| Title: | Extract of a letter from Philadelphia to Belfast |
|---|---|
| ID | 3876 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | 1771-80/28 |
| Year | 1775 |
| Sender | unknown |
| Sender Gender | unknown |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Philadelphia, Penn., USA |
| Destination | Belfast, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | unknown |
| Recipient Gender | unknown |
| Relationship | re American colonies |
| Source | The Belfast News-Letter, Tuesday 15 to Friday 18 August, 1775 |
| Archive | The Central Library, Belfast |
| Doc. No. | 1200305 |
| Date | 15/08/1775 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 19:12:00. |
| Word Count | 775 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | BELFAST. The Public may depend on the authenticity of the following extract of a letter from a lady in Philadelphia to her correspondent in this town, dated June 30, 1775. " We had a passage of six weeks, and the worst weather I ever saw. You may easily guess my surprise on arrival here to find the whole town in the utmost confusion, an entire stop on all trade, and the people busied in learning the military exercise. The inhabitants of this place are divided into three battalions or regiments, with each their light infantry; their uniforms are very handsome: The first battalion's is a brown faced with buff, and our young Quakers are the infantry belonging to this regiment; their uniform is a lively blue faced with buff, small hats with a black feather, and are in general very pretty young men. The second battalion wear brown faced with scarlet; their infantry have a dark blue turn'd up with scarlet, and gold hatbands. The third battalion is reckoned by far the most genteel; their cloathing [clothing?] is also brown, faced with white, and white ribband hatbands; their light infantry wear a sprightly green faced with white, small black caps with black feathers, and are all young men only Captain Blair, and a few others: having practised more, they go through their exercise better than any of the others, but considering the little time they have had, (which is only about seven weeks) they all do remarkably well. I forgot to tell you that all except the infantry wear in their hats small bucks tails to denote their being Americans. The three regiments consist of about two thousand men. Beside these we have one troop of light horse, a train of artillery, a company of rangers, and another of rifle men, clothed in the most antick [antique?] dress you can imagine, of tann'd linen made like shirts or frocks, and mocko skins [moccasins?], resembling the Indians, down to their heels; they each have a gun, bayonet, and hatchet, and thus equipped they go on a fine open plain just out of the town, called the Common, and exercise every other evening. " We had a review of our men on last Monday was eight days. General Washington, who is appointed commander in chief of all the provincial forces in America, review'd them, and expressed the greatest satisfaction. In short, in my opinion, 'tis the most melancholy fight i ever beheld to see so many men, both rich and poor, struggling for their liberty; even the principal men of the town are common soldiers, and men far beneath them, if thought capable, are appointed officers over them. There have been several engagements already at Boston, but through the merciful interposition of providence, who seems to fight for us, we have as yet come off conquerors with only the loss of a few, in comparison with what English are slain: Should they get the better, which heaven forbid! our poor unhappy country must groan under the weight of oppression and slavery. We daily expect ships of war here, and if their coming is not prevented, which they are taking every possible means to do, this once flourishing city must be laid in ashes. A little time must now determine the event. Should the Almighty permit the victory to be ours, we shall again enjoy liberty, and peace will smile on this once happy land. The whole of the country are in the same confusion as we are here; every little town or village has its regiment of men, and the name of TORY is scarcely to be heard of: A genteel coat of Tar and Feathers is the reward of such. The same day we came here, arrived a Captain McCulloch from London, and brought passenger with him one Major Skeene, who designed to go to Boston with intelligence to General Gage; but our people prevented him, by securing him for some time in the town, and keeping a guard both day and night: He is now out on a parole of honour and will be so I suppose for some time. You will undoubtedly laugh at me when I assure you I often wish to be a man; with what pleasure would I take up arms with my brave countrymen, and like them, glory in fighting for my liberty. It is a common remark that Lord North has done what all the men in England never before did, in making the Quakers take up arms. I am but a poor politician