Adams Papers Digital Edition

Papers of John Adams, volume 2

To William Tudor

From John Trumbull
From Edward Hill, 8 August 1774 Hill, Edward JA From Edward Hill, 8 August 1774 Hill, Edward Adams, John
From Edward Hill
Sir Boston Monday Augt. 8 1774

Saturday a Man of war arrived with the new accounts. The Governor has summoned the new Council to meet at Salem to day. Reports are various as to the Gentlemen who are appointed and the number. I have heard that only 12 are appointed from England and that the remaining 24 are to be nominated by the Governor. Others say that 36 the whole number are appointed from home. All that I have heard mentioned and can recollect are—but Edes has furnished me with the following List which he says is not perfect.

H. Gray, Thos. Hutchinson, Jno Erving, Jos. Green, Jos. Lee, N. Ray. Thomas, Col. Edson, Danl. Leonard, Col. Worthington, Timo. Ruggles, Colo. Partridge, W. Pepperell, Colo. Royal, Jas. Russell, Colo. Erving, Will. Vassal, Jona. Simpson, Isaac Winslow, Jno. Chandler, Colo. Gilbert, Foster Hutchinson, Jno. Lovell, Colo. Watson, Peter Oliver.1

128

I forgot to mention the appointment of Thos. Oliver Esqr. of Cambridge to the Office of Lieut. Govr.

The Transports from Hallifax and New York are arrived,2 and A Report is very current that other Troops are to be sent from Engld. Some say 7 Regiments. I conclude in haste, yr very hum Servt,

EDW. Hill

RC (Adams Papers); addressed: “To John Adams Esq. Braintree.”

1.

The 36 mandamus councilors were named in Great Britain and the list sent to Gov. Gage (Alden, General Gage in America, p. 210–211). The list as here given includes the names of 4 men who were not named mandamus councilors: Oliver Partridge, John Chandler, Colonel Gilbert, and John Lovell. Additional names in the complete list of 36 names are Thomas Flucker, William Browne, James Boutineau, Joshua Loring, Samuel Danforth, Israel Williams, Timothy Woodbridge, Andrew Oliver, Richard Lechmere, Timothy Paine, Jeremiah Powell, John Murray, Thomas Palmer, Robert Hooper, Abijah Willard, and Thomas Oliver, the lieutenant governor (Whitmore, Mass. Civil List , p. 64).

 2.

On 6 Aug. 1774 the 59th Regiment arrived from Halifax, and elements of the Royal Artillery and the King's Regiment of Welsh Fusileers disembarked from New York (Boston Gazette, 8 Aug. 1774; Gage, Corr. , 1:368).