Naval Documents of The American Revolution, Volume 1 ... - Ibiblio

1190 AMERICAN THEATRE
[Extract] Boston August 20 1775
It may perhaps be asked in England - what [is] the Admiral [Samuel Graves]
doing? I wish I was able to answer that question satisfactorily. But I can only
say what he is not doing.
That He is not supplying the troops with sheep & oxen the dinners of the
best of us bear [melager testimony - the want of broth in the Hospitals bears a
more melancholy one.
He is not defending his own flocks & herds, for the enemy has repeatedly
and in the most insulting manner, plundered his own appropriated islands.
He is not defending the other islands in the harbour; for the enemy landed
in force, burned the lighthouse at noon day, & killed & took a party of marines
almost under the guns of two or three men of war.
He is not employing his ships to keep up communication & intelligence
with the servants & friends of Government at different parts of the Continent,
for I do not beleive Genl [Thomas] Gage has received a letter from any correspondent
out of Boston these six weeks.
He is surely intent upon greater objects you will think - supporting in material
points the dignity & terror of the British flag - & where a number of boats
have been built for the rebels, privateers fitted out, prices carried in, the King's
armed vessels sunk, the crews made prisoners, the officers killed - He is doubtless
enforcing instant restitution & reparation by the voice of his Cannon, and
laying the towns in ashes which refuse his terms - Alass! He is not - The
British thunder [is] diverted or controlled by pitiful attentions & quaker-like
scruples; & under such influence Insult [and] Impunity, like Righteousness &
peace, have kissed each other.
I should have hesitated in giving an account that may appear invidious,
had not the facts been too notorious to expose me to that censure, & my feelings
in this great cause too sensible to observe them without some impatience.
1. Germain Papers, CL.
[Extract] Boston August 20th 1775
(No 36)
My Lord, Two Gentlemen crossing a Ferry at Rhode Island in their way from
Philadelphia to those parts of the Country were stopped by Captain [James]
Ayscough of His Majesty's Ship Swan, who found several Letters in their Possession,
and some of them of Consequence. They are all transmitted to Admiral
[Samuel] Graves who has kept the Originals, and has only give me Copys of
three of them which I inclose your Lordship. Two of them appear to have been
written by Mr John Adams a Lawyer and a Delegate from this Province to the
Continental Congress; one directed to his Wife Signed with the Initials of his
Name J: A : The other in the same hand writing but Anonimous, directed to