George Washington Papers

Enclosure: Inventory of British Stores Left in Boston, 20 March 1776

Enclosure

Inventory of British Stores Left in Boston

Boston March 20. 1776

Inventory of Stores belonging to the King & left in Boston, taken the 18 & 19 March 1776 by Order of Thomas Mifflin Esqr. Quarter Master Genl of the Continental Army.

A Brigantine about 120 Tons burthen loaded with Oyl & pearl; A Schooner abt 80 Tons, scutled with 200 Hogsheads of Salt on board; 150 Do in a Store; 100 Bundles of Iron Hoops.

Long Wharf: 157 Pack Saddles; 123 Water Casks; A Brigantine Scuttled about 140 Tons; A Sloop Do—70 Do; A Schooner Do—40 Do; 1000 Chaldron of Sea Coal; 52 Iron Grates; Genl Gages Chariot, taken out of the Dock, broke; a Quantity of Cordage & Old Cable—Do; 5 Anchors.

Greens Wharff: About 200 Blanketts; 4⅔ Jarrs (large) of Sweet Oyl. Hatchs Wharff: 3 Cannon double charged & Spiked.

Hancocks Wharff: a new Ship about 300 Tons Scuttled; a Schooner—70 Do—Do; About 1000 Bushels Salt; 3000 Blankets; 30 Water Casks.

Tudors Wharff: A Ship about—350 Tons Do Do.

Dummets: 5000 Bushels Wheat in Store; A Sloop about—60 Do Do; A fishing Boat.

Webbs Wharf: A Sloop about 60 Tons, Scuttled.

Fullers Do: About 500 Bushels of Salt.

Fitch’s Do: A Schooner—70 Tons Scu[tt]ld.

B[arrack] M[aster] Genls Office: About 1000 Bushels Sea Coal & one Clock—Also Lumber; About 150 Hogsheads Lime; 4 BB [barrels] flour; 100 Empty Iron Bound Casks, carried to Fort Hill by Genl Putnams order; 10. 24 [lb.] Cannon Cartridges.

Tilestons Wharf: 300 Hogsheads Salt; 3 Brigantines. 1: 150 Tons, 1: 120 Do, & 1: 130 Tons; The Brigg Washington commd by Captn Martindale with all her Guns in the Dock;1 1 & ½ Hogsheads Sugar; A Quantity of picketts, fascines & Gabions in Store; about 5000 feet of Boards.

Griffins Do: A Number of Iron Grates.

Hubbards Do: about 1500 Ruggs & Blanketts; 50 Water Casks Iron bound carried to Fort Hill by Genl Putnams Order; 1 Cask Deck Nails; about 200 Cord Wood; about 200 Chaldron Sea Coal.

South Batt[er]y or Laboratory: 52 p[iece]s Cannon Trunnions broke off & Spiked; 600 feet Boards; about 30 Iron bound Casks, carried to Fort Hill by Order of Genl Putnam; A Number of Ball & Empty Shells; A Brigantine 120 Tons. A Schooner 60 Do.

Wheel Wrights Wharff: 14 Anchors; 3½ Hogsheads Brimstone; 300 Hogsheads Salt; A Quantity of Log wood; 3 Hogsheads Sea Coal; 1: 13 Inch Mortar with an Iron Bed; A Number of Shells, Careasses & Cannon Shot in the Dock.

Halls Wharff & in his possession: 600 Bushells of Corn & Oats; 100 Sacks Bran; 8 Hogsheads Molasses; 100 Empty Iron bound Casks; 2 Schooners about 60 Tons each; 1 Sloop abt—40 Do; 10 Horses, Teams & Harness.

Hutchinsons Wharff: A new Ship about 350 Tons Scuttled; 2 Briggs 120 Do each Do; 2 Sloops Do—60 each—Do.

Winisemet: A new Ship buildg thrown off the Stocks—200 Ton Donation; about 100 Bushells Salt Store pulled down.

Pecks Wharff: about 100 Hogsheads Essence of Spruce; 10 Hogds Beef; 6 Do molasses not quite full; 5 Barrals—Do; A Sloop about 50 Tons, ⅔ full of molasses.

At Mr Lovells: Genl Gages Coach, A Phaeton & Harness Compleat; 20 Iron potts & Kettles.

Joys Yard: A parcel of Lumber, Tools & Joists.

Hills Bake House: 20 Barrells flour.

North & South mills: 10,000 Bushells of Wheat & Flour not bolted; 1500 Do. Bran.

Kings Brewery: 13 Empty Iron bound Butts; 14 Hogsheads Spruce Beer; 2 Iron Teirced Trucks.

Town Granary: 1000 Bushells Beans; 100 Do—Horse Beans.

Vincents Stable: 10 Ton Hay.

Lous Lumber Yard: 50,000 Shingles; 35,000 feet Boards; 1000 Clap Boards; 20 Hand Barrows.

Henderson Inches Store near Beacon Hill: About 6 Ton Hay.

Stable at the Roap Walks: About 10 Ton Hay; 110 Horses by return this day.

Jno. G. Frazer, D. Q. M. Gl

D, in Robert Hanson Harrison’s writing, DNA:PCC, item 152. ADS, DLC:GW. copy, DNA:PCC, item 169. See also Return of British Ordnance Stores Left in Boston, 22 Mar., printed as an enclosure to GW to Hancock, 27 Mar. 1776.

Several of the wharves mentioned in this document can be found on the map of Boston in Cappon, Atlas of Early American History description begins Lester J. Cappon et al., eds. Atlas of Early American History: The Revolutionary Era, 1760–1790. Princeton, N.J., 1976. description ends , 9. The south battery was at the foot of Fort Hill, and the north and south water mills were on opposite sides of the mill pond in north Boston. The town granary was near the common.

1The armed brigantine Washington was captured on 4 Dec. 1775, and Capt. Sion Martindale and his crew were subsequently sent as prisoners to England. See GW to Hancock, 14, 31 Dec. 1775.

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