by cheerfully promoting a service of such importance, as the relief of Annapolis Royal, and the saving of it from falling into the enemy's hands. Last night we received from the master of a vessel, that sailed with the French fleet, from Chebucto, (which place they have wholly abandoned,) such an account of the strength and good condition both of their land and sea forces, and of their intention to sail with their whole body to Annapolis Royal, as stopped our proceedings for a few hours. But this afternoon, upon examining the captain of the English flag of truce, and two other gentlemen, of good reputation, who were taken prisoners by the French sixteen days before their arrival at Chebucto, and two intelligent masters of vessels that were likewise prisoners, all of whom sailed with the fleet from Chebucto, and left them the 16th instant, by which the state of the fleet appears to us in a very different light from what it was at first represented to us; so that we have reason to judge that they are in a very weak condition, and are gone (at least the bulk of them,) to France, or the West Indies; and thereupon Governor Shirley is sending the remainder of his recruits, with all despatch, and does not think it proper to stay for convoy, as all the rest of his troops sailed without, and are safe arrived at Annapolis.1 However, the first mentioned account has put us upon that caution, that we shall send away to-morrow, a small well sailing vessel, with a whaleboat and crew, to look into Annapolis basin; and if they find none of the enemy's ships there, to go up to the fort, and get what intelligence they can from the Governor; but if the enemy's ships are in Annapolis harbor, to come back immediately, so far as Passamaquoddy, to inform the officers of the troops and masters of the transports, whom Governor Shirley will order to stop at that place for advice, and to proceed to Annapolis, or return back to Boston, according as the advice shall be; and we judge it will be best for Your Honor to take the same method, by ordering your vessels to stop at Passamaquoddy; and we 1 See the details of the examinations here referred to in Shirley's letter to Benning Wentworth following. shall desire Lieut. Governor Mascarene to send one of the ordnance tenders to that place, to meet your vessels, and wait at Passamaquoddy, till their arrival; and you may depend upon it, that your vessels will meet with advice from Mr. Mascarene, at Passamaquoddy, if the navigation to Annapolis be safe. As to what you mention, referring to Governor Shirley's giving a commission to Mr. Kinnicut; he cannot see the propriety of it in this case; it being left to every particular governor to dispose of the commissions over their own troops; however, he will take effectual care that Col. Kinnicut shall not be subjected to any command below his own rank and character. We are, with great regard, Sir, Your most Obedient Humble Servants, To the Hon. William Greene, Esq. P. WARREN. P.S. Governor Wentworth informs Mr. Shirley, he sent two hundred soldiers from his government to Annapolis, last Sunday. WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO BENNING WENTWORTH 1 SIR, Boston, October 25, 1746. Three hours ago Your Express arriv'd here and deliver'd me your Excellency's Packet; in answer to which I send you the inclos'd Examinations of Sanders, Kennan and Deas, Brown, Knight and Foster. Sanders, from whom Mare and Garde had, I suppose, chiefly their information, so alarm'd us here with his Intelligence, that I stopt for a few hours the proceeding of the 350 Men, which I was upon the point of dispatching away for Annapolis Royal; But upon the Advices brought by Kennan and Deas two South Carolina Gentle 1 Original, A. L. S., Mass. Hist. Soc., Belknap Manuscripts, 61 C, p. 83. men of very good Sense and Credit, who din'd with the French Officers every day, also of Brown a Master of a Vessell of much understanding and modesty, who had good Opportunities of discovering the Strength, Designs, and Motives of the Enemy's proceedings, Foster a plain Intelligent Master of a Fishing Vessell, and Knight, who was Mate of Sanders, all which was confirm'd by Captn Scott of Major Genl Fuller's Regiment, who commanded the Flagg of Truce from Louisbourg and is arriv'd here, I made no Doubt but that the French are making the best of their way either to France or the West Indies, notwithstanding Sander's Declaration, who either has been impos'd upon, or is brib'd by the French to propagate the notion of their being gone to Annapolis Royal; It is certain that he has the Character in Salem, to which place he belongs, of the most Lying fellow in the Country and was suspected of being concern'd in the money making Scheme. By many other Circumstances, which I Collected from the five last mention'd Declarants, besides what is contained in their declarations, and particularly from Captn Scott, who is a Gentleman much to be depended upon, there can be no room to doubt but that the French fleet was most miserably