James Moylan to the American Commissioners, 12 August 1778
James Moylan to the American Commissioners
ALS: American Philosophical Society
L’Orient 12th August 1778
Honorable Gentlemen
The forgoing is extract of a letter I this day received from Lisbon dated 21st July.9 It may happen, the information may be of some utility to you, which is the reason I forward it, being with due respect Honorable Gentlemen Your assur’d humble Servant
James Moylan
The Honble. Plenepotentiary Ministers of America at Passy
Addressed: The Honorable / Plenepotentiary Ministers / of the United States of / America / at / Passy
Notation: Mr Moylan L’Orient 12 Augt 78
9. It reads: “The Albion 74 Gun Ship arrived here yesterday, she was one of Admiral Byrons Squadron, and parted them about 400 leagues to the Westward of this place, having carried away her Main Mast in a Gale of wind.” For the dispersal of Byron’s fleet see the headnote on intelligence reports above, Aug. 3. The storm, besides damaging the rest of Byron’s fleet, also drove the ship of the line Russell back to England and the Invincible to Newfoundland: W. M. James, The British Navy in Adversity: a Study of the War of American Independence (London, 1926), pp. 110–11. For a complete list of Byron’s ships see ibid., pp. 431–2.