Letter from William Bartlett to General Washington: His proceedings with respect to the vessels taken and brought in by Captain Manley

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Beverley, June 11, 1776.

SIR: I would beg leave to inform your Excellency of my proceedings with respect to the vessels taken and brought in here by CaptainManly. After condemnation they were, agreeable to your instructions, advertised in the publick papers three weeks; I then proceeded to the sale. I received instructions from your Excellency, through the Honourable Major-GeneralWard, to purchase the shipJenny and the brigantineHannah, for the United Colonies, provided they sold very much under their real value: theJenny selling for nineteen hundred and fifty pounds, thought it quite enough for her, therefore did not purchase her; the brigantineHannah I purchased for five hundred and twenty pounds, and have since delivered her to CaptainBradford by order of GeneralWard; the ship Concord sold for nine hundred and thirty pounds; the brigNancy for four hundred and thirty pounds; the sloopBetsey for one hundred and seventy-five pounds; and the sloopPolly for one hundred and thirty pounds. I have also sold all the goods I think at a very good price.

If your Excellency thinks proper to order that the goods delivered ColonelMifflin, as well as the ordnance stores, should be valued and transmitted me, that the sales may be closed, it would be of infinite service to the poor captors, as well as an encouragement to them to go again into the service; for I do not conceive there can be a division until I can get the amount of the whole.

I would further beg your Excellency' s instructions concerning paying the captors. There were several servants in the service in taking these prizes, the masters of whom apply for their share of the prize money. Knowing the rules of the Army respecting that matter, have refused paying them until I receive your Excellency' s orders: also, whether any of the people who are yet left with us belonging to any of the above vessels should receive any wages.

This day CaptainBradford applied, and informed me that he was appointed agent for this Colony, with power to depute whom he thought proper under him; therefore desired me not to act any more in the station which your Excellency was pleased to appoint me in.

Your Excellency' s orders with respect to this, or any other affair, will be gratefully accepted and punctually obeyed, by your Excellency' s most obedient, humble servant,

WILLIAM BARTLETT.

To His Excellency GeneralWashington.

N˙ B. My best compliments to ColonelMoylan.