44131To Benjamin Franklin from William Strahan, 2 August 1775 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Papers of the Earl of Dartmouth deposited in the Staffordshire County Record Office Having wrote You April 8. June 7. and July 5. this is the Fourth Letter I have sent you since you left Us. I have in Truth Nothing new to convey to you, and only write now in Consequence of my Promise of doing so every Packet till your Return, which I still hope will be towards the Fall. It was with the...
44132Bond from David Weatherby, 2 August 1775: résumé (Franklin Papers)
Printed form with manuscript insertions: Yale University Library <August 2, 1775: Weatherby, a Philadelphia linen printer, binds himself and his heirs to pay Franklin or his assigns £ 44 in Pennsylvania currency. If £ 22 in the same, with interest, is paid within a year the obligation will be void. Sealed and delivered in the presence of Richard Bache and James Bryson. > Perhaps one of the...
44133From Benjamin Franklin to Ebenezer Hazard, 3 August 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I received your Application to be appointed Postmaster of New York, and have seen a Recommendation of you by your Provincial Congress, to which I shall pay due Respect by appointing you accordingly as soon as Commissions and Instructions can be printed, and things got in Readiness to carry the Post through. In the mean time I wish to receive from you an...
44134To Benjamin Franklin from “a Freeman and Associator,” [between 3 and 19 August? 1775] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania In the summer of 1775, while a subcommittee of the Pennsylvania committee of safety was wrestling with the organization of the associators, the rank and file of fledgling soldiers in Philadelphia were voicing three main concerns. Two of them, their pay and the treatment of those who refused to volunteer, are discussed in the headnote on the report of...
44135To Benjamin Franklin from Samuel Chase, 4 August 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library Colo. Harrison yesterday having informed Me that a Constitutional Post Office is now established, and that You are appointed the Head of that Department, the present Deputies I doubt not will be removed, particularly in this City and Baltimore Town. Give Me Leave to recommend Mr. York as a Rider from Philadelphia. I never heard an Imputation on his Character and...
44136To Benjamin Franklin from Edward Bancroft, 7 August 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I had lately the honour of acquainting you by Capt. Read with some particulars which I now confirm, and although but little of importance has since occurred I am induced to trouble you again with a few suggestions respecting the Title of the different Indian Tribes of America to the property and Jurisdiction of their Territories. You will doubtless remember...
44137To Benjamin Franklin from Benjamin Gale, 7 August 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society This letter was apparently Franklin’s first news of an invention that might, given a fair trial, have affected the course of the war. Until the entrance of France, Britain had virtually complete control of the sea; the Royal Navy supplied and reinforced British armies, and moved them at will along the coast. Any challenge to the navy’s predominance would...
44138The Pennsylvania Committee of Safety to a Commissioner and Three Assessors of Bucks County, 8 August 1775: résumé (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Pennsylvania State Library, Harrisburg <August 8, 1775: In answer to your letter of July 29 the committee directs you to provide 300 stand of arms and accoutrements as voted by the Assembly. We will provide you with patterns, which you will take care to have followed in the manufacture; we will settle your accounts and have the treasurer pay you. If any opposition develops, inform us and...
44139From Benjamin Franklin to Philip Schuyler, 8 August 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Massachusetts Historical Society Your Letter to the President of the Congress, arrived here just now by an Express from Albany, and is brought to me, the Congress being adjourn’d and all the Members out of town but my self. I have taken the Liberty of looking into it, to see if it required any Service from hence in our Power to render. I wish we had more Powder to send you as you desire:...
44140The Pennsylvania Committee of Safety to the Albany Committee, 10 August 1775: résumé (Franklin Papers)
Copy: New York Public Library <Philadelphia, August 10, 1775: You will receive herewith 2400 pounds of gunpowder, to be forwarded to General Schuyler at the earliest opportunity. We have heard that a great and “superfluous” quantity of lead, an article much needed here, was captured at Ticonderoga. If you have it, and can load a parcel of it on the returning wagon, we shall be obliged and...
44141From Benjamin Franklin to Philip Schuyler, 10 August 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : New York Public Library I did myself the Honour of Writing to you by the Return of your Express on the 8th Instant. Immediately after dispatching him, it occurr’d to me to endeavour the obtaining from our Committee of Safety a Permission to send you what Powder remain’d in our Hands; which tho’ it was thought scarcely safe for our selves to part with it, they, upon my Application and...
