son & daughter, which we were unhappy enough to loose in a short time—on 14th Apr. 1793 she was delivered of another son & daughter which abundantly compensates the first loss—I have taken the Liberty to name my little son George Washington, not being favourd with Lady Washington’s first nor maiden name I could not name my little daughter as I desired, I believe time itself never heard such another noise about the name of a Child as has been made about mine, but I am happy to say that its confined to that unhappy description of People, who not long since were call’d Tories but now refugees.

I have sometime wish’d to have certain account of America’s young Patron, the unfortunate Marqu⟨is⟩ De Le Fayette.

Since America has gain’d her independence at the Expence of vast Blood & treasure, I pray God to conti⟨nue⟩ the same unto her admidst the confusion of Europe, my Expection⟨s⟩ thereof are sanguine, August Sir, since I read your pe⟨ace⟩full Proclamation & have been enform’d of the neutral disposition of the people U.S.A. in General.

May the best of Heaven’s blessings for ever rest upon you as upon the Father & Prince of his peo⟨ple⟩ and may Lady Washington richly share in the sa⟨me⟩ adundant blessings is the sincere desire & constant Prayer of August Sir your most Humble & most Obedient Servant

Thos. Whitehead

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Sir, Mechias [District of Maine] Dec. 25. 1775

You doubtless remember to have seen an application from the committee of safety in this place, for leave to go against Nova Scotia, which might probably have been taken then with very little difficulty: But we were informed, that such an expedition could not be carried on at that time, with proper secrecy; & that there was imminent danger from the Kings ships. The same difficulties may, possibly, lie in the way now, if any troops are collected, & sent from any part near the Head Quarters. I apprehend, that secrecy is as necessary now as ever it was, & if only one proper person, at a suitable place, be ordered to conduct the whole affair, it will probably succeed.

There have been many applications, I dare say from many persons & places, but, were I to point out a suitable place, I should mention this, as it is near to Nova Scotia. I should be more at a loss for a proper person to conduct the enterprize. I know of fitter persons, than myself in many respects, but they are strangers to the Province & people. But I have dwelt there for years, & have a personal acquaintance with almost all the principal men, & know the country well. I should rejoice, therefore, in the appointment to this necessary business; & if your excellency together with those only, who must necessarily be acquainted with the appointment, for I choose none but they should know any thing of the matter, in your great wisdom, should see fit to appoint me, I will conduct the expedition, with the utmost secrecy & (deo. adj.) will add to the dominions of the Continental Congress another Province, before our enemies are able to defend it. All I require is sufficient authority to collect as many troops, as I see fit in this eastern country, not exceeding 1000 men, & vessels to convey them to the place of action, & blank commissions for the necessary officers of a thousand more, to be filled up, as I shall find expedient, in Nova Scotia, where the men are to be raised, put into the Continental pay, & left there to defend the country when taken: And farther, that a sufficient quantity of provision, amunition, arms &c. be sent here about the middle of March.

Your Excellency may enquire as much about me, as you please, of Benjn Foster Esqr. Capt. Stephen Smith, Capt. Obrian, & Mr Shannon, for these Gentn I should choose to have as companions, but do not choose, that they, or any other persons living should know any thing of the design, if this petition if granted, till it is time to embark, except those persons only, who have authority to appoint. The above mentioned Gentn know nothing of this application.

The reduction of Nova Scotia is a matter of great importance, & lies near my heart, on account of my many suffering friends in that Province, & on account of the many advantages, that would arise from it, to this Colony, & to this place, in particular: But should the Government appoint another person to conduct the expedition, I shall cordially acquiesce, & pray for his success, as I ever do, that God may smile on all the American arms, till all our enemies are subdued before us.

Your Excellency will not take amiss, what my zeal for the honor & safety of my country constrained me to write. I am, most respectfully, your Excellency’s very humble and obedient Servant

Jas Lyon

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Sir Boston May 16. 1776

Notwithstanding the favorable reception of a former letter, & the obliging answer it procured, which I gratefully acknowledge, I feel unwilling a second time, to trouble your Excellency, or interrupt the interesting business, which continually engages your attention, tho’ only for a moment. But my zeal for the safety & honor of my Country, & an opinion, that every individual of this New & Rising State ought to exert himself to the utmost, during our present struggle, must be my sole apology, for seeming once more to step aside from the peaceful & salutary paths, in which my profession naturally leads me.

To be as little tedious as possible. I shall venture to give your Excellency my sentiments of the necessity & importance of an immediate expedition against Nova Scotia, in as few words as I can.

