It is not a great while since I wrote my dear Friend on my disappointment
in not paying her a Visit. Now methinks I hear her wondring
how it is with her Cambridge Friends, who are at this time delugd with
British & Hessian, what shall I cell them? who are Prancing & Patrolling
every Corner of the Town, ornamented with their glittering Side arms, Weapons
of destruction. A short detail of our Situation may perhaps amuse you.
you will be able to form a judgment of our unhappy Circumstances.
Last thursday, which was a very Stormy day, a large number
of British Troops Came Softly thro the Town Via Watertown to Prospect
hill. on Friday we heard the Hessians werto make a Procession
in the same rout, we thot we should have nothing to do with
them, but View them as they Passt. To be sure the sight was
truly Astonishing, I never had the least Idea, that the Creation
producd such a Sordid Set of Creatures in human Figure—
poor dirty emaciated men, great numbers of women, who seemd to
be the beasts of burthen, having a bushel basket on their back,
by which they were bent double, the contents seemd to be Pots & kettles,
various sorts of Furniture, children peeping thro gridirons & other utensils. Some very young Infants
who were born on the road, the women barefoot, cloathd in dirty
raggs Such Effluvia filld the air while they were passing, had they
not been smoaking all the time, I should have been apprehensive
of being Contaminated by them. After a noble Looking advanced Guard Genl J-y B n. headed this terrible
group on horseback, The other Gl also, cloathd in Blue Cloaks. Hessians
Waldecker Auspachers Brunswickers &c. &c. &c. followd on.
The Hessian Gl gave us a Polite Bow as they Passd. Not so the British
bring up the rear, another fine Noble looking Guard of American Brawny
Victorious Yeomanry, who assisted in bringing these Sons of Slavery
to Terms, Some of our Waggons drawn by fat oxen, driven by joyous
looking Yankees Closd the [illegible] cavalcade. The Generals & other Officers went to
Bradishs, where they Quarter at present. The Privates trudgd thro thick
& thin To the hills, where we thot they were to be Confind, but what
was our Surprise when in the morning we beheld an inundation
of those disagreable objects filling our streets? How mortifying is it?
they in a manner demanding our Houses & Colleges for their genteel
accommodation. Did the brave G- Gates ever mean this? Did our Legislature
Legislature ever intend the Military should prevail above the Civil?
is there not a degree of unkindness in loading poor Cambridge,
almost ruined before? with This great army seem to be let loose upon
us. & what will be the Consequence time will discover.
Some Polite ones say, we ought not to look in them as Prisoners
they are persons of distinguishd rank. perhaps we too must
not View them in the light of enemys. I fear this distinction will
be soon lost. Surprising that our Gl, or any of our Cl should
should insist on the first University in America being disbanded
for their more genteel accommodation, & we poor oppressd people
seek an Assylum in the woods against a piercing Winter.
where is the stern Virtue of an As who opposd such an infraction
in former days? who is there to plead our Cause? Pity. Pity it is
our Assembly had not settled these matters before their adjournment
It will be vastly more difficult to abridg them after after Such an
unbounded License. perhaps you may see some of them at Plimouth.
for my part I think, insults Famine & a Train of evils present to
He rode thro the Town properly attended down Court Street & thro the
main street, & on his return walkt on foot to Charlestown Ferry
Followd by as great a Number of Spectators as ever attended a pope
& generously observd to an officer with him the Decent & modest
behavior of the inhabitants as he passd, Saying if he had been Conducting
Prisoners thro the City of London, not all the Guards of Majesty Could
have prevented Insults. He likewise acknowledges Lincoln & Arnold
to be great Generals. It is said we shall have not Less than Seven
thousand persons to feed in Cambridge & its environs, more than its
inhabitants. Two hundred & fifty cord of wood will not serve them
a week, think then how we must be distresst. wood is risen to £5.10
pr Cord. & little to be purchasd. I never thought I could lie down to
sleep Surrounded by these enemies. but we strangely become enured
to those things which appear difficult when distant.
While I am writing a Neighbor comes in with an enlivned
Countenance to tell us, Gl How has Surrenderd to Gl Washington
but can we suffer ourselves to believe Providence will so marvelously
appear for us? ah the Events of Battles are so Precarious we dare
not indulge the thought till it is confirmd by the best authority
my Partner joyns me in the Sincerest regards to General
Warren & Lady. & as you must be tird by this time of my
chit chat.
Cambridge Novr 11th 1777
PS
Gl. Bn. has repeatedly said he was Convincd it was impossible
Great Britain should ever Subdue America he therefore wishd a Union
might take place that would never be broken, & that he might get home
Soon to prevent any more attempts that way.
If You like anecdotes I will give you one more
When G.l Phillips was travelling thro the back of Albany. where
it is very rocky & barren he expressd his Astonishment that
they should ever cross the Atlantic & go thro such difficulty
to Conquer so unfavorable a Country which would not be
worth a keeping when Conquerd. when they Came upon the fertile
banks of Connecticut river Gl Whipple said to him
This is the Country which we are fighting for ah replyd
the Gl This is a Country worth a Ten Years War
We hear no Parole
Signd yet.
[Endorsement]
Novr 11th 1777