require a sight of any of your Papers, and therefore by no means necessary to carry them on board. this report is only a matter of form and custom. upon your Arrival at the City deliver your Cargo and Letters to Mr. John Parish to whom you are addressed, and follow his directions, at the same time urge him to give you all possible dispatch and to take every precaution to avoid danger and difficulty. soon as you have got your Cargo on board proceed North about on your way Home avoiding if possible speaking with any Vessil dureing your whole Voyage, endeavouring to get into any Port of Safety in these States. we wish you

Success and safe return.

as

You are to have by agreement the following Allowances vizt. Privilidge in the Brigantine 15 Cask of Rice, Commissions 5 per Ct. on Sale, 2 on Returns, Wages £7.10 per Month, and one Dollar a Day allowed for your expences while in Hamburgh, no Vendue Masters Com'n to be allowed by the Owners.

[Unsigned]

JOSIAH HEWES TO CHRISTOPHER CHAMPLIN

Philadelphia, 26 May, 1777.

YOURS of the 30 March I receved and have advertized your Ship for Sale; for some time but have not yet had any Application for her, worth Notice, our River has been long blocked up by Men of warr, that many fine Vessels lay idle here, our Merchants seem discouraged, and knowing that Vessels have been sold very cheap in New England, wont talk with me at any thing near the price you mention, 8.000 dollars. was shee here and our port released from the British Ships would readaly sell for the Sum above mentioned, but cant find any of them inclined to purchase her as she is. however, if you choose to fix a prise on her, and forward Inventory of what Stores Rigen Sailes etc. she has that is to go with her wil continue my applications for the seling her, and am with Sincerety yours

JOSIAH HEWEs

Dear Sir,

CHRISTOPHER MARDENBROUGH, JR. TO
CHRISTOPHER CHAMPLIN

St. Christopher, December 13th, 1777.

I YESTERDAY was happy in the sight of my Children, in good health. my Sister and Brother have mentiond to me your and Mrs. Champlin's great kindness to them and my Children, in their distress, that only is the time to know our friends. I can't find words to express the Obligation you have laid me under. this I will say that not only your private family but every friend that you wou'd wish to serve shall look on myself equally bound. you have acted the Samaritan; you have been a friend to my Children in a strange Land, you will ever command every thing in my power, can you point any Service that I cou'd render you here. Mrs. Mardenbrough and my Children join me in sincere regard to you, Mrs. Champlin and your Children. Sally writes Miss Peggy by this Opportunity. I am Yours truly, CHRISTOPHER MARDENBROUGH, JR.

[Endorsed,] Mr. Christopher Champlin at Little Rest, Conecticut. To the Care of Mr. Jno. Baker Brimmer.

Received and forwarded by Your Humble Servant, JOHN B. BRIMMER.

JOSEPH GARDNER1 TO ROBERT STEVENS & Co.

Gentlemen,

On board the Greenwick, 3rd March, 1778.

THIS is to acquaint you the third day after the Sloop left Bedford we came a cross a Ship of Fourteen Guns and Fifty men, we engag'd her and fought her three glasses but being cutt and much shatter'd to pieces was oblig'd to quit her. we had the misfortune to loose poor Moses Casey in the Fray and four more wounded. This is likewise to acquaint

1 In May, 1776, he was interested in the privateer Lady Washington, with Joseph Cunningham and Ebenezer Dorr. Lincoln, Naval Records of the American Revoution, 1775-1788, 11.

you the eighteen of February we tooke a Schooner Transport from Hallifax bound to Newport loaded with Codfish and Coal but was blown off the coast and was bound to Antigua. we put a Prize Master on board and sent her to Martinico. this is likewise to acquaint you that the third of March we tooke another Schooner from Hallifax bound for Tobago, her cargo consists of sixty four hogsheads and eight tierces of Codfish eighty five barrells of Pickled Fish and seventeen hundred feet of Lumber and Staves. we likewise put a Prize Master on board of her and sent her to Martinico. This is likewise to acquaint you we are now cruising in the Latitude of Barbadoes and shall cruise back and forth about six weeks longer with the provisor we shoud not take any thing else till then and with the provisor we shoud take another Hallifaxman we shall go with her to Martinico. we shoud take a Britainer we shall proceed direct for America. This is to acquaint you that I have ordered one half the proceeds to be laid out in Produce and the other half to be shipt home in Cash.

Sam Gentleman

Yours &

anour

if

Rhode Island.

valeur reçue comptant, que pafferez Vôtre trés humble Serviteur,

THOMAS FORRESTER TO

Newport, December 30th, [1778.] Sir, THIS is the fourth Letter and I have rec'd no answer from you. I cannot think they have come to hand, for if they had you would in Justice to me and your self as you are a Gentleman granted my request at this time. Sir you know that the times is very hard. Sir I beg you would send one 100 Dollars in Silver or an order upon sum Gentleman that you think will answer the purpose for I should have come before now if I had the sum only requested of you Sir for my Family is large and must suffer unavoidably unless you relieve me. I must conclude beging you will grant my request. your Sincere Friend,

THOS. FORRESTER

JOSEPH ANTHONY TO AARON LOPEZ1

Exeter Township, [Penn.,] 27th January, 1779.

My very Dear and Worthy Sir,

By a letter of the 21th from our mutual Friend Mr. Hewes, I have the pleasure to hear you are well, and safe arriv'd at Philadelphia; but that pleasure wo'd have been greatly increas'd if I had been so fortunate as to have met with you when I was down. my Anxiety for the distress'd Inhabitants of Newport is great; and whenever I hear of (any) person from that quarter, I am very desirous of seeing them, more especially Mr. Lopez, whom I know to be very intilegeble, and tho no doubt the account would be distressing yet one is fond of knowing the particulars. you have Leasure I would thank you for a few lines, and if you could agree to take this rout home, and spend a day or two here, it would give us inexpresable pleasure. I hope you left Mrs. Lopez and famaly well, and that they are in secure quarters, in a land of peace and plenty; How is that

1 The original is in the Newport Historical Society.

if