George Washington Papers

To George Washington from Nicholas Cooke, 10 October 1775

From Nicholas Cooke

Providence Octor 10th 1775

Sir

I have this Moment received by Express Orders from the Honble Continental Congress to dispatch the Two armed Vessels belonging to the Colony on a Cruize after 2 Brigs that sailed from England on the 11th August last for Quebec with 6000 Stand of Arms Powder &c.1—I think it my Duty to inform your Excellency that the large Sloop hath not yet returned from her Bermuda Expedition; and that the Small One is unfit for Service unless it be in our Rivers; so that it is not in my Power to take any Measures for intercepting those Vessels. I also give the same Information to Govr Trumbull.2 I am Sir Your Excellency’s Most humble Servt

Nichs Cooke

LS, DLC:GW.

1For Congress’s orders to intercept these vessels, see Hancock to GW, 5 Oct. 1775 (first letter). Hancock’s letter to Cooke of 5 Oct. is in Smith, Letters of Delegates description begins Paul H. Smith et al., eds. Letters of Delegates to Congress, 1774–1789. 26 vols. Washington, D.C., 1976–2000. description ends , 2:114–15.

2See Cooke to Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., this date, in “R. I. Revolutionary Correspondence,” 129–30. See also Cooke to the Rhode Island Delegates in Congress, 10 Oct. 1775, in Clark, Naval Documents description begins William Bell Clark et al., eds. Naval Documents of the American Revolution. 12 vols. to date. Washington, D.C., 1964–. description ends , 2:390.

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