Boston, March 15, 1777. DEAR SIR, The Merchant, the Trader, the Farmer, the Mechanic, and every denomination of men seem at present to be governed by self interest without any regard to their neighbors; the merchants store their rum, sugar, molasses, and cotton, with a view to sell it to the neighboring states, for a greater price than set by the regulating Act, the farmers keep their hay, fat cattle and sheep, in their barns, their poultry at the door, their butter and cheese in the cellar, their wood standing; so that there is little or nothing brought to market; the people in this town have been freezing for want of wood, and starving for want of provisions. I never saw Boston so distressed for the necessities of life, as at this time. The House have recommitted the Regulating Bill for some alterations, the General Court cannot repeal the Act, without rendering the Legislative power of no effect. The men ordered to Tyconderoga cannot march for want of arms and blankets; committees are chosen to provide every town in this State, to collect the blankets each town was ordered to furnish. The Committee of War has secured twelve hundred yards of Blanketing which was taken in a prize, which will be some help. The face of public affairs appears with a promising aspect. You have no doubt had an account of Gen'l Washington's killing and taking five hundred of the enemy lately; and deserters are daily flocking over to us. The province of Maine and town of Falmouth in particular are highly applauded by the General Court for being foremost of any part of this State in furnishing their quota of men for the army. The selectmen of Brunswick, and Thompson, have been heard on the floor, and he is allowed a seat in the House; it is not in my power to give you the particulars, as I was confined to my lodgings for two or three days by an inflammation in my foot; during which time his trial came on, for which I was exceedingly sorry. Thompson despairing of being chosen next year to represent Brunswick, has petitioned the Court that Harpswell may be annexed to it, hoping by that means to make his calling and election sure; but I shall do every thing in my power to prevent it. There has been great preparation making at Providence for an expedition to Rhode Island; which was to have taken place yesterday morning, but I am afraid it may not be carried into execution; I really wish it may. There is a French Ship arrived from France at Portsmouth, with twelve thousand stand of arms, lacking fifteen; and one thousand pounds of powder. The rest of her cargo consists of bale goods. She brings an account of a fifty-gun ship which was to sail a few days after, with fifty pieces of brass cannon, and other warlike stores, for this port. This seems to look like a prelude to a French war with England, She also says there are between thirty and forty sail of French ships ready to sail for America, with bale goods and warlike stores. I saw Gen'l Sullivan who commanded the party in the last engagement, who told me there was 504 of the enemy, killed, wounded and taken; he also told me that one officer with 39 men lay concealed, and that a Highland officer stepped upon a log and that they all fired at him and shot forty balls through his body. He also said a private of our party, ran up to a regular officer who was wounded, and the officer begged of him to take care of him, and put in the soldier's hand ten guineas and a gold watch, which he had no sooner done, than a party of the enemy hove in sight, on which the soldier made off with his prize. The General Court are cheerfully employed in devising means to fill up the Continental Army and equip them which I hope will not be long. My compliments to all friends. I am your ready friend, and Humble Servt. Col. JOHN WAITE, Jr. JEDIDIAH PREBLE. Falmouth, Mass. Boston, May 29, 1777. DEAR SIR,-I was at your house, the afternoon before I set out for this place, but I was so unfortunate as not to have the pleasure of seeing you, and knowing if you had any commands to Boston: As you were from home, I could not procure the precept and return of the members chosen to represent the town of Falmouth in the Great and General Court the ensuing year; for want of which we are unqualified for a seat in the House. I need not tell you it is absolutely necessary to forward said precepts as soon as possible. By accounts received from different quarters, I believe there is but little danger of our maintaining our independency. It seems probable the German powers will furnish very few, or no more troops for Great Britain; and that Carleton is to retain no more troops in Canada, than just to garrison the Fort; and send the rest to Gen'l Howe's assistance. I have sent by Ebenezer,* the Connecticut Paper in which there is some agreeable news, and refer you to that for particulars. Pray write me by the first opportunity how affairs stand in Falmouth. My compliments to all friends. I am with due Respect," To Coll. JOHN WAITE, * His son Ebenezer. JEDIDIAH PREBLE. Boston, June, 1777. DEAR SIR,-I received your favor of the 25th ult. on which day I set out for Boston. I went to town on the Thursday before I set out on my journey, inquired if you were at home. I was answered in the negative. I again went to town the next day, on purpose to see you, and was told by your good lady, you were gone to Sacarappa. I leave it to you to judge whether I had not as much reason to expect you would condescend to call at my house, as you passed by the door, which you knew was always open to Col. Waite, as you had to expect you should have seen me on Saturday before I set out. I was sorry I had not the Precept, as I had no right to a seat in the House, until the precept was returned, however by the indulgence of the Hon. House, and the large acquaintance I have with some of the members, on ascertaining I was legally chosen by a majority of my town, it passed for evidence, and I was admitted to keep my seat. I was this morning informed that advice was lately received from Mr. Franklin, that every application made to other powers, had succeeded beyond his expectation, and equal to his most sanguine wishes. I saw a young man that left Head-Quarters yesterday, who told me Gen'l Washington had