It is improbable the Troops from this State will march soon & for the Westward Springfield & Berkshire.

Your sisters are well, and uncommonly well pleased at your industry of writing nearly two lines in their favour, or about them

rather.

Yours, &c.,

Since my return, Dear Sir, from the country where I was detained much longer than I intended to have been, your favors of the 20th May & 2d June, were handed to me. Your polite intentions to Major Ewing he expressed to me yesterday and lamented the weather was such as prevented him making with you a visit to the several strong grounds and fortifications in the vicinity of New York.

Not long since there was a probability of my visiting your city, which I have now altogether given up the idea of, or if I do, it is at a distance from this period. Boston will be my place of residence during the warm season, not of necessity, but of choice, where I shall expect you soon. Since my return only two days ago I have not seen Tyler. From him I shall learn your mischief, and I promise you that the most illnatured use possible shall be made of it unless you in person communicate that part of it with which he is unacquainted. Barrel I saw yesterday, who tells me no alteration has taken place at his house. We conversed of you and both wished it had been to you. There is a rage for politics and arms existing in Boston, tho' in everything there prevails a violent opposition. Now is your time to visit it. I continue a spectator in all things, and it will be an improvement to have such assistance.

All the artillery of party rage is levelled in the House of Representatives, but insurgency, though it bellows loud is silenced by the well directed fire of two governmental pieces, Sedgwick and Parsons.

GEN'L WEBB.

Your, adieu,

E. HASKELL.

Copud

DEAR WEBB-You talk of settling down either in Georgia or the Ohio, or elsewhere upon some well chosen spot, with so much seriousness, that I am led to believe my lecture has been received in earnest, and you are now profitting by its doctrines. I seldom preach, it is true, but I shall be led into the practice of it if I begin by reclaiming you. This would be the more agreeable and effected with greater facility if you would place yourself down by me where I could join example to precept. And as encouragement to this, if such it is esteemed, I promise to accompany you to Portsmouth, Newbury or Salem. The last place I would of choice avoid for my friends sake. They might put you upon proof of being flesh & blood and you know their mode of determining cases of suspicion.

66

'Courting of fortune," I have no more to do with her then with vice which I studiously avoid as I wish to have that fickle prostitute at my disposal. Blind, like those she lavishes her favors upon, while we poor devils which know how to estimate their worth, and are left destitute, may then be left at the disposal of the Cincinnati, who I hope have their eyes open.

Your Sisters were well last evening and not violently abusive of you. I endeavoured to place your neglects in the most conspicuous view with an intention not so much to injure as to supplant you in their esteem. The family predjudices were too firmly fixed to be in the least moved by this kind of proceeding.

Little as you may deserve it they are better pleased with your praise than to hear you censured.

GEN'L WEBB.

Yours, adieu,

E. HASKELL.

ворил

DEAR SIR :-We were two days on our passage to Rhode Island, & Messrs. Flint and Sargent were nearly the same time from Newport to Providence. I embark'd for the same place thirty hours after they did, and arriv'd very nearly at the same period. It was not until the 30th ulto. that I arrived here. Mr. Barrel and your

friends are all well except Freeman, who has been very near making personally an experiment of his doctrinal points. He is nearly now recovered and will then, I suppose be in a Blissful state.

Your sister & I agree much better than you do with me, because it is generally upon a subject we converse that she admires. Judge whether you deserve it when not a line has been written either to her or myself since you left Town. She was very much disappointed in not receiving one by me. Believe me when I tell you that I will not make excuse for you because you deserve

none.

It is a privilege that you are even permitted to write to so amiable a female, and nothing but the relation you stand in could authorize it. Even she says you are a sad young man. I agree. It is of your gallantries however we complain. You know I am no laitudinarian upon this subject.

