MHS Collections Online

New York Janry 18th 1783

Dear Sir,

Mrs. Badger sent her Mother a Few Lines
Some time since, expressing her distress at being obliged to
communicate to so kind & affectionate a Mother, an Event
so melancholly; as the Death of a Dear & Beloved child --
her Passions were so much affected at that time, that
it could not be expected She should say the half, of
what She wish'd, & intended to express, upon cooler reflection.

To save her the pain of Recollecting a Scene in itself
ever distressing, & to prevent the renewal of your
Mother's grief, I have undertaken to write to you;
knowing your own Judgment will enable you to
determine; whether it is proper to let her see the
whole, or only part of this Letter. Your Brother
went from this City Three Years since with Genl.
Clinton, & was with him at the Siege of Charlestown;
soon after the surrender of that Garrison, he was seized
with a Fever & Ague, of the kind peculiar to that
Country; which greatly enervated him: he so far
recovered however, as to be able to move with the
Army under the command of Lord Cornwallis, and
had Strength sufficient to undergo all the fatigues,
& hardships they encountered: which I believe to be
as many, & great, as any Army ever met with, in
any Country, at any Period, since the Creation.

It was in that Southern Unhealthy Climate

that he laid the foundation of the Complaint,
which finally deprived him of Life, -- & although it did
not appear any way alarming, till some Months after
he came to this City; yet I must say, from many Symptons
it was strongly to be suspected, that his Lungs were
in some degree diseased from the Moment of his Arrival.

Every Assistance from the Gentlemen of the Faculty
was early obtained, & he paid the most rigid attention
to their Instructions; but his Disorder increased in
Spite of Every thing -- & in June last, it was obvious
to all his friends, that it was really dangerous.
it was at that time recommended to him to change
Climates: & most People judged his Native Air
might prove beneficial, but he was prevented
from attending to this Advice, by the Regimental
Pay Master's Absence; having pretty Large Accounts
open with him, & not chusing to go out of the British
Lines, till he settled this Matter -- perhaps the
Journey, together with the Change of Air, and
embracing his dear Relations, might have produced
some good Effects; & been the Means of making his
Life more comfortable, if it had not lengthened it.
I wish the Experiment had been tried, not only on
Account of the great Satisfaction it must have
given his mother, You, & himself; but as I have
known Many People receive Essential Benefit

in Similar Complaints, from exchanging Climates.
for many weeks before his death (which happened
on the 20th day of Decr. at half after One oClock P.M.)
he spoke of his dying, as an Event that could not be
very distant; & to which, from his manner of speaking,
he appeared to be perfectly reconciled. he was able
to walk about his room, & help himself to any thing
he wanted, 'till the day of his death. indeed he died
sooner than I expected, being deceived by this Very
Circumstance; his Capability of helping himself.

He was buried the Sunday after his Decease, in the
Same Manner as All Military Gentlemen are
interred in this City, attended by the Officers of
the Garrison. it may be Some Consolation to You,
& his Mother, to hear that his Behaviour in the Regt
endeared him to his Officers; & the Soldiers, who so
frequently had Opportunities to see his Coolness,
& Intrepidity in Action, absolutely revered him.
he was agreable to Persons of All Ranks. he was
cautious in speaking, seldom uttering a word without
Reflection. was never heard to speak ill of Any Body,
and reprobated the Man, or Woman, who indulged
themselves in this Infirmity. As he kept so constant
a Guard upon his Tongue, he never fell into the scandalous
Vice of Prophaneness. in short, I look'd upon him to be
as innocent, inoffensive a Young man, as any I have

known, in the course of my life. Major Mackenzie
who belongs to the Regt., being upon the Spot: & from the
Nature of his Rank, Executor to every Officer belonging
to it; took an Inventory of his Effects, & has Charge
of the Same, which were but few; as he was obliged
twice, to burn his Baggage, while with Lord Cornwallis,
in Consequence of Publick Orders: & since his coming
here, he has not had it in his power to replace it
in the course of a Short time, what he had will be
sold at Auction, agreably to Military Custom: and
if the Expenses of his Funeral, can be defrayed from
the Sales; I think it will be as much to the full, as can
be expected. I have inclosed a letter which he requested
me to write, & he sign'd the day preceding his death --
that will serve to convince you, that he himself thought
it probable, that he might live to hear from his Relations
once more. I well know that your own feelings will be
affected upon reading that Letter, but as he earnestly urged
me to forward it by the first opportunity; I could not find
my own Mind easy, without sending it.

The above Letter was sent from hence a few days after the
Date, by a Very trusty man belonging to Hartford in
Connecticutt: who expected to proceed to Boston; but
engaged faithfully to put it in the Post office at Hartford,
if any thing should prevent his proceeding
to the end of his Journey.