Papers of John Adams, volume 6
I addressed you on the 8th. of this Instant on a very disagreeable affair, not recieving any answer, or order from your Honours, I concluded my letter had miscarried, or your attentions were required on greater objects, and therefore was determined to rest a while, until you might be at leisure, to think on the matter, I had wrote you of.1 But the treatment I have since recieved from Captn. Jones constrains me to be again troublesome, which, when I relate it, hope will Apologize with your Honours, for my excuse. On Wednesday the 20th Instant between the hours of nine and ten in the forenoon, Captn. Jones came on board the Drake, with a French Officer, and without previous notice ordered me to go with that Officer on board the Admiral (I must make a digression to inform you, that this was the first time he gave me an opportunity, to speak to him since my parting with him on board the Ranger, the 25th. of April in the evening, which preceded the day, he sent his written instructions to me 154by his boat on board the Drake,) I told him, I was sensible that I was under Arrest, and that I was entirely innocent of his charge again me, that I shou'd have given him that satisfaction before, if he had given me opportunity, that I had attended to his order of Arrest, and kept to my confinement, Observed to him, that I had nothing to do with the French Admiral, that he cou'd not possibly be any way connected with our dispute. He answered that he would have no Altercation, and desired the Officer to take me away, I accordingly obeyed; but If I was surprized at being sent on board the Admiral's Ship, what can you think Gentlemen, my astonishment and distress must be, to find after I was in the boat, that the Admiral's ship he told me of, was an Old prison ship that lies in the Port of Brest, which is called the Admiral, kept by an Officer and a guard of Soldiers, to put disorderly persons of every denomination, as a punishment. I was confined
Thursday morning the 21st. Another French Officer came on board the Prison ship about 9 o'the clock, and told me I must go with him to the Pontaniou. I was then a little cheered, thinking Captain Jones was about to treat me like a Gentleman, but to my great disappointment and Affliction, when arriving at the Pontaniou, I found it to be the common Goal, where I was ordered to be locked up in one of the rooms, and no person of my accquaintance to be suffered to see me. The Goaler has been so kind as to carry a letter for me to Comte D'orvilliers, I addressed myself to him, as Captn. Jones told me it was the Comte's orders that I shou'd be treated in the manner heretofore related, the Comte told the Goaler, that he had given Captn. Jones liberty (on his application) to put me in the prison, that he had nothing to do with our dispute, the Goaler asked the Comte; who was to provide for me his answer was Captn. Jones, which he has not yet done, unless it be ill treatment. I have wrote another letter to the Intendant, he is now out of town, but the Commissary has this day told the Goaler, that I may write to your Honours, which I instantly embrace, it being the fifth day of my confinement.
May it please your Honours such actions are cruel, and oppressive, very unbecoming an American Officer, very unbecoming those people, who are Struggling in one of the most glorious 155causes that mankind ever undertook. I offered Captn. Jones if he wou'd consent to my taking any room on shore, I wou'd confine myself as close, as he pleased, or desired him to confine me to my apartment in the Ranger, which is the proper place for my confinement, If people will be so rigorous. No, that favor, even if it was one, was denied. No Officer was ever treated in such a manner in the British navy, and I am sensible there is no Officer (God forbid there shou'd,) but Captn. Jones in the American Navy, wou'd treat his Lieutenant in such a manner, for nothing but an imaginary fault. I appeal to all the Officers of the Ranger and by their account of my behaviour, am willing to Stand or fall.
Gentlemen pray let my situation plead for me with you, for your friendly interposition, let me be order'd to America. I'll go any way that you please, and deliver myself at the first place I arrive, where there are Gentlemen to try me, let Captn. Jones send his charge written. I can have none but written evidence and defence. I am innocent, I fear no trial, if that cannot be, may I beg to be removed to Bourdeaux, on board the Boston, here are passages often enough, or Mr. Williams your Agent can send me from Nantes to America. I shou'd not be thus troublesome; but my unhappiness is great, confined in a foreign prison, no shadow of a Trial, or release, I can be of no service to my country, but on the contrary, my treatment when known, which soon must be, will be a discouragement, and deter every one from entering to serve in the Navy. I beg your honours pardon, and hope you'll excuse this long incorrect State of the matter, have inclosed a Copy of the letter I before wrote you, with a Copy of Cn. Jones Instructions, a copy of his order for my Arrest, and declaration of Mr. Hills, with the people, that were on board the Drake; by which your Honours may be accquainted with matters of fact.2 I shou'd be glad to have those people sworn, but my situation will not admit of it.