SIR-If the good wishes that accompanied you from this door have been successful, you have had a safe and pleasant journey. Mrs. Harnage's distresses and anxieties make us earnest to have the earliest intelligence of the fate of General Phillip's plan for a general exchange; may we therefore request of you to favor us with a line when the result is known? If it proves abortive, and partial exchanges be allowed, may we hope for your influence with his Excellency General Washington in behalf of Capt. Hawker and myself? Continually being a witness to Mrs. Harnage's sufferings at being so long detained from her children and friends, I fear I intrude my solicitations beyond the rules of propriety. This fireside joins in Respectful compliments to all the family, with sir,

Your most obedient,

Most h'ble serv't,

COLONEL WEBB.

HENRY HARNAGE.

Gopin

Sam

227

General R. Howe to Gen'l S. B. Webb.

ROBINSON'S, 6th June, 1782. Folio (loose DEAR SIR :-General Washington dines with me to-morrow, hubin fiunt). he is exceedingly fond of salt fish. I have some coming up & tho' it will be here in a few days, it will not be here in time. If you could conveniently lend me as much fish as would serve a pretty large company for dinner to-morrow (at least for one Dish), it will oblige me and shall be in a very few days be returned in as good

Dan Fish as ever you saw.

Excuse this freedom and it will add to the favor-could you not prevail upon somebody to catch some Trout for me early to-morrow morning.

I am, D'r sir,

with great regard,

Your most obt. serv't,

R. HOWE.

Croud

nud

General R. Howe to Col. Sam'l B. Webb.

JUST ON THE MARCH ON TOTOWAY,

101

27th Nov., 1788.

Folio 33

MY DEAR SIR:-May the single be married, and the married

三

happy, is an old adage to which thou hast tossed off many a bum-
per. In which class I am to rank thee, I know not (for it is matter
of speculation) but in either or both I wish thee felicity. I have
not had the honor to be much acquainted with the Fair one who
has attracted thee, but what I did know of her excited me earnestly
to wish to know more, nor has that wish subsided. I thought I
discovered in her an agreeable Blending of Gaiety and pensiveness,
of frankness and reserve. Such a commixture cannot fail to pro-
duce that delicate medium of character, conduct and disposition,
which must give felicity to and receive it from a Man of Honor and
Sentiment, & with which therefore, you must be happy; be you
both as much so, as I wish you, and you will be full as much so as
you wish to be.

Jack Webb, who will deliver you this, would be a clever fel-
low, had he not the capital Fault of washing his hands in warm
water, & running to the fire when he wipes them. He has received

a lecture for this, just this moment, and has promised to do so only once a month, & by the time that period rets I hope he will forget it. You may judge how faulty I think him when these are the greatest faults he has. Another fault,tho' not quite so magnificent,is his straddling with his back to the fire and displaying his stern to it by drawing the skirts of his coat aside, which,as he is already too lean abaft, he had better avoid, lest the draft of the chimney and heat of the fire should by shrinking him increase this defect. I send him to you but remember you must not detain him too long. I hope to visit you this Winter-if not pray visit me. I am Dear Sir with Respectful compliments to Mrs. Banker and Miss Banker alias Mrs. Webb & with great Regard Dear Sir,

Yours, sincerely, &c.,

My compliments to Mr. Wilson & Family.

R. HOWE.

Addressed Col. S. B. Webb, Commanding the Corps of Light

Infantry.

Gen'l Hand's Letter. Creighton worth.

CAMP. VERPLANCK'S POINT, 6th Sept., 1782.

DEAR SIR-By direction of the Commander-in-Chief I send you two of the Lt. Infantry Standards, one for the use of your own & the other for Col. Jackson's Reg't.,

& am Very sincerely yours,

orie

Colo. WEBB.

EDW'D HAND,

Adj.-Gen❜l.

Nehemiah Hubbard's Letter.

HARTFORD, Jan'y 30, 1780.

DEAR SIR-I am favoured with yours of this date. The letters you left with me were forwarded, but I cannot inform you by whom they were sent.

I will see Mr. Olcott this evening, and desire him to pay particular attention to your horses.

Should any opportunity to Head Quarters offer, you may depend on being advertised.

Your obd't Humb. Serv't,

COLO. WEBB.

N. HUBBARD.