Papers of John Adams, volume 7

John Bondfield to the Commissioners, 15 September 1778 Bondfield, John Franklin, Benjamin Lee, Arthur JA First Joint Commission at Paris

1778-09-15

John Bondfield to the Commissioners, 15 September 1778 Bondfield, John Franklin, Benjamin Lee, Arthur Adams, John First Joint Commission at Paris

John Bondfield to the Commissioners

Sirs Bordeaux 15 Sept 1778

Referring to what I had the Honor to write you the 12th Current. Yesterday arrived from Virginia the Cutter Tartar Capt. Southcomb. He left York River the 29th July. Private Letters by him are dated the 21st of same contain no accounts other than them at hand. He reports a report of Comte d'Estaing having taken five English Frigates, that New York was closely blockt up and no doubt of the entire of the English Forces would fall into the hands of United Allied Forces.1

With due respect I have the honor to be Sirs Your most Obedient Humble Servt

John Bondfield

I attended the last earthly services to Capt. Ayres the 13th instant who I had decently Interd as is allow'd to Protestants at this place.

Mr. W. Franklins Commission will be forwarded this Week.2

RC (PPAmP: Franklin Papers); addressed: “The Honble Benj. Franklin Arthur Lee John Adams Esq Commissioners from Congress at Paris”; docketed, not by JA: “Bondfield Sept. 15. 78.”

An overoptimistic report; see Bondfield's letter to the Commissioners, 8 Sept., and note 1 (above).

Bondfield is presumably speaking of William Temple Franklin, but his meaning is unclear. No commission or mention of one for Temple Franklin has been found.

Richard Grinnell to the Commissioners, 15 September 1778 Grinnell, Richard Franklin, Benjamin Lee, Arthur JA First Joint Commission at Paris

1778-09-15

Richard Grinnell to the Commissioners, 15 September 1778 Grinnell, Richard Franklin, Benjamin Lee, Arthur Adams, John First Joint Commission at Paris

Richard Grinnell to the Commissioners

Guernsey Sept. the 15th 1778

I would Inform the Honnourabel Board of Commisioners that I Took Passage with Capt. Barns1 as did Capt. Peter Collis2 and Sailed from Penbufe Paimbeauf on the 29th august and on the First of September Being in the Lattitude 46°:00′ and Longitude 9°:00′ we ware Taken by the Speedwell Cutter Belonging heare mounting twelve Guns and Commanded by Capt. Abraham Bushall who Treated me and Capt. Collis moore Like Brothers than Like Prisoners and Gave us Every thing Belonging to us. Two Days after wee war Taken wee fell in with the Schooner Spy Capt. Niles who had been taken by a Privateere Belonging to Jersey. Capt. Niles Toald me that all the Papers ware Thrown overboard as was all Capt. Barnses. Capt. Barns is Still on board the Privateer her Cruse not Beeing out yet.

I would Inform your Honnours that a Number of Prizes are daly brought In heare and I thought my Duty to take the first Opertunity of Informing your Honnours of our misfortains and I make no Dout but you will Recive this as Mr. Dubery is So Good as Send it to his Son in Nants who will Take the first opertunity to Send it you.3

I am your Honnours much obliged humble Servt.

Richd. Grinnell

RC (PPAmP: Franklin Papers); addressed: “To The Honnourabel Benjaman Franklin Lee and Adams Comissieners from the United States of amarica att Passy in france”; docketed: “Captn. Grinnells Letter Septr. 15. 1778.”

Capt. Corbin Barnes of the schooner Dispatch.

Collas, a native of Guernsey, was the son-in-law of Benjamin Franklin's sister Jane (Franklin) Mecom and, in the course of the Revolution, was captured no less 37than five times (Letters of Benjamin Franklin and Jane Mecom, ed. Carl Van Doren, Princeton, 1950, p. 23).

Thomas Dobrée of Guernsey was the father of Peter Frederick Dobrée of Nantes. The younger Dobrée was the son-in-law of J. D. Schweighauser, American commercial agent at Nantes. Because of his ties to Guernsey he had been anonymously accused of conspiring to give information on American shipping to the Guernsey privateers (J. D. Schweighauser to the Commissioners, 11 Aug., MH-H: Lee Papers; Peter Frederick Dobrée to the Commissioners, 11 Aug., and note 1, vol. 6:365–367; see also Robert Niles to the Commissioners, 22 Jan. 1779, below).