mann'd, some of 'em with not above a Man to a Gunn, and those sickly, and that they were extremely alarm'd by the Packets from me and Mr Warren design'd for Louisbourg, which fell into their hands and gave Advice of Admiral Lestocks being expected with a Strong Squadron, the prints contain'd in 'em said of 18 Ships of the Line which caus'd 'em to embark their Troops in the night, and to make a precipitate departure; And their carrying the Flag of Truce with 'em as far as thirty leagues west of Chebucto, and then dismissing it, with the English prisoners (that were ransom'd by the same number of French brought from Louisbourg) whom they labour'd to pursuade that they were bound for Annapolis Royal with their whole Fleet; whereas their Circumstances plainly requir'd 'em to conceal their designs with the utmost care, and to carry their prisoners with 'em to Annapolis Royal, instead of sending 'em to Louisbourg and Boston to discover their Scheme, if they were really bound thither; I say these Circumstances leave no room to doubt here but that their declarations that they were bound for Annapolis Royal was a mere feinte, and that they were even affraid of Admiral Townsend's following 'em : Besides, the Season of the Year, and their certain Intelligence that the Garrison at Annapolis was reinforc'd from hence, and to be farther reinforc'd from the Colonies are farther Circumstances, which make the thing Improbable. And now to confirm my Opinion, Lieutent Gorham is arriv'd here with Letters dated the 20th instant from Annapolis and saw not one Ship in the Bay in his Passage. As to their taking with 'em the Nova Scotia Pilots, that might be for their greater safety upon this Coast, or more probably to go with 'em to France both to give Intelligence there of the State of the province, and be made use of next Year in case the Scheme against Annapolis Royal should be then prosecuted. Upon the whole I countermanded my Orders on Friday, and forwarded the Imbarkations with all Speed, and Davis sail'd yesterday with a Company for Annapolis directly, as did Captn Cobb with thirty of his Company, which last, as I had at first upon the Alarm given by Sanders, hir'd him to go with a Schooner and Whale boat to look into the Gut first and see if any French Ships were there, I have not vary'd his Orders (tho' I think there is no Occasion for that Caution) and he is afterwards to come to Passamaquoddy, where the Bien Aimé, which will sail to morrow with 200 Men from hence and Stores, (as will also, I hope, a Sloop with 70 more men and Stores) is to go and stay for Advice from Cobb, as your two Vessells may, if you choose that, tho' I shall order the Sloop, which I have hir'd to proceed directly to Annapolis. The Government of Rhode Island has upon my Application determin'd to send 300 men to Annapolis, and sent me word of it; and they are to sail on Tuesday for Passamaquoddy, as the Commanding Officer has agreed with me, and there wait for Intelligence. Govr. Mascarene presses for more men, with an assurance, if they are sent, that they shall be able to drive the Canadians quite out of the province, which would be a finishing Stroke to 'em; and discourage 'em from returning again, especially as they have been so disappointed by the French fleet; and quite secure the Nova Scotians from thoughts of a Revolt. I would therefore beg of you not only to send away your two Companies and Arm'd Vessells with the utmost Dispatch; But if possible to send 200 or 300 more men, as I shall from hence, if I can possibly; and should send 1000 more, if I was not under an Absolute Engagement to the Assembly to send 1500 men to Crown point. I wish you may be able to read this Scrawl, which I hope you will excuse and am, Sir, Your Excellency's most Obedient &c. His Excy. Govr. Wentworth. W. SHIRLEY. WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO WILLIAM GREENE1 SIR, Boston, October 27, 1746. I wrote to you by Lieut. Col. Kinnicut; since when, I have advices arrived from Annapolis Royal, dated the 20th instant, informing me that they go on there very well against the enemy; and want only more strength to drive the Canadians out of the province, forthwith; whereupon, Governor Mascarene presses me for such an addition of men, as will make up what is sent fifteen hundred or two thousand. Accordingly, by to-morrow, near four hundred men, will, I hope, be embarked, and sail from hence, over and above what I before sent, which was two hundred and sixty; and I shall to-morrow give orders for three hundred men more to prepare for embarkation; and hope to get them ready for sailing by Friday, at farthest. These, with the two hundred men from Governor Wentworth, and your three hundred, will make about sixteen hundred; and I have pressed Governor Wentworth to send a further reinforcement, which I am in hopes he will do; and I must entreat Your Honor to hasten your three companies, if they shall not be sailed before this comes to your hands, with all possible speed. 1 Printed: R. I. Col. Rec. 5, 196. |