sixteen thousand seven hundred men with him, and that there were three thousand more on their march to Philadelphia to join our Army. From all the accounts I have been able to collect, it appears to me that the situation of our public affairs appears at this time more encouraging than ever they have been since the contest between Great Britain and America commenced. Dr. Matthew Byles was last Monday tried by a Special Court, brought in guilty by the jury of unfriendliness to the State, and ordered to be delivered to the Committee or Board of War, to be sent on board the Guard Ship. He was guarded by three constables to the Board of War; he told them if they ordered him on board that ship it would be present death to him; they took compassion on him and confined him to his own house, under the care of a sentry. Ira Thompson is here, and has prepared a petition to the Court, praying that Parsontown may not be incorporated. He has charged the proprietors with voting him out of his living; which I look on as a very great reflection. It has not yet been considered. I should have written more fully, but Capt. Buller is waiting, by whom this comes; I am, after my compliments to all Friends, Your Humble Servt. To Col. JOHN Waite, Falmouth, Mass. JEDIDIAH PREBLE. June 20, 1777. DEAR SIR, AS the House has been pleased to expel me,* for what reason I am not able to judge, I had liberty before I left my seat to ask the favor of the House to send out a precept to the town of Falmouth, for the choice of a representative in my room. I am far from pretending to dictate to the town of Falmouth in their choice of a member to represent them in the General Court, however as the House is very much attached to Mr. Freeman, I would only beg leave to recommend him as a gentleman that would give universal satisfaction to the General Court. We hear Commodore Manly has taken three prizes since the brig he sent into this harbor. There seems to be little or no action in the several Departments of our Army; I think our military affairs cannot long remain in this situation. By advice from Ty. this morning we learn our men there are in high spirits, and in great good health, but that they expected an attack very soon. Pray let me have the opportunity to acknowledge the favor of a few lines from you which will be (after my compliments to all friends) very agreeable to your ready friend and To Col. JOHN WAITE, Falmouth. Humble Servt. JEDIDIAH PREBLE. Boston, June 30, 1777. DEAR SIR, The Council had this day, a letter from Gen'l Spencer, in which he informs us that he had read an account from one Capt. Buckley, who was on board a prison ship in New-York; that on Sunday last, viz. the 22d inst. he heard a very heavy firing of cannon for several hours, and although he could not hear the small arms, it being between Brunswick and Amboy, yet he could plainly see large volumes of smoke rise when no cannon were fired, and he saw three flat bottomed boats pass by the ship he was in, laden with wounded men, but the particulars he had not learnt. A young fellow was also before the Council, who came from New-York last Tuesday, who told the same story, with the addition that he saw several carts pass by the prison he was in, laden with wounded men. We have also certain intelligence, that Gen'l Howe has retreated from where he advanced, which was about eight miles, and was actually embarked on board the transports, and that Gen'l Lee was sent on board a man-of-war; it is * On the 20th June, 1777, he was elected a Councillor for the Province of Maine, in place of Mr. Chauncy resigned. The vote of the House was 98, and by the Board 10; total, 108. Of these he received 101 votes, as appears in his private journal. very difficult to conjecture which way he proposed to move. It is thought by some, his design is up the North River to endeavor to join Burgoyne, who it is apprehended designs to pass the lake and attack Tyconderoga. While I was writing this, several letters came to the Board, with favorable accounts which I am not at liberty to communicate, the Council being enjoined to secresy. I this morning saw a gentleman at my lodging, who told me a young man came into Ty. from Canada, who pretended he had been a piper there, and had liberty to return; he was suspected to be a spy, and when he got to Albany Gen'l Schuyler told him he certainly was a spy, and he would immediately treat him as such, and ordered preparations to be made for his execution, telling the fellow to prepare for death, for that he had but one half hour to live. The man was greatly intimidated, and told the Gen'l if he would save his life, he would tell him all he knew. He then told them he had a canteen with two tops to it, between which there were two letters, one for Gen'l Howe, the other, I think was for the Admiral; they were found there and forwarded to Gen'l Washington, the contents not made public. Immediately on the receipt of those letters, the General took up all the vessels and boats in North River, and ordered three Brigades to march for Peekskill, and a camp to be formed on White Plains. It is thought by many, by the late movements, that Howe's design is to proceed up the North River, and Burgoyne to come over the lake to join him, others think he designs for some of the New England States; I believe he has done with the thoughts of going to Philadelphia. There is a large committee of both Houses sitting every day to consider what mode of government will be the most proper to adopt, and when said committee have agreed on one, to report to the Convention which consists of the members of both Houses; and if the Convention accept their report, then that form of Government is to be sent to the several towns in this State for their acceptance. My compliments to all friends. I am Sir, your ready friend and Humble Servt. To Coll. JOHN WAITE, Esq. Falmouth, JEDIDIAH PREBLE. Boston, July 1, 1777. DEAR SIR,-The scandalous retreat of Gen'l St. Clair from Tyconderago, is matter of great speculation. I have seen two letters from him; and if he can give no better satisfaction to the public than is contained in them, he deserves the severest punishment in the power of authority to inflict. We have had intelligence that part of our |