To Benjamin Franklin from Jonathan Mouret, 3 December 1780
From Jonathan Mouret
ALS: American Philosophical Society
havre de grace december 3d 1780
Sir
I depend upon your goodness to Excuse this Liberty, and to grant me the favour I am Soliciting which is the Cause that Urges me to it.
Been Just arived here, from English prison where I have been Confind Since the 28 of august last, captured In a Briganting Caled the Retaliation Phylip Kolock Comd. belonging to Messrs. Moris—& Ord—in Philadelphya9 Bound to Amsterdam, In which I had embarqued in Jully last, after obtaining Leave from The Navie Board for Eight monts for The intended voyge, after having been 19 monts Surgeon of the Shyp morris & Sloop west Florida Wm. Pickles Esqr—Comd. (Now in England)1 Both of the united states of america, & Which Salerys are stills dew—& not having Any Other methot of Subsisting thens throw my prophation, & the want of employ, enduce me to applyd to you for Succour— as well as for the Service I may render the Commun cause In my Capacity which I hoppes to receive your Comands. I have the Honour to be with Respect Sir your most humble & most Obedient Servt.
Jno. Mouret
The Honorable Benjn. Frankling Esqr.
9. The master of the Retaliation was Philipps (or Phillips) Kollock, the owners Robert Morris, William Bingham, and George Ord: Charles H. Lincoln, comp., Naval Records of the American Revolution 1775–1788 (Washington, D.C., 1906), p. 438; Claghorn, Naval Officers, p. 177.
1. William Pickles had been captain of the Mercury, on which Henry Laurens sailed; both men were captured. Pickles earlier had acquired considerable renown when his sloop, the Morris, had taken the larger West Florida in a battle on Lake Pontchartrain: John W. Caughey, Bernardo de Gálvez in Louisiana 1776–1783 (Berkeley, 1934), pp. 159–60.