Hay Party

(aa.) Admiral Graves to Mr. Stephens, Boston, 18 May.—I find that the rebellion begun in Massachusetts Bay has spread itself to New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. There is too much reason to apprehend the infection is general, since even Nova Scotia has shown symptoms in burning a quantity of hay collected for the use of the troops. I submit, therefore, how extremely useful a few of the old fifty-gun ships would be to serve in the rivers of this continent, &c. Every day’s experience shows that we can hope for no supplies the rebels can prevent; their vigilance extends even to firewood, which is expressly forbidden to be sold, and guards are placed along the coast for that purpose.

“George III: June 1775.” Calendar of Home Office Papers (George III): 1773-5. Ed. Richard Arthur Roberts. London: Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, 1899. 350-362. British History Online. Web. 2 April 2020. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/home-office-geo3/1773-5/pp350-362.

(d.) Captain Andrew Barkley to Admiral Graves. (Piscataqua, 19 May 1775.)—The people of Halifax, in Nova Scotia, assembled and destroyed a magazine of hay collected there for the use of H.M.’s troops, and attempted to destroy the King’s yard, but were prevented by some part of the inhabitants.

“George III: July 1775.” Calendar of Home Office Papers (George III): 1773-5. Ed. Richard Arthur Roberts. London: Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, 1899. 362-378. British History Online. Web. 2 April 2020. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/home-office-geo3/1773-5/pp362-378.