1Joseph Belton to the Commissioners, 17 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
Being unforunately, on a Voyge from Baltimore to Charles Town, in January last, disabled at sea, through stress of Weather, which occasion’d my faling into the hands of Capt. Man, and carried into Dover in England, and sent on Board the guard Ship in the Downs, a Prisoner, from Whence at length I obtaind my liberty by an order from the board of Admiralty, And being in an enimies Countery, and...
2Joseph Belton to the American Commissioners, 17 April 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Massachusetts Historical Society <Passy, April 17, 1778: I was captured at sea last January en route from Baltimore to Charleston, and imprisoned in England until the Admiralty released me; I then came here needing assistance. You will, I hope, lend me fifteen guineas, which I will repay on my return to America. > Published in Taylor, Adams Papers , VI , 37. Belton had been experimenting...
3Joseph Belton: Receipt, 13 February 1779 (Franklin Papers)
DS : American Philosophical Society Receiv’d of B Franklin, Fifty Louis d’ors on Account of Public Service to the United States which I have undertaken to perform.— Belton and the gun which he was peddling are discussed in our annotation to Le Roy’s letter, above, under Jan. 20. In BF ’s hand.