If our late intelligence from Great Britain can be relied on, I apprehend none of our troops in Canada can be spared, whether Quebeck is, or is not, in our hands. Nova Scotia has heared of our intension to reduce that Province, as soon as we can call Quebeck our own, & that the troops now in Canada are to be sent against them. Consequently they are now in profound peace. no ships of war are now in the Bay of Fundy, except the Martin stationed at Anapolis; nor have the Kings troops taken much pains to fortify Halifax, as yet. But as soon as they hear of the reduction of Quebeck, they will immediately make themselves as strong as possible. Nova Scotia will not readily be given up, & if Anapolis & St Johns River are strongly fortified, the eastern part of this Colony, as far as Penobscot will be ruined, it is almost ruined already; & should Mechias break up, which lies about ten leagues from the boundary line of Nova Scotia, an infant, & once flourishing country, of upwards of 100 Miles in extent, will probably be deserted & become again a wilderness, or a prey to enemies Now the whole Province may possibly be taken by surprize, if proper secrecy can be observed. Nine tenths of the Inhabitants, who amount to 12, or 14000 Souls, wish for nothing more, & would join us instantly. A few pieces of cannon, which might be easily conveyed across the Country either by land or water, properly planted on a hill nearly opposite the town of Halifax, would soon demolish the town, & navy yard, & destroy or drive the shipping away. Some variation from the plan already laid before your Excellency would doubtless be necessary—Five thousand men would not be too many to insure success.

If this is the proper time to strike a decisive blow in that quarter, the importance of an immediate expedition is self-evident, & victory will add to the other Colonies a teritory of great extent & immense value.

I have meddled thus far—I have, I trust, done my duty—I now, with the greatest deference & pleasure, submit the matter to your Excellency & the Honbe Congress, to whom I glory in being subject. I am, very respectfully, Your Excellencys most humble & obedient Servt

Jas Lyon

P.S. Would not a rising Sun with this inscription, Jussu Dei Surgo appear well on the Standard of some Colony?

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Cambridge February the 14. 1776

Sir

Through you I beg leave to lay before Congress, the Inclosed Letter from Lord Drummond to General Robertson, which came to my hands a few days agoe in order to be sent into Boston.

As I never heard of his Lor[d]ship being vested with power to treat with Congress upon the Subject of our Greivances nor of his having laid any propositions before them for an Accomodation, I confess It surprized me much, and led me to form various conjectures of his motives, and Intended application to General Howe & Admiral Shouldam for a pasport for the safe Conduct of such Deputies as Congress might appoint for Negociating Terms of Reconciliation between Great Britain and us. Whatever his Intentions are, however benevolent his designs may be, I confess that his Letter has embarrassed me much, and I am not without suspicion of Its meaning more than the Generous purposes It professes. I should suppose that If the mode for Negociation which he points out, should be adopted, which I hope will never be thought of, that It ought to have been fixed and settled previous to any application of this sort, and at best that his conduct in this Instance is premature and Officious, & leading to consequences of a fatal and Injurious nature to the rights of this Country. his zeal and desire perhaps of an amicable & constitutional adjustment’s taking place may have Suggested & precipitated the measure, be that as It may, I thought It of too much importance to suffer It to go in without having the express direction of Congress for that purpose, and that It was my Indispensable duty to transmit them the Original to make such Interpretations and Inferences as they may think right.

Messrs Willard & Child who were sent to Nova Scotia in pursuance of the Resolve of Congress, have just returned and made their Report, which I do myself the honor to Inclose you. they have not Answered the purposes of their commission by any means, as they only went but a little way into that Country, and found their Intelligence upon the Information of Others. You will see the reasons they Assign in excuse or justification of their conduct in the Report Itself.

Last night a party of Regulars, said to be about Five hundred, landed on Dorchester Neck and burnt some of the Houses there, which were of no value to us, nor would they have been, Unless we take post there; they then might have been of some service. A Detachment went after them as soon as the fire was discovered, but before It could arrive, they had executed their plan and made their retreat.