44142To Benjamin Franklin from Thomas Bromfield, 12 August 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society With pleasure your friends received the agreable inteligence of your safe arrival and health. Inclos’d I return a Letter for you directed to our care. From different accounts I am pleased to observe, the great unanimity that prevails thr’o the Continent; your advise was never more wantd, hope it will tend to restore that invaluable blessing to which our...
44143To Benjamin Franklin from Martin Howard, 12 August 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I recieved your favour by Mr. Caswel. When I wrote and informed you that I had recieved your Money of Mr. Cooke, I did not tell you the Truth. Mr. Cook was largely indebted to me, and gave me a Mortgage of a small House which I believe is his whole Property but not equal in Value to half the Sum he owes me, I included your Debt in this Mortgage, and when I...
44144To Benjamin Franklin from Henry Tucker, 12 August 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society The imperial crisis, long before it erupted in war, began to affect parts of the empire that were remote from the quarrel; and one of them was Bermuda. The small island, with a population of only 12,000, was in danger of being crushed between the upper and nether millstone. The embargo that the Continental Association laid on trade with other British...
44145To Benjamin Franklin from Samuel Ward, 12 August 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Library Company of Philadelphia On my Return I found the People of Connecticut in Arms for sixty Miles, a Fleet of twelve Sail of Men of War and Transports had been at the Mouth of Newlondon Harbor, an Attack was expected from them but they only went to Fishers Island and got about 1000 Sheep and Lambs and 30 head of indifferent horned Cattle the only fat ones being brought off a few...
44146To Benjamin Franklin from William Franklin, 14 August 1775 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society I wrote to you by the Stage on Thursday last since which I have not heard from you. As you were so kind as to say that you had no objection to doing any thing for me that might be in your Power respecting the Lands in the Traders Grant from the Indians, I send you enclosed a Copy of a Letter on that Subject from Mr. George Morgan, together with my Answer...
44147To Benjamin Franklin from Nicholas Cooke, 15 August 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I think it my Duty inform you that on Friday Morning last as Benjamin Mumford who rides Post from Newport to New London was crossing the Ferry to Newport he was taken by Capt. Wallace of the Ship Rose who broke open the Mails sent some of the Letters ashore and kept the Remainder in Order to send them to Boston. He detained Mumford until Yesterday. As the...
44148The New York Provincial Congress to the Pennsylvania Committee of Safety, 16 August 1775: résumé (Franklin Papers)
Text printed in Samuel Hazard et al. , eds., Pennsylvania Archives (first series; 12 vols., Philadelphia, 1852–56), IV , 643–4. <New York, August 16, 1775: A ship we sent for powder some three months ago has not returned, and our small stock is exhausted by supplying the camp before Boston with 1655 pounds and Ticonderoga with 300; all we could procure in this city has gone to eastern Long...
44149To Benjamin Franklin from D[avid Williams], [between 16 and 31 August 1775] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society As some relief to you in your present circumstances, I wish you could have seen with what pleasure your letter to me, was read Yesterday by our friendly Society. We are removed from Slaughters T. to the Swan at Westminster bridge. We have made a valuable addition to our number in Mr. Raspe whom you have seen in Germany, and who has been here a few weeks. He...
44150The Pennsylvania Committee of Safety to the New York Committee of Safety, 17 August 1775: résumé (Franklin Papers)
LS : New York State Library, Albany <August 17, 1775: We request you to receive and forward to Washington’s camp, as we have promised to do, the baggage of Major French and two other British officers on parole. We will pay the charges if the Major has already passed through New York; otherwise he will. Signed by Franklin for the committee.> The MS has been through a fire, and part of each line...
44151The Pennsylvania Committee of Safety to George Washington, 17 August 1775 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Library of Congress The Committee of Safety for this City and Province, being informed on saturday last, that a Ship from Cork had come up to Gloucester with some passengers, Officers of the Ministerial Army, and a Quantity of Cloathing for that Army at Boston, immediately sent down Capt: Bradford with thirty Men to take those Officers prisoners, and at the same time an Armed Boat, to...
