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COL. BULL TO COL. LAURENS. (Original MS.) HEAD QUARTERS, SAVANNAH, March 15, 1776. To Col. Henry Laurens, President of the Council of Safety in Charlestown: Sir: I wrote you yesterday by the post, in which I told you I should be able to get the matter of the ships settled to my satisfaction and not many hours after my letter was gone, the Council of Safety sent an order directed to me, as Commander-in-Chief in this Province, desiring I would immediately have the vessels unrigged and their rudders unhung, a work I was determined to do ere I left this place, agreeably to the orders given me by the Congress in Charlestown; but as our Congress depended in some measure on my conducting matters properly, I had before given it as my opinion in the Council of Safety that it would have a much greater appearance of unanimity in the Colonies, and that Georgia was not so backward as was heretofore suspected, if they would make it an act of their own, and as the tories had yesterday said the Carolinians had taken possession of Savannah, and meant never to give it up again, I thought it would bear that complexion, and it struck the Council of Safety in the same light, on which they resolved that Lieut. Col. Stirk, with a party of about forty men of their own militia should do the work, only requesting that I would be ready to support them, if necessary, and I accordingly had a sufficient number of men for that purpose, having now under my command four hundred and forty-two, who would have turned out at a minute' warning; yet I did not suffer any of my men to appear with arms or seemingly to know any thing of the matter, but ordered them to keep close to their quarters, which were but a few yards distance from the shipping; however, I have the pleasure of acquainting you, there was no opposition, but an application was made to spare the unhanging of the rudder of the ship Georgia Planter, Inglis, alledging it was so lashed under water that it could not be done. Major Joseph Habersham also applied to have the rudder of his vessel spared, and would have given surety for her not departing the Province, on which the President of the Council of Safety waited on me and mentioned both circumstances; to the first I replied the rudder might be very soon rendered useless by the help of an axe, cutting it off near the water; as to Mr. Habersham's vessel I thought they could not with any degree of propriety grant his request, as it would wear the highest appearance of partiality, and would be absolutely repugnant to their own resolution which was without exception an order for which I was then possessed of; however, the officer and men came down, and I sent Messrs. Black and Laurens, two ship carpenters, first making them put off their uniform and get common clothing, and mixed with the people to see that the work was properly executed. They are now at work, several vessels are unrigged and the rudders unhung, and by to-morrow night shall have finished the rest I hope. A packet arrived from England two days ago at Cockspur, after a short passage and all the letters that they did not suspect came to friends of liberty were allowed to be brought up by Mr. Thomas Young (a half tory as he is usually denominated) as also an Act of Parliament repealing the Boston Port Bill and an Act to include New York, North Carolina and Georgia, in the restraining Bill, also the King's Proclamation, dated 22d December last, declaring that all vessels cleared out after the 1st January last, and taken by any of the King's ships shall be deemed lawful prizes and is so particular as to point out the shares from the Admiral to the swabber. I have seen a letter from a capital merchant in London to Mr. George Houston of this town, inclosing a contract which he had made with the contractors of the Victualling Office, to supply all his Majesty's ships that may be stationed or rendezvous here, and that he should also supply the agents of the Northern department with such provisions as could be purchased cheaper here than there, and from the tenor of the letter, apprehend a number of men-of-war may be expected; for further particulars, I refer you to the Council of Safety, who will send you copies of all the letters of any consequence together with the Act of Parliament and Proclamation. I shall return home as soon as I have completed the business sent on, if nothing material occurs. I herewith inclose you two papers of intelligence and a general return. I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient servt., STEPH'N. BULL. (From Documentary History of the American Revolution, by Gibbes, Volume 1, p. 269-271 ) Doc ID: Gibbes, v. 1, p. 269 Date: 5/15/1776 |
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