Inclosed is a Letter for David Franks Esqr. from Mr Chamier in Boston, upon the Subject of victualling such of the Kings Troops as may be prisoners within the Limits of his Contract, which I beg the favour of you to deliver him, and that proper agents may be appointed by him to see that It is done—I could wish too that Congress would fall upon some mode for Supplying the Officers with such Money as they may really stand in need of, and depute proper persons for that purpose & furnishing the privates with such Cloathing as may be absolutely necessary; I am applied to and wearied by their repeated requests—In some Instances I have desired the Committees to give the prisoners within their appointments, what they should Judge absolutely necessary for their support, as the only means in my power of releiving their distress—But I immagine that If there were persons to superintend this business, that their wants would be better attended to, and many exorbitant charges prevented and saved to the Continent & the whole wou’d then be brought into a proper account. I am Sir with great esteem & regard Your Most Hble Servt

Go: Washington

https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-03-02-0222-0001

The above mentioned enclosure from Messrs Willard & Child as follows:

We the Subscribers being appointed by his Excellency general Washington agreeable to an order of the Continental Congress to Repair to the Province of Novia Scotia for the following purposes Viztt to Inquire into the Disposition of the Inhabitants of Sd Province Towards the common Cause of america the Condition of their Forti[fi]cations Quantity of warlike Stores the number of Soldiers and Salors and Ships of war.

We beg Leave to Report as follows that agreeable to the above order we did Repair to a place Called Campobello about Twenty or thirty miles into the Province aforesaid, but Could not Cross the Bay of Funda [Fundy] for no Vessel Could be hired or procured Except we purchase one as Every Vessel Even to a Boat that Crossed the Bay was Seized as soon as they Came into Port Except Cleared from Hallifax and we Could not Travel any further into the Country By Reason of governor Leggs [Legge] Establishing Martial Law in Said Province and Isuing Several proclamations one Bea[r]ing Date July the 5 1775 which is as follows

I Do therefore with the advice and Consent of his Majesty’s Council publish this proclamation hereby Notifieing and warning all Persons that they Do not in any manner Derectly or Inderectly aid or assist with any Supplies whatever any Rebel or Rebels nor hold Intelligence or Correspondence with them nor Conceal harbour or protect any Such offenders as they would avoid being Deemed Rebels and Trators and be proceeded against accordingly

Also a proclamation Dated December the 8 1775 forbiding any Strangers to be in Halifax more than Two hours without making his Business Known to a Justice of the Peace upon the pain and Peril of being Treated as Spies, also forbiding any Person Entertaining any Such Stranger for more than Two hours without giving Information on the penalty aforesaid.

From our own Knowledge and the Best Information from others about Eight parts out of Ten of the Inhabitants of Novia Scotia would Engage in the Common Cause of america Could they be protected.

There are no Fortifications in the Province only at Halifax and those much out of Repair but they are at work on them they have Piquitted the Town in and have about one hundred and fifty Peaces of cannon not mounted and about Twenty or thirty peaces mounted in the Town there was at Halifax about Two hundred Soldiers the Begining of January 1776 which was all that there was in the Province at that Time but we are crediably Informed that there are Two Regements arived there Since that time there was only one Ship of war of 60 guns at Halifax and one of 14 at annopolis [Royal] at the Time aforesaid.

Aaron Willard

Moses Child

George Washington Papers, Series 4, General Correspondence: Moses Child and Aaron Willard to George Washington, Report. 1776. Manuscript/Mixed Material. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/mgw444482/, https://rotunda.upress.virginia.edu/founders/default.xqy?keys=GEWN-print-03-03-02-0222-0002

[Cambridge, 24 November 1775]

The Honourable, the Continental Congress, having lately passed a Resolve, contained in the following words, to wit.

“That two persons be sent at the Expence of these Colonies to nova scotia, to inquire into the state of that Colony, the disposition of the Inhabitants towards the American cause, & the Condition of the Fortifications, Docks, Yards, the Quantity of Artillery & Warlike stores, & the number of Soldiers, Sailors & Ships of War there, & Transmit the earliest Intelligence to General Washington.[”]

I do hereby Constitute & appoint you the said Aaron Willard, Esqr.—to be one of the persons to Undertake this business; And as the season is late, & this a work of Great Importance, I intreat & request that you will use the utmost dispatch, attention & fidelity in the Executi⟨on⟩ of it—The necessity of acting with a proper degree of caution & secrecy is too apparent to need recommendatio⟨n.⟩

You will keep an Account of your Expences & upon your return will be rewarded in a suitable ma⟨nner⟩ for the fatigue of your Journey & the services you render your Country by Conducting & discharging this Business with expedition & fidelity. Given under my Hand this 24 day of Nov. 1775.

[See also “A stolen letter written by former U.S. president George Washington led police to arrest a second man in a massive stolen artifacts case in the Halifax area.”, https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/stolen-george-washington-letter-leads-to-halifax-arrest-1.1338810?cmp=rss]

https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-02-02-0388