44152The New York Provincial Congress to the Pennsylvania Committee of Safety, 17 August 1775: résumé (Franklin Papers)
Text printed in Samuel Hazard et al. , eds., Pennsylvania Archives (first series; 12 vols., Philadelphia, 1852–56), IV , 644 <New York, August 17, 1775: The intelligence contained in the enclosed paragraph of a letter from General Washington should be communicated to the various Pennsylvania committees. Addressed to Franklin and the other members of the committee and signed by P. V. B....
44153The New York Provincial Congress to the Pennsylvania Committee of Safety, 18 August 1775: résumé (Franklin Papers)
Text printed in Samuel Hazard et al. , eds., Pennsylvania Archives (first series; 12 vols., Philadelphia, 1852–56), IV , 645–6. <New York August 18, 1775: Reconsidering the paragraph of General Washington’s letter that we forwarded yesterday has given us too much reason to think that the British troops are bound for New York. No pains should be spared to make the city as strong as possible,...
44154Editorial Note on the Pennsylvania Committee of Safety’s Articles of Association, 19 August 1775 (Franklin Papers)
In August the committee continued the work, begun in its advertisement on July 28, of implementing Congress’ plan for the militia, and on August 3 appointed a subcommittee of seven, including Franklin, to draft rules and regulations for the associators and an admonition to nonassociators to enlist promptly. On August 17 the draft of the rules was submitted to the full committee, and after two...
44155The Pennsylvania Committee of Safety to the New York Provincial Congress, 19 August 1775: résumé (Franklin Papers)
LS : New York State Library; copy: Harvard University Library <Philadelphia, [August 19, 1775]: We have received your request for gunpowder. After we had furnished all we could spare to the army and neighboring colonies, we heard from General Schuyler that he was in need and sent him 2200 pounds in care of the Albany committee. We did not then know, as he probably did not when he wrote, that a...
44156The Pennsylvania Committee of Safety to the New York Provincial Congress, 21 August 1775: résumé (Franklin Papers)
LS : New York State Library, Albany <Philadelphia, August 21, 1775: We are obliged for the intelligence from General Washington and will communicate it to the committees down the river. “As possibly the Enemy may think of calling upon us,” we must keep what little powder we have; but we will readily spare you part of any fresh supplies that arrive. Signed by Franklin as president.> In the...
44157The Albany Committee to the Pennsylvania Committee of Safety, 21 August 1775: résumé (Franklin Papers)
Text printed in Samuel Hazard et al. , eds., Pennsylvania Archives (1st series; 12 vols., Philadelphia and Harrisburg, 1852–56), IV , 646. <Committee chamber, Albany, August 21, 1775: We have received yours of August 10 with a wagonload of powder, which we will forward to Gen. Schuyler at the first opportunity. We have heard of a large quantity of lead at Ticonderoga and Crown Point, but do...
44158To Benjamin Franklin from Philip Schuyler, 23 August 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and transcript: National Archives Yesterday I had the honor to receive your favor of the 15th. Instant. The powder which the Respectable Committee of your city has sent is already arrived here. You, and they, Sir, are Equally Intitled to my best thanks for this mark of attention. I shall with great pleasure order a Considerable Quantity of Lead to be conveyed to Philadelphia Immediately....
44159Editorial Note on the Pennsylvania Committee of Safety’s Regulations for Associators and Nonassociators, 26 August 1775 (Franklin Papers)
The drafting subcommittee appointed on August 3, to implement Congress’ plan for the militia, completed its work on the 25th. The next day the full committee debated, revised, and adopted its report, which endorsed the Congressional plan, encouraged nonassociators to enlist, requested from the county committee lists of those who had and had not joined, established rules for appointing officers...
44160The Pennsylvania Committee of Safety to the New York Provincial Congress, 26 August 1775: résumé (Franklin Papers)
LS : New York Public Library; LS (duplicate): New York State Library, Albany <Philadelphia, August 26, 1775: A small additional supply of gunpowder has arrived this morning, and we have ordered a ton shipped immediately according as you requested. We are getting our militia in order as fast as possible. Signed by Franklin as president.> On Aug. 16, above. The powder was sent but not delivered,...