1To Benjamin Franklin from William Hodgson, 23 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and copy: American Philosophical Society The redress of some grievances under which the American Prisoners at Forton laboured, called me this morning to the office of the Commissioners for Sick & Hurt. During the Time of our Subscription I have had frequent occasion to attend them & in the main have found them Men disposed to act as fairly & openly as cou’d well be expected & I cannot but...
2To Benjamin Franklin from William Hodgson, 28 January 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I did myself the pleasure to write you on the 23d of Novem under Cover to mons Grande, which I fear much did not come to your hands, otherwise I presume you wou’d have done me the favor of a Reply— I have subjoined a Copy of that Letter, & nothing att all having been done nor a Syllable passed betwixt Mr Hartley & the board of Sick & Hurt from that Time to...
3To Benjamin Franklin from William Hodgson, 10 March 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have to acknowledge the reception of your Letters of the 14 & 26 Ultimo, & also one from Mr Grand with bill enclosed £100 to be applied to the relief of such prisoners as may be in the greatest distress— The Inclosures by the same conveyance were forwarded— I am very glad you have taken Notice of Mr Wren, his Zeal his Activity & Diligence are great beyond...
4To Benjamin Franklin from William Hodgson, 28 March 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I wrote you on the 10th Current to which I beg to be referred— Since when I am much concerned to find that the Cartel Vessell is returned from Morlaix without a single prisoner in Exchange— I heard this from Plymo & have since been desired to go to the Sick & Hurt office who confirmed the Acc’t. They appear to be very much disgusted at the proceeding & say...
5To Benjamin Franklin from William Hodgson, 12 May 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I reced in course your favor of the 11th Ultimo, the Substance of which I communicated immediately to the Board of Sick & Hurt, but as what may hereafter be determined upon depends in a great measure upon the French Minister, the Board were of Opinion it wou’d be better to wait those further explanations (which you promised to send to Mr Hartley per first...
6To Benjamin Franklin from William Hodgson, 4 August 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I recd your favor of the 19th June with the sundry inclosures & immediately upon recept thereof I waited upon the Commissioners of Sick & Hurt & laid before them the Substance of yours to me. I found no Impression was to be made upon them as to the mode of exchanging for French in lieu of those in Holland but they seemed to come into an Idea I suggested of...
7To Benjamin Franklin from William Hodgson, 11 August 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I wrote you on the 4th Instant in which I stated the actual Situation of the Negotiation for the further exchange of your people & referred you to the Copy of a Memorial I had drawn & sent to the Comrs. of Sick & Hurt on the Subject. Since then I had a Message from the Board of Sick & Hurt desiring to see me, I waited upon them accordingly & they shewed me...
8To Benjamin Franklin from William Hodgson, 20 September 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society ’Twas only a day or two ago, that your Letter of the 25th Ultimo was delivered me. I have since been with the Commissioners of Sick & Hurt, who admit to have recd the Men whom your Certificates specify— Your Accot Stands as under America Dr. [Debtor] to Prisoners sent to Morlaix 119 Cr. [Creditor] by Prisoners and from L’Orient & Morlaix 67 due to England...
9To Benjamin Franklin from William Hodgson, 4 December 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I rec’d your favor of the 24th Octr with the accot of Prisoners Released which I laid before the Board of Sick & Hurt & they are allowed in Acc’t, there remains due from you 41 Prisoners to make up the Number of the last Cartel, & untill that Debt is paid it is in Vain to expect any more exchanges. Inclosed you have an Acc’t of the expenditure of the one...
10To Benjamin Franklin from William Hodgson, 9 January 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I am favored with yours of the 18th past with advice that you intended the succeeding post to lodge £150 to be applied to the Releif of the American prisoners in the distribution of which you may rely on my care & attention, I have in consequence recd a Letter from Monsieur Grand informing me “that il tenait á [ma] disposition cent cinquante Livres...
11To Benjamin Franklin from William Hodgson, 20 March 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I just receivd yours of the 8th which surprises me not a little, as by the Letter inclosed I perceive the person to whom that Letter is addressed has deceived you most egregiously— he has not sr. advanced one Shilling that has come to my knowledge, he had indeed wrote both to Portsmo & Plymo to order a distribution of 16 p. per week to the prisoners I was...
12To Benjamin Franklin from William Hodgson, 12 April 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I duly rec’d your favor of the 1st instant & am equally shock’d with you at the consummate Artifice & Villainy of Digges. A Man that coud deliberately sit down to write such a Letter as that which you send me Copy of, full of falshoods from beginning to end & all under the Hypocritical mask of Humanity & Benevolence, does indeed deserve to have a Devil made...
13To Benjamin Franklin from William Hodgson, 8 May 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I am favored with yours of the 25th ultimo with Copies of two Letters from D. also your Power. I see that D. takes no Notice of the receipt of your Letter of the 8th March which I forwarded him according to his own Direction— I wish there was any prospect of my being able to do any thing with this Man, but I fear all is forlorn hope as to what can be done...
14To Benjamin Franklin from William Hodgson, 29 June 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I did myself the pleasure to write you on the 8 May since when I am without any from you— I have had a Letter from Digges wherein he says that he intends to go to Passy to justify himself— but every day allmost produces fresh matter against him— I have a Letter from the Agent at Plymo Mr sawrey who complains that by Digges Order he furnished one Lambert a...
15To Benjamin Franklin from William Hodgson, 20 July 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I recd yours of the 8th Current in Answer to mine of the 29 June. I wrote you a prior Letter on the 8 May which you do not acknowledge pray let me know if it came to hand— As yet I have not heard from Mr Grand— Upon receipt of yours I immediately waited upon the Board of Sick & Hurt who informed me they had just dispatched an order to Edinburg for the...
