Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 3
I have been oblig’d to omit writing you in consequence of the great trouble & attention that I have had in gitting a Military Hospital properly establish’d; for the sick of a Camp always being numerous at this Season, and Barracks but Illy affording any conveniency for ’em; that I have always thought it the Duty of Authority to provide every necessary for Hospitals when an Army is first establish’d, 284but unhappily it was never tho’t of ’till the evil of it had come upon us, when our Barracks were crowd’d with Sick and Infection communicated from one to a thousand; but at last, thro’ great fatigue, I have got it effect’d and the Sick rejoice with the conveniency of their scituation. It adds new life to the Camp.
I receiv’d your Letter of the 24th ulto.1 with papers inclos’d, for which I am much oblig’d. I wrote you in my last a perticular account of the Small pox which before this you must have receiv’d; the disorder here is almost stop’d and expect the Town will be free from it by next week. The County of Bristol, always persueing measures in opposition to their Good, have Voted not to have a Hospital in the County.
I receiv’d a Letter, some days since, from Mrs. Paine by which she appears desireous of being Inoculated if she cou’d have conveniencies; as she is in no danger, I advis’d her to rest contented a little while when probably an oppertunity wou’d offer, when conveniences of every kind might be had; at present there is no such place open’d.
A Number of prizes have been sent into the different ports of New England since my last, 4 in at Bedford, one at Cape Ann, some at the Eastward & a number at Providence, chiefly West India men. The Spirit for Privateering is got to the highest pitch of enthusiasm, almost every Vessell from 20 Tons to 400 is fitting out here; they are in great want of Guns, but with what they dig up on Wharfs and at the Corners of Streets, they have made out heretofore very well; Small Vessells are gone to Hispaniola for the Cannon of 2, 24 Gun Ships, that are now fitting for the Sea; the Owners have offer’d me 20£ per Month & 4 shairs, to take the Surgeon’s birth on board one of ’em. The Salt Petre business is still persu’d with spirit, ’tho’ the quantity that has been bro’t in since June, is but small, but when the Farming business is over we shall have it in as great plenty as ever.
You must be better acquainted with the state of our Nothern Army than we are, but least you may possibly be deceiv’d, I shall give the following Intelligence, which was communicated to me by a Gentn. who went to Ticonderoga with our Troops and came from thence but a fortnight since, viz. That the Army are very sickly indeed, numbers dieing daily, having neither Medicines, Oatmeal, Indian Meal, Barley, Rice or Sugar, that they are at an allowance of bread & pork, ’tho’ they have a plenty of Fresh Meat, on the broath of which the Sick are oblig’d to live, that the Old Army that came out of Canada are very much dishartin’d, 285but have reviv’d a little from the Numbers that have join’d them. I cou’d wish that every measure might be taken to supply that Northern Army with all possible necessaries consistant with their scituation, for their is nothing that can make the Service so disagreeable as being badly Nurs’d when sick and as badly Cloath’d & victual’d when well.
Mr. Barnum who was Chaplen to Coll. Greaton’s Regiment, dyd at Pittsfield on his return home. Thus we have lost our parson.
I have just receiv’d your Letter of the 31st ult. Do continue your favours. New York news we have here in plenty; the perticulars you must have long before us.
Your Friends are all Well as is perticularly Your Humble Servant,
Not located.
The purport of this is to acquaint you that I have been at Col: Grubb’s Furnace where I proved Two of their 12 lbrs. with 8 lb. of powder & two Shot. boath stood. Mr. Bastead had proved one of them with 12 lb. of Powder & one Shot before my arrvel. Last Saturday I left their when they had 27 twelve pounders cast, the Majore part of which looks Extreemly well & cast very Smooth a quality pecular to that Metal. An accident happened that they Brock the Gudgin of their water wheel or elce they would had several others ready. Before I left it they cast a new gudgin so they will soon be able to get a boreing again & I endevored to prevail on the Cleark to get one made at some Forge which he promissed me he would, for I have but a poor oppinion of cast Iron for such kinde of work. They have excessive hard work in boreing out their coers. I have told him Bustead of Meteirals to make them with so as they can be got out with the greatest ease which I make no doubt but he will try.
They go on with the greatest spirit & I make no doubt but will soon accomplice their contract. The greatest fault in their cannon is they are 286very large being 17 3/8 Inches at the Touchole & 11 3/4 Inches at the Muzle & I soppose will weigh about 30 C. They requested me to apply to you for a resolve of congress for Liberty to employ a number of the prisoners of war (not exceeding twelve) which if you should obtain please send it via Lancaster to be forwarded by Mathias Slough1 or Wm. Henry2 to cornwall Furnace. Working people are very scarce at present about the Furnaces’s. I remain with much Esteem your very Hble. Servt.,
P.S. When I was in Philada. last I saw some Double-headed Shot in the State-house yard the Barrs of which were large enough to over load any gun, they being 2 1/2 or 3 Inches square, And as Messrs. Rutter & Potts3 have an order to make some for Congress I have herewith sent you the size of the Barrs &c. as I calculated them for sd. R: Potts. You’ll see they are in a just Ratio with the Shot. That is they are 21/2 Diameters of the Shot long in the clear & 1/5 of a Diameter Squar. The greatest length that ever was alowd was 3 Diameters. I am &ca.
Matthias Slough was coroner and a vendue master in Lancaster, Penna., where he operated a public house under the “Sign of the Swan.” He was elected to the provincial House of Representatives in October 1773 and discontinued innkeeping in April 1776 but continued dealing in dry goods there. Slough, in partnership with George Ege and Michael Hillegas, owned the Martic Forge and Furnace near the village of Colemanville, Lancaster County, Penna. By 1792 Slough was bankrupt, and his shares were assigned to creditors (Pennsylvania Gazette, Oct. 6, 1773, Apr. 17, 1776; Forges and Furnaces in the Province of Pennsylvania [Philadelphia, 1914], 141, 142).
William Henry, a merchant of Lancaster, Pa.
Thomas Rutter and Samuel Potts, both descendants of long-time area furnace owners and operators, themselves owned and operated Warwick Furnace in Chester County; in 1778 they bought Reading Furnace (Forges and Furnaces in the Province of Pennsylvania, 74; Cremers, Reading Furnace, 1).