To John Jay from Horatio Gates, 29 January 1779
From Horatio Gates
Boston January 29th: 1779
Sir,
Since I had the Honour to write to Your Excellency upon the Instant,1 I have received the inclosed intelligence from General Bayley, and Colonel Bedel, Copies of which are also transmitted to General Washington.2 I am confident the Enemy’s Magazines of Provisions are exhausting very fast. Admiral Gambier, sent from New-York, to New London, in Three Vessels with Flags of Truce, 367 Prisoners; Admiral Byron sent 144 to General Sullivan from Rhode Island; Admiral Hughes, in a Cartel Ship just arrived at this port from Hallifax, sent 115; in all 626 Prisoners.3 For these, no other return have been made, than about one half the Crew of the Somerset Ship of War, the rest having enlisted in The Privateers of this, and the Neigbouring States.
General Heath acquaints me He has long ago made Application to Congress, respecting Ensign John Brown, under Sentence of Death, in the Jail of this City.4 I wish to receive their Commands in regard to this unhappy Convict.— I can say nothing as to the Merit or Demerit of the Man, as he was tried and Condemned, long before my Arrival here.— General Heath likewise informs me, that Ten Thousand Dollars in Hard Money have been paid into his Hands by The Paymaster of the Convention Troops, for the disposal of which he is desirous to receive Orders.—
I must again entreat the Honourable Congress to take the immediate Supply of Flower for the Magazines in this Department, into their most serious consideration.— The Inhabitants of this City, and the Surrounding Districts, are in great Want of it, insomuch that I have lately had a very Earnest application to lend Flower out of The Continental Magazine, to Supply the pressing wants of the poor; but if I had thought myself authorized to Comply with this request, the Magazine here was in too low a State to admit of it; I was therefore reluctantly Obliged to decline Granting the request of a Committee deputed to me in a Town Meeting which was called for that purpose.— If the Time between this, and the First of May, is not made the best use of to fill the Magazines in the Eastern Department with Flower, the Consequences may be fatal to our Cause.— I am, Sir, Your Excellency’s Most Obedt Servt:
Horatio Gates
His Excelly John Jay Esqr.
ALS, DNA: PCC, item 154, 2: 53–60 (EJ: 10920). Endorsed by Charles Thomson: “. . . (read Feby. 11th) referred to the Board of War.” Enclosures: Jacob Bayley to Horatio Gates, 2 Jan. 1779, and Timothy Bedel to Gates, 13 Jan. 1779. Bayley wrote from Newbury, Vermont, that Canada expected an imminent invasion by American forces. Bedel wrote from Haverhill, New Hampshire, complaining of shortages of ammunition and blankets and stating that an American invasion would be well received by Canadians. E, DNA: PCC, item 154, 2: 61–62 (EJ: 10921).
1. Date left blank in manuscript. Gates wrote JJ on 15 Jan. congratulating him on his election as president. DNA: PCC, item 154, 2: 45 (EJ: 10919); NHi: Gates Papers (EJ: 730).
2. Gates enclosed copies of the Bedel and Bayley reports in his letter to Washington, 26 Jan. 1779. Brigadier General Timothy Bedel (1737–87) of New Hampshire was then serving with the Vermont militia, and Jacob Bayley (1726–1815) was deputy quartermaster general. DLC: Washington Papers, series 4.
3. Vice Admiral John Byron (1723–86) succeeded Lord Richard Howe as commander of British naval forces in America in the summer of 1778. Rear Admiral James Gambier (1723–89) served as second in command to Howe and Byron. Admiral Sir Richard Hughes (1729?–1812) was the resident commissioner of the British navy at Halifax.
4. A general court-martial had sentenced Brown to die on 8 July 1778 for fraudulently accepting bounty payments. Heath began his correspondence with Congress about Brown in May 1778, when he forwarded petitions for clemency from Brown and his wife. Heath had also postponed Brown’s execution to permit filing of further petitions. On 20 July 1778 Congress appointed a committee to review Brown’s case; Brown was finally pardoned on 9 Mar. 1779. , 11: 690, 704; 12: 1053, 1174, 1184; 13: 296; DNA: PCC, item 157: 129, 140, 144, 170–73, 186, 213.