Naval Documents of The American Revolution Volume 4 AMERICAN THEATRE: Feb. 19, 1776–Apr. 17, 1776 EUROPEAN THEATRE: Feb. 1, 1776–May 25, 1776 AMERICAN THEATRE: Apr. 18, 1776–May 8, 1776 Part 7 of 7 United States Government Printing Office Washington, 1969 Electronically published by American Naval Records Society Bolton Landing, New York 2012 AS A WORK OF THE UNITED STATES FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THIS PUBLICATION IS IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN. MAY 1776 1413 5 May (Sunday) JOURNAL OF H.M. SLOOPHunter, CAPTAINTHOMAS MACKENZIE May 1776 ' Remarks &c in Quebec 1776 Sunday 5 at 5 A M Arrived here his Majestys Sloop surprize at 8 the surprise & Sloop Martin with part of the 29th regt landed with their Marines Light Breezes & fair Sally'd out & drove the rebels off took at different places several pieces of Cannon some Howitzers & a Quantity of Ammunition 1. PRO, Admiralty 511466. JOURNALOF H.M.S. Surprize, CAPTAINROBERT LINZEE May 1776 Runing up the River [St. Lawrence] - Sunday 5. at 4 AM. Weigh'd and came to sail, at 9 Got the Top Chains up, and Slung the yards the Island of Coudre NEBE, & Cape Tor- ment SW1/2W. off Shore 1% Mile. At 10 Came too with the Best Bower in 11 fms. of Water, Veer'd to 1/2 a Cable. at 11 Employ'd racking the Lanyards of the Shrouds, and getting every thing ready for Action. Most part little Wind and Cloudy, Remainder Modre and hazey, at 2 [P.M.] Weigh'd and came to sail, Set Studding sails, nock'd down the Bulk Heads of the Cabbin at 8 PM Came too with the Best Bower in 13 £ms Veer'd to % of a Cable fir'd 19 Guns Signals for the Garrison of Quebec. 1. PRO, Admiralty 511336. GEORGEWASHINGTON TO JOHN HANCOCK [Extract] New York May 5. 1776 ~y'aletter from Genl Schuyler of the 27 ult I find Genl William] Thompson & his Brigade were at Albany, - General Sullivan with the last, except three or four Companies of Col [Anthony] Wayn's Regiment not yet come, is embarked & gone, and probably will be soon there - I am apprehen- sive from General Schuylers account, they will not proceed with the wished for expedition, owing to a difficulty in getting Teams & provender for Cattle necessary to carry their Baggage, & a scarcity of Batteaus at the Lakes for so large a number, tho he is taking the utmost pains to procure 'em - Shou'd they be stopped for any time, It will be exceedingly unfortunate, as their going from hence has weakened us here much, & our Army in Canada will not be strengthen'd. I have sent with the last Brigade Sixty Barrells of Powder & other Stores & Intrenching Tools, a Supply being asked for; also the Chain for a Boom at the Narrows of Richelieu, & the three Boxes of Money brought by Mr Hanson, & have wrote Genl Schuyler to have the Boom fixed as soon as possible - The Commissary too has forwarded about 1414 AMERICAN THEATRE Eight Hundred Barrells of Pork & is in expectation of a further quantity from Connecticut, which will go on without stopping here. As the Magazine from whence the Northern and Eastern Armies will occasionally receive supplies of powder, will probably be here, and our Stock is low and inconsiderable being much reduced by the Sixty Barrels sent to Canada, I shall be glad to have a quantity immediately forwarded - Our Stores shou'd be great, for If the Enemy [shou'd] make an Attack upon the Town or attempt to goe up the North River, the expenditure will be very considerable - Money too is much wanted, the Regiments that are paid have only received to the first of April, except those of Pensylvania & Jersey which are gone to Canada; they are paid to the last of April. By a Letter from Genl [Artemas] Ward I find his Chest is just exhaustd, the money which was left there with him for the payment of the Five Regiments at Bos- ton & Beverley being almost expended by large drafts in favor of the Com- missary & Quarter Master, and in fitting out the Armed Vessells - 1. Papers CC (Letters from George Washington), 152, I, 63941, NA. --TO RICHARDHENRY LEE I [Extract] [Philadelphia] 5th May 1776 . le commerces 91r l'e'conomie, are the cry, down from the King [French] to the lowest Minister, from these considerations I am myself con- vinced, that They will immediately and Essentially assist us; if independence is declared - But allowing that there can be no certainty, but mere bare chances in our favor, I do insist upon it, that these chances render it your duty to adopt the measure; as by