Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 3
The Approach of the Enemy has rendered it necessary to find some other place to cast brass Cannon than yr. Air Furnace; this Colony are about Setting up an Air Furnace for that purpose, but the Congress I believe will employ Mr. Byers if it be found practicable & he will make a reasonable bargain. I should be glad to know if he can Cast brass Cannon in an Air Furnace without Sea Coal. That Article is necessary, I understand, for casting Iron Cannon in an Air Furnace & if it be so for casting Brass it will put us to difficulty. I herewith send a Letter to Mr. Byers on this Subject, pray urge him to answer as soon as may be. I think he demands an unreasonable price for his Cannon & I believe the price is not so high in England as you mention, but as they are like to cost so much by the pound, I think they should be made as light as will Answer. Now I observe that Mr. Byers’ 6 pounders weigh one hundred & an half more than the English ones which is an exceeding great Odds. I wish to know whether this is accidental or by design fearing they would not be 250strong enough if made lighter. But I may not trouble you with these matters now your mind is so engaged to entertain your new visitors. I trust you will treat them in a very polite manner & whatever they may say of the Cookery be sure give them their Bellies full. Hoping soon to hear of yr. good Success, I am yr. Friend & hble. Servt.,
P.S. I have wrote Mr. Byers to come to Philada. Please to Seal his Letter & Send it him.
I rec’d yours of July 5th. & the declaration for which I thank you for I have been Longing to See it this Some time.1 I was in hopes that when Independence was declared you would return but by your Letter I find I am once more disappointed. You Say you Long to See our next Generation. I Should be as highly gratified as you would but I Belive we Shall both walk with Cains before that time. Last week I Spent at Swansey with friend Bowers. I had a very agreable visit. I Cared Charles & he was much admired. Mr. Bowers Said he Should be very glad if you had been with me but he hoped when you return:d to see us at his house. I Sent to Boston by the docter for Linnen but their is not any to be had. I feel very uneasy about it for I am in great want of it for the Children as well as for you.
I desined to finish my Letter Last night but Major Otis’s Daughters Came to Spend the evening with me. You say you write more perticular than I do. From thence I may Conclude that my Letters are of but Little value for I am Sure I write ten Lines to your one. If you ware Sick I Should hear of it but you Sildom write of your welfare. We have mowed our Grass but it has been So dry here this Summer that we have not So much hay this year. If you think you Shall be at home next winter I will buy hay now for I Can have it Cheaper now than in fall. Freelove Send duty & desire you would fulfill your promis 251that is to marry her which I Suppose She will be in the fall. Brother Jonathan had a Son born Last week & docter is expecting one in a Short time. I desire to be thankfull that I ant in that row this year.2 Our family are well. Bobe & Sally Send their duty to you & are Longing to See papa. Their often talking about the Little dog. I am your ever mindfull & affectinate,
Father & mother desires to be remember’d to you. Father fails very much he is So much alter’d you hardly think twas him.
Letter not located. RTP’s only surviving comment on the Declaration of Independence was his diary entry for July 4, which read simply: “Cool. The Independence of the States voted & declared.”
The son born to Jonathan and Hannah (Beal) Cobb died in infancy on Aug. 29, 1776. Mary Cobb (1776–1851), the sixth child of Dr. David and Eleanor (Bradish) Cobb, was born at Taunton, July 26, 1776. She married Col. John Black and lived at Ellsworth, Maine (Whittemore, Memorials of the Massachusetts Society of the Cincinnati, 108).