Adams Papers Digital Edition

Papers of John Adams, volume 9

To the President of Congress, No. 16

From Elkanah Watson Jr.
From Thomas Digges, 10 March 1780 Digges, Thomas JA From Thomas Digges, 10 March 1780 Digges, Thomas Adams, John
From Thomas Digges
Dr sir Mar 10. 1780

A packet boat is arrivd from Jamaica which saild from thence the 29th Jany. with accounts of Fort Omoa being again in the possession of Spain, and that one of our Men of War has taken a Spanish Ship of War bound to that quarter of So America with Stores. She was piercd for 64 Guns but carryd only 52. The Jamaica fleet saild the 24th. Jany. Convoyd rather slightly only with a force of about two fiftys and as many frigates—about forty Merchantmen in all. Nothing yet from America but it is generally surmisd and beleivd that a Storm has seperated and dispersd Clintons fleet intended for the southern Expedition.1

I am wth gt regard your

RC (Adams Papers;) addressed: “A Monsieur Monsr. Ferdinando Raymond San Negote. Chez Monsr. Hocherau, Libraire Pont Neuf Paris”; endorsed at the foot of the text: “recd 19 March,” and on the address page: “T. Dundas. Mar. 10 1780 ans 19.”

1.

JA included the text of this letter, taken from reports in London newspapers, in his letter of 19 March to the president of Congress (No. 21, calendared, below). The British captured Fort Omoa on the northeast coast of Honduras in Oct. 1779. It was aban-32doned in November because of an insufficient garrison and the ravages of disease. Shortly thereafter, off Omoa, the British warship Salisbury took the Spanish privateer San Carlos (London Chronicle, 16–18 Dec. 1779, 9–11 March 1780).