Procrastination our Ruin is inevita- ble; shou'd it now be determined to wait the result of a previous formal ne- gociation with France a whole Year must pass over our heads before We can be acquainted with the result - In the mean time we are to struggle through a Campaign without Arms, Ammunition or any one necessary of War - disgrace and defeat will infallably ensue, the Soldeirs, and officers will become so dispirited, that They will abandon their Colours, and probably never be persuaded to make another Effort - But there is another considera- tion still more cogent. I can assure you, Sir, that the Spirit of the People (except a very few in these lower parts whose little blood has been suck'd out by Muskitoes) cry out for this declaration, the Military in particular; Men and Officers, are outragdous on the Subject - and a Man of your excel- lent discernment need not be told how daingerous it would be in our pres- ent circumstances to dally with the Spirit, or disappoint the expectations of the bulk of the people - May not despair, anarchy, and finally submission be the bitter fruits? I am persuaded firmly, that They will - and in this per- suasion I most devoutly pray, that you may not merely recommend, but posi- tively lay injunctions on your servants in Congress to embrace a measure so necessary to Salvation - God Almighty, bless You, Sir, and make your coun- MAY 1776 1415 sels whatever they may be, as beneficial to your Country as your capacity to serve it, is undoubted. (COPY) 1. Lee Papers, UVL. [Philadelphia] May 5th . this afternoon arrived the Brigg Lexington from her Cruise of weeks she having carried away her foremast in being chasd by 2 Kings Ships for 8 hours who were covey to fleet of soldiers who were bound was uncertain, Upon this Loss he prudently returned passd the men of war at ' our capes who fired one gun at him which he returned as he passed her. 1. Diary of Christopher Marshall, HSP. 2. From the pension application of Coe Hendrick: "he was a seaman on board the brig Lexington [sic Wild Duck], coming from Eustatia, which was chased into Philadelphia by a British privateer and was then I~oughtby the U.S. and put under command of Capt. Barry of the Navy, to take said privateer, and Hendrick volunteered to go with her. They were out about a fortnight and took the privateer off the Capes of Philadelphia. Never received a discharge in writing." Donald Lines Jacobson, ed., History and Genealogy of the Families of Old Fairfield (New Haven, 1930-1933) 111, 146. Boston Gazette, MONDAY,MAY 20, 1776 Philadelphia, Sunday Evening May 5. This day arrived by land from Cape May, (where his sloop is arrived safe in Five weeks from France with 26000 lb. gun powder, 25 tons Salt-Pe- tre and 40 arms) Capt. [John] Young, of New York, who has brought an Irish paper of the second of March, by which we learn that Admiral Greaves had got home, with an account of the defeat of Gen. Montgomery at Quebec. Capt. Young says that there are to be 50 or 60 additional ships to be sent out; but by the papers they are likely to be badly manned. It is supposed Col. [Ethan] Allen and the prisoners with him, are coming again to America. We have three large ships within our Capes, said to be of 44, 36 and 20 guns, besides 7 smaller, being tenders and prizes. A Virginia pilot boat with six tons of powder is safe arrived in Indian river. A schooner with goods for Hispaniola, and a pilot boat with dry goods from St. Croix, are both run ashore to escape the tenders, but their cargoes are saved. [Roebuck, Delaware Bay, Sunday] 5th May. As I now began to grow short of water, and had lighten'd the Ship to as easy a draught of water as I could, which was abt 18 F61 I took the Liverpool with me & sailed up the River in order to fill my empty Casks, and recon- noitre the enemys force of the River. 1. Hamond, No. 4, UVL. 1416 AMERICAN THEATRE Gentlemen, Lewistown, 'M~Ythe 5th, 1776. On yesterday one of the British Pirates with two tenders stood out to sea, and took a schooner and sent in here, this morning with her two tenders, at 10 o'clock this morning the Roebuck and the other ship with the two tenders and Prize Schooner, all got under sail with the wind at E.S.E., and went out of the Road and are makeing up the Bay, they have got the Sloop, tender, Dawson's Boat and Prize Schooner all ahead of them, with intent I beleave to sound the Channel, the wind is fresh, therefore the whale boat from here can be of no use.