Papers of John Adams, volume 9

From Edmund Jenings, 8 March 1780 Jenings, Edmund JA

1780-03-08

From Edmund Jenings, 8 March 1780 Jenings, Edmund Adams, John

From Edmund Jenings

Dear Sir Brussels March. 8th. 1780

I have done myself the Honor of sending You a Copy, of what was written into Holland1 and have since (the 5th Instant) taken the Liberty of giving my Idea of the Conduct of the Parties in England and Ireland, and likewise laying before you an Extrait of what I have written on the Phantastic Notion taken up of a Constitutional Impossibility of Acknowledging the Independance of America.

I receivd no Letter yesterday from England, but I cannot help observing to you, least it shoud escape your Notice that the public Papers say, that “the Dispatches taken in the American Packet, bound from France to the Congress by the Foudroyant, contain an Account of the French intended Campaign in America,” they say likewise from Belfast Feb 21. “that the Friendship, a Ship from St. Kitts to the Bristol Channel, which came North About from thence, put in here yesterday. The Master of her informs us, that He left that place on the 17th of Janry, on which Day, He heard that a fleet of Transports, under Convoy of two Ships of the Line and three frigates, had arrived at Antigua from N York, on the 14th. with Upwards of four thousand Men on Board after a passage of only Nineteen Days.”2

This Corresponds with what an English officer here has informd me.

I Hope the french Ministry are informd of these Things. I beleive the regular Troops in England do not consist of so many as 10,000 and those chiefly Horse. I have written a Letter to Mr. Lee,3 addressed to the House of Mr. Grand, I am fearful it is not receivd. Give me leave to beg of you to enquire after it and at the same Time desire Mr. Grand to let you have some things, He has left there for me. There are among other Matters some Maps, which you may perhaps find Useful.

I have picked up an Excellent Pamphlet written in the Year 1756. entitld Examen de la Conduit des Anglois.4 It is well calculatd to rouse the Dutch against the English, it being a detail of a breach of Treaties and of Injuries done to the Commerce and Flag of Holland.

I am Dear Sir with the greatest Respect your Most Faithful & Obt Hble Servt, Edm: Jenings

RC (Adams Papers.)

For Jenings' letter to JA of 1 March (Adams Papers), which contained a copy of his letter to the Grand Pensionary of Amsterdam, Engelbert van Berckel, see JA's letters of 3112 March to Jenings (and note 1) and to the president of Congress, No. 17 (both below).

Jenings is quoting from reports that appeared in various London newspapers. See, for example, the London Chronicle of 29 Feb. – 2 March.

This letter has not been found.

This pamphlet, attributed to Louis Joseph Plumard de Dangeul and republished in 1778 with a new introduction, is Examen de la conduite de la Grand Bretagne a l'égard de la Hollande, depuis la naissance de la république jusqu'à présent, Paris, 1756; but see C. W. F. Dumas to the Commissioners, 30 Oct. 1778, and note 8 (vol. 7:179–184).

To the President of Congress, No. 16, 10 March 1780 JA Huntington, Samuel President of Congress

1780-03-10

To the President of Congress, No. 16, 10 March 1780 Adams, John Huntington, Samuel President of Congress

To the President of Congress, No. 16

Paris, 10 March 1780. RC (PCC, No. 84, I, f. 313–315). LbC in John Thaxter's hand (Adams Papers); notation by Thaxter: “Delivered to Mr. Brown 15th March.” printed: Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. , 3:541.

In this letter, read by Congress on 11 Sept., John Adams again commented on Adm. Sir George Rodney's luck in his victories over the Spanish fleets, and noted rumors that Rodney had enjoyed further success against some French vessels. He believed, however, that the admiral's good fortune was attributable directly to the French and Spanish insistence on keeping an “immense” fleet in the European theater at a time when the dispatch of even a quarter of those ships to American waters could bring a decisive victory. Finally, Adams noted with pride the reported successes of American privateers and enclosed the Courier de l'Europe of 3 March and the Gazette de France of 10 March.

RC (PCC, No. 84, I, f. 313–315.) LbC in John Thaxter's hand (Adams Papers); notation by Thaxter: “Delivered to Mr. Brown 15th March.” printed : (Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. , 3:541.)

From Thomas Digges, 10 March 1780 Digges, Thomas JA

1780-03-10

From Thomas Digges, 10 March 1780 Digges, Thomas Adams, John

From Thomas Digges

Dr sir Mar 10. 1780

A packet boat is arrivd from Jamaica which saild from thence the 29th Jany. with accounts of Fort Omoa being again in the possession of Spain, and that one of our Men of War has taken a Spanish Ship of War bound to that quarter of So America with Stores. She was piercd for 64 Guns but carryd only 52. The Jamaica fleet saild the 24th. Jany. Convoyd rather slightly only with a force of about two fiftys and as many frigates—about forty Merchantmen in all. Nothing yet from America but it is generally surmisd and beleivd that a Storm has seperated and dispersd Clintons fleet intended for the southern Expedition.1

I am wth gt regard your

RC (Adams Papers;) addressed: “A Monsieur Monsr. Ferdinando Raymond San Negote. Chez Monsr. Hocherau, Libraire Pont Neuf Paris”; endorsed at the foot of the text: “recd 19 March,” and on the address page: “T. Dundas. Mar. 10 1780 ans 19.”

JA included the text of this letter, taken from reports in London newspapers, in his letter of 19 March to the president of Congress (No. 21, calendared, below). The British captured Fort Omoa on the northeast coast of Honduras in Oct. 1779. It was aban-32doned in November because of an insufficient garrison and the ravages of disease. Shortly thereafter, off Omoa, the British warship Salisbury took the Spanish privateer San Carlos (London Chronicle, 16–18 Dec. 1779, 9–11 March 1780).