Lewis Ourry to ———, 26 December 1756
Lewis Ourry to ———1
ALS: American Philosophical Society
Philadelphia Decr. 26th. 1756
Sir
By visiting the Quarters of the Men belonging to the first Battallion of the Royal American Regiment with the Mayor, Sheriff, and other Magistrates
| I found that | — | — | 94 Men laid on Straw |
| And that | — | — | 73 had nothing to lay on |
and not Sufficient quantity of Covering, the Houses on which they are quarter’d not being capable of containing near the number billeted on them, nor conveniences for them.
The rest have good Beds, and Accomodations.
No Quarters fit for Officers.
Nor any provided for the Recruits daily coming in.
Ls. Ourry
Acting as Qr. Mast. to the first
Battallion of the R. A. Regt.
1. Lewis Ourry (1717–1779), of a refugee Huguenot family five of whose members served British arms, was commissioned lieutenant in 1747, came to America in 1756, and served under Col. Henry Bouquet in western Pennsylvania as a quartermaster and commissary officer until 1765. He was on friendly terms with BF’s family in Philadelphia, and later with BF in London. Donald Cornu, “Captain Lewis Ourry, Royal American Regiment of Foot,” Pa. Hist., XIX (1952), 249–61; Ourry to Deborah Franklin, Sept. 26, 1765; Ann Ourry to BF, May 16, 1783, and Jan. 27, 1785. This letter, without addressee, seems to be a report to a superior officer, probably Governor Denny or Colonel Bouquet. Its presence among BF’s papers suggests that it was passed along to him and the other commissioners to consider at their December 26 meeting.