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...
2From Benjamin Franklin to William Hodgson, 20 January 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I am much obliged by your kind Letter, informing me of the good Disposition of the Commissioners for the Sick and wounded. I believe they would do in all things what is humane, just and honorable, but I have not so good an Opinion of the Lords of the Admiralty, from whom Mr. Hartley had never been able to obtain a Yes or a No on the plain Question whether the written...
3To 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...
4From Benjamin Franklin to William Hodgson, 14 February 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I have this Moment received your favour of Jany. 28. I had written to you the 20th. of the same Month, and enclosed a second passport for Morlaix. I hope to hear of its being come to hand, tho’ it was not when you wrote. I have written also lately to Mr. Hartly and Mr. Digges on the subject of our Prisoners.— I shall give Orders this Day for the sending away in the...
5From Benjamin Franklin to William Hodgson, 26 February 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I have just received your favour of the 11th. Instant. I am much oblig’d by your immediate Application to The Board of sick and hurt after the Receipt of mine of Jan. 20th. and Very glad to hear that another Cartel is soon to sail from Plymouth with 100 Americans. The English Prisoners to exchange for them, will be ready at morlaix.— And I am authoriz’d to repeat what...
6To 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...
7To 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...
8From Benjamin Franklin to William Hodgson, 11 April 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received your favours of the 10th. and 28th. of march. The Method you propose of managing the Money for the Prisoners is perfectly agreable to me. You desired in your last that I would explain how it happen’d that no Prisoners went back in the last Cartel. I did not till this Day well understand it myself; or I should have answer’d sooner. When our Little Squadron...
9To 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...
10From Benjamin Franklin to William Hodgson, 19 June 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Incomplete copy: Library of Congress I received your several favours of March 28. and may 12. I thank you for the Justice you did me at the sick and hurt Office, in the assurances you gave that it was not my Intention to deceive, nor my fault that an equal Number of Prisoners did not return with the Cartel. On my consenting to give up the 500 Prisoners we carried into Holland, I had the...
11To 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...
12To 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...
13From Benjamin Franklin to William Hodgson, 25 August 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I have received your Favour of the 11th. Instant. I have only time by this Oportunity to enclose and send you the Receipts of the Capt. of the Cartel, for some English Prisoners I have lately releas’d. There were a Number sent before, of which I can not find at present the Receipt. I shall continue sending as they may arrive, in order to settle my particular Account...
14To 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...
15From Benjamin Franklin to William Hodgson, 9 October 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received your favour of the 20th. Past, containing the account of Prisonners as it stands between the Board & me. I do hereby agree that Capt. Scott of the Golden Eagle Privateer, taken by Capt. Harrabin of the General Pickering, and carried into Bilbao, and allowed to go to England on his Parole, be considered exchanged by one of the 119 Americans Landed at...
16To 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...
17From Benjamin Franklin to William Hodgson, 18 December 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received your Favour of the 4th. with the Account of the Expenditure of the 100£ in supplying the Wants of the Prisoners, which is very satisfactory. I beg you to accept my thankful Acknowledgements of your kindness to & Care of those unfortunate People, & let my Blessings be mix’d with theirs. By next Post I shall send you 150£ more, requesting you will continue...
18To 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...
19From Benjamin Franklin to William Hodgson, 30 January 1781 (Franklin Papers)
Draft and copy: Library of Congress I recd your Favour of the 9th. Inst. I am convinc’d of the Reasonableness of your Remarks, and leave the Disposition of the Money entirely to your Discretion. As I had formerly written to Mr Digges on the same Subject, and on the Stoppage of our Correspondence wrote to you, I wish it may be convenient to you to see him, so as that you may not be both doing...
20To 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...
21From Benjamin Franklin to William Hodgson, 1 April 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Library of Congress I received your respected Favour of the 20th past, & am shock’d exceedingly at the Account you give me of Digges. He that robbs the Rich even of a single Guinea, is a Villain, but what is he who can break his sacred Trust by robbing a poor Man and a Prisoner of Eighteen Pence given charitably for his Relief, and repeat that Crime as often as there are Weeks in a...
22To 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...
23From Benjamin Franklin to William Hodgson, 25 April 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft) and incomplete copy: Library of Congress I received your Favour of the 12th inclosing the Letters you mention which prove the Villainy of Digges. I have received two other Letters from him since that of which you have a Copy. I inclose Copies of these also. You will see in the last that he has the Impudence to pretend being mightily injured by my Protesting of his last Bill, and...
24To 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...
25To 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...
26From Benjamin Franklin to William Hodgson, 8 July 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft) and copy: Library of Congress I received your Favour of the past, and immediately gave Orders to Mr Grand to remit you One hundred and ten Pounds Sterling for the farther Relief of the Prisoners. I beg you would repeat my grateful Acknowledgments to your Friends at Portsmouth & Plymouth, for the unwearied Care & Pains they have taken in this troublesome tho’ charitable Work, and...
27From Benjamin Franklin to William Hodgson, 17 July 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft) and copy: Library of Congress In my last of the 8th Inst. I mention’d my ordering a Remittance to be made to you of 110£ Sterling, which I hope you have receiv’d. I am oblig’d to you for your Goodwill in the Hint you gave me by yours of the 8 May, concerning Money of Digges’s in the Hands of Bouffé & Co. here. The Attaching of it would have been an easy Way of recovering what He has...
28To 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...
29From Benjamin Franklin to William Hodgson, 8 August 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft) and copy: Library of Congress I received your Favour of the 20th past. That of the 8th of May came regularly to hand. I thought I had before acknowledged it. At least I wrote a Letter which answer’d a part of it, that related to Bouffé & fils, acquainting you that they were broke. Digges has not appeared here. I am sorry for Mr Day’s Loss by him. Is there no way of getting at him...
30To 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...