16To Benjamin Franklin from William Hodgson, 4 September 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I duly recd yours of the 8th August, I forgot in my foregoing to inform you that Mr Trumbull had been discharged, indeed I concluded you must have known it from himself as he has left this Country— he repaid me the £10. 10 I let him have. Immediately on receipt of yours I made it my business to find out Mess. Gouverneur & Curson, I went to new Prison to...
17To Benjamin Franklin from William Hodgson, 18 September 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I did myself the pleasure to write you on the 4th Currt to which I refer— Yesterday the Commissioners of Sick & Hurt sent to desire to see me, I waited on them & they wished me to write you to discharge from his Parole Major Cowley of the 22d Regt taken by the Black princess & carried into Cherburg & now on Parole at Vellona [Valognes], they offered to...
18To Benjamin Franklin from William Hodgson, 30 October 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I now remain without any reply to my Letters of the 4th & 18 Sepr, at which I am rather surprised, I find however that Major Cowley concerning whom I wrote has obtained his Parole by which it appears the Black Princess acted under a French Commission he being released as such— The Commissioners of Sick & Hurt sent for me a few days ago & informed, that they...
19To Benjamin Franklin from William Hodgson, 21 December 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I duly reced your favor of the 19th Ultimo with the sundry inclosures for which I return you my best thanks, Mr. Grand has remitted me £400..15. on your Acco’t for the use of the Prisoners, I have acquainted Mr Vaughan with your directions concerning the supplying of Mr Laurens, he has been acquainted therewith, but hitherto no application has been made to...
20To Benjamin Franklin from William Hodgson, 15 January 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I wrote you fully on the 20th Ultimo since when I am not favored with any of yours, a duplicate of your former Letter I rec’d per Mr. A—— who I am sorry to learn has been arrested & is now in Confinement at the suit of Messr. W. & Co— Mr Laurens has been enlarged, but not discharged, having given Bail & entered into recognizance, to appear on a future day,...
21To Benjamin Franklin from William Hodgson, 22 February 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I wrote you on the 15th Ultimo to which I beg to be referred— Since I am favored with yours of the 7 Jany enclosing a Bill for £10.10 by a Mr Wyld—this Bill was not honoured but understanding the drawer lived in Chesshire I caused him to be informed that if he did not provide for the Payment some way or other I must cause him to be arrested, this has...
22To Benjamin Franklin from William Hodgson, 1 March 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I wrote you a few posts ago, I there mentioned that my funds were more than exhausted, & the demands continue. There is some hope of relief Mr Burke having obtained leave of the House to bring in a Bill for a general Exchange of Prisoners & there is some hope of Success, tho’ I must own I am not very sanguine in my expectations unless we have a Change of...
23To Benjamin Franklin from William Hodgson, [22 March 1782?] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I recd yesterday from Mr Grand your Remittance for £300 for the use of the Prisoners, this together with the former Remittance in Jany makes in all £460..10 s. recd this Year, from the Number of Prisoners which I have before informed you were about 1000 Men, you will easily judge that I was all the amount of this last remise in advance prior to my receiving...
24To Benjamin Franklin from William Hodgson: Two Letters, 9 April 1782 (Franklin Papers)
(I) and (II) ALS : American Philosophical Society Since my last on the 22 Ultimo I have rec’d your favor of the 31 March, inclosed I send you a Copy of the Memorial I had delivered to the Lords of the Admiralty prior to the reception of your Letter & also of the note I have rec’d from Ld shelburne relative to this Business— you may conclude it done, as soon as the official Forms can be got...
25To Benjamin Franklin from William Hodgson, 14 April 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I am still deprived of any of your favors, tho’ very anxious for your next Letters, having wrote you several, since the late happy Change, in the Administration of this Country. I now enclose you, the Sketch of an Agreement (if it meets yr Ideas) relative to the exchange, of the American prisoners, [ in the margin: in Agitation betwixt me & Mr Nepean under...
26To Benjamin Franklin from William Hodgson, 10 May 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have duly rec’d your sundry favors to the 27th Ultimo the exchange of Prisoners I hope will take place in the course of next week— The Transports I am told are ready & there remains nothing to be settled so that as soon as the necessary Forms of Office are gone thro’ I expect they will be sent away. Administration have at my request given directions to...
27To Benjamin Franklin from William Hodgson, 7 June 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have recd your favor of the 27th Ultimo & your preeceeding Letter with an Acc’t of a Bill you intended for me having been recd by a Namesake of mine for £200— I have rec’d the Money from him tho a good deal alarmed at first at the Circumstances. Administration have given Clothing at their expence to the amount of 20s each man indeed I cou’d not have that...
28To Benjamin Franklin from William Hodgson, 20 June 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society At the Instance of a very worthy Friend, I take the liberty of introducing to your Notice, Mr Robt. Milligan, of Cecil County in Maryland; a young Gentleman, I am assured, of great worth & Character, who has been for some years studying the Law in this Country, & now designs to visit Paris on his return to America. From this discription, I am confident, he...
29To Benjamin Franklin from William Hodgson, 13 July 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania Since my last in which I acquainted you with my having rec’d the £200 got by mistake into my namesakes hands in Aldersgate —&c—I have recd your esteemed favor of the 14th Ultimo— I made application immediately for the two Men on board the Conquistador & was promised that if there, they shou’d be discharged & sent in the next Cartel Vessell— The...
30To Benjamin Franklin from William Hodgson, 18 July 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania I have recd yours of the 18th, but not that per Mr Young, I immediately set about procuring you the necessary Information Relative to the Marquis de Fayette & inclosed you have an Acc’t of the Wine & Salt as per Catalogue for Sale which I hope will be fully Satisfactory— if any thing further I mean Oath & Notarial Certificate shou’d be necessary, please...