To George Washington from Jabez Bowen, 25 April 1780
From Jabez Bowen
Providence Apr. 25 1780
Sir
I dont mean to be troublesome to your Exellency, but the Duty that I owe the Publick demands that I should inform you that in my opinion the large quantities of Military Stores now deposited in this Town are by no means safe eighther for the Amunition or the Town.
You will perceive by the Incloased Vote the Idea that the Town Council have of the matter.1
The heavy Stores may be Transported on Board small Vessells to Windsor on Connecticutt River with small expense and but little danger if Springfield is the place at which they are to be deposited. I wish you to consider of the matter and give such orders as you shall think necessary to Major Perkins.2 Your Complyance will Oblige one who is your Exellencys Most Obedient and most Humb. Servant.
Jabez Bowen
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. Bowen enclosed a copy of a resolution that the Providence Town Council adopted on 24 April: “Whereas this Council are informed that Large Quantities of Powder and Shells fixed for use are now Stored in this Town at Different Places, and as the Town is built mostly of Wood-Houses, and should a Fire break out near the said Megazines the Terror from an Explosion from the Powder would tend to prevent the People from extinguishing the Fire and the Town would thereby be in eminent Danger of entire Destruction.
“It is therefore Voted and Resolved That his Honor the Deputy Governor be earnestly requested to use his Endeavours that some Measures be taken for Removing the said Stores as soon as may be” (DLC:GW; see also Bowen to GW, 20 March, and the source note to that document).
2. GW replied to Bowen from Morristown on 6 May: “I have been honored with yours of the 25th ulto. I had upon the 10th of April directed Major Perkins to remove such of the Ordnance and Stores as belong to the Continent from Rhode Island to Springfeild, but lest my letter may have miscarried I have, by this conveyance sent him a duplicate of the order, and recommended it to him, in case they have not already been sent off, to transport the heavy stores by Water to Windsor on Connecticut River” (Df, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW).
GW also wrote Maj. William Perkins from Morristown on the same date: “Inclosed is the duplicate of a letter which I wrote to you on the 10th ulto but finding by a letter from Lt Govr Bowen of the 25th April that you had then recd no orders from me on the subject of the removal of the Ordnance and Stores from Rhode Island I am apprehensive the original may have miscarried—Governor Bowen recommends the transportation of the heavy Stores by Water to Windsor on Connecticut River, if therefore the removal of them should not have been compleated when this reaches you, you may take that method, which will save an infinite deal of land Carriage” (Df, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW). The duplicate has not been found.