I cannot conclude without, again, in the most earnest manner, Supplicating your assistance, knowing no other persons in this country to whom I can Apply for redress, my case is still more distressing as I cannot speak the French language, and no American admitted to come to see me in the Prison. I humbly beg a line or two in answer by return of the Post. And am Your honours most Obedient and very humble Servant.
I neglected to observe to your Honours, that Captn. Jones never made a Signal to speak withe me at the time of our parting, which if he found, there was a misunderstanding of his verbal order he ought to have done.
If your Honours will Oblige me with answer—I beg it as a favour You'll direct the Letter agreeable to the Underwritten.
A Monsieur Monsieur Chevalier Consierge De La prison Royal De Pontaniou a Brest
Although a letter in answer to Simpson's of 8 May had been drafted on the 16th, it was not sent. The Commissioners did not reply until 3 June (calendared below).
For Jones' instructions, see Simpson's letter to the Commissioners of 8 May, note 1 (above). Two copies of Jones' arrest order of 7 May are in the Franklin Papers (
Cal. Franklin Papers, A.P.S.
, 4:259). One is almost certainly the copy enclosed in this letter, and it is likely that the other was included with Simpson's letter of 8 May, despite the absence of any mention there of such an enclosure. The declaration by “Mr. Hills,” Midshipman Benjamin Hill, and the other members of the Ranger's crew who had been aboard the Drake with Simpson was dated 16 May (PPAmP: Franklin Papers). It contained, with some additional details, the same information as was in Simpson's letter of the 8th.
The Two foregoing Letters are Copys,1 thinking it necessary to transmit at least Three Copys these precarious Times, which I shall think no trouble in transcribing, if a single line thereof gives you the least satisfaction. The building the 74 Gun Ships are order'd to be stoped for the present, I suppose it to be in consequence I
The Enemy from Newport made an excursion upon the Main Yesterday morning, they Landed about 700 Men at Warren at Day light, under the command of Col. Cambell they burn't a number of boats that was collected there the last Winter, sat Fire to the Baptist Meeting House which with three or four other buildings were consumed, the Militia collecting to the number of 120 they retreated towards Bristol made a stand, two or three Mile from that Town, while a number Rob'd and plundered the 157Inhabitants destroy'd furniture &c. &c, sat Fire to the Episcopal Church and 22 of the best dwelling houses in the Town, retreated hastily down to the Ferry landing, opposite to Rhode Island, where a Frigate an Arm'd Brigantine and several Cutter was ready to receive them on board under cover of their Guns which constantly Fir'd upon our People who pursued and harassed them in their retreat and embarkation, altho' not a fourth part of their number. Col. Barton (who took Prescot) was Wounded with one private we made three Prisoners, and its very probabil Kill'd some and Wounded many, as much blood appeared upon the Hill where they made a stand and several were seen to fall. Thus ended this burning thieveing Expedition in six hours from their Landing after retreating 8 Mile and stealing Twenty respectabe Inhabitants out of their beds, whom they took away, we suppose to Starve and Murder on board their Prison ships, as they have done with some Thousands before.3 I forgot to tell you Ten days past they sent a party into the Eastward sound and Rob'd the Elizabeth Islands of 1500 sheep and 100 Cattle, burn't some buildings &c. they did not Land at the Vineyard, return'd to Newport with their booty.
We are impatient to hear of your safe Arrival. I am most respectfully, Dr. sir your obedt. Hble servt
See descriptive note.
What JA directed Vernon to tell William Ellery is unknown, but it apparently had an immediate effect. On 20 Nov. 1776 the congress had authorized the construction of three 74–gun ships of the line but only one was ever begun, the America, at Portsmouth, N.H. It was that ship whose construction was stopped, a decision made by the Marine Committee in response to letters from Vernon and William Whipple received in early March 1778. In commenting on the two letters, Ellery stated that the action was taken because “these huge ships are too costly and unwieldy.” Congress ratified the decision on 29 May, ordering at the same time that the ship be altered to carry 56 gun's. Three years later, following a decision by the congress on 23 June 1781, construction was resumed and the America was completed as a 74–gun ship of the line. It never, however, saw service in the Continental Navy, being instead presented to France on 3 Sept. 1782 as a replacement for the Magnifique, which had gone aground in Boston Harbor (
JCC
, 6:970; 11:555; 20:692; 23:543;
Dict. Amer. Fighting Ships
, 4:567–568; William Ellery to William Vernon, 16 March, “Vernon Naval Papers,” p. 221–224).
For a British account of this raid, see Rivington's Royal Gazette, 10 June 1778. See also W. H. Munro, History of Bristol, R.I., The Story of the Mount Hope Lands, Providence, 1880, p. 209–218.