Boston 6th May 1775
Dear Will
You'll observe by this, that I am
yet in
Boston, & here like to
remain -- three of us
charterd a vessell a
fortnight since to convey us to
Halifax
as Sam dont think your city
Safe by any means, but
the absolute refusal of the Governor to Suffer any
merchandize to be carried out the town, had
determd
me to Stay & take care of my effects,
together wth the
perswasion of Saml
& his wife & Ruthy - the
latter
being perfectly willing & desirous of going
without
me, as her peace of mind depends entirely upon his
leaving the town; in concequence of which
have
acquiesed, but am affraid it will be a long time
before I Shall See her again, if ever. near half
the inhabitants have left the town already, &
another quarter, at least, have been waiting for
a week past with earnest expectation of geting
Passes, which have been dealt out very Sparingly
of late, not above two or three procur'd of a
day, &
those with the greatest difficulty. its a
fortnight
yesterday Since the communication between the
town & country was Stop'd, of concequence
our eyes
have not been bless'd with either vegetables or
fresh
provisions, how long we Shall continue in
this wretched State - God only knows - but that
no more blood may be Shed is the earnest
wish & prayer of your affectionate friend
& Brother
Jno. Andrews
PS
I expect to bid farewell to
Sam & his wife & Ruthy,
tomorrow or Sunday,
but I hope not an eternal farewell - you can
have no conception, Bill, of the distress the people
in general are involvd in, you'll See parents that
are lucky enoh to procure papers, wth bundles
in
one hand & a string of children in the other,
wan-
dering out of the town (wth
only a Sufferance of one
days provision) not knowing whither
they'll
go. Such Bill are but feint emblems of the
distress that Seem to threaten us, which I
hope the Almighty God, in his infinite wisdom
will avert — your uncle Joe has engag'd a
passage for
London at the expence of 100 Guineas
for himself & wife, to expedite her sailing wthout
waitg
for freight, Balch, bror Joe
& his wife, Jno Amory & c
& c
go in her, your uncle & aunt are very desirous
for us, but my finances wont, at present,
admit
of it, as my whole interest, savg outstanding
debt,
is in town & cant be
remov'd — if the lines Should
be attackd, as Some are apprehensive of,
farewell
to life & prosperity — you must know that no
person
who leaves the town is allow'd to return again
& this
morng an order from the Govr has put a stop to any
more passes at any rate not even to admit those
to go, who have procurd im already —
[Endorsement]
6th May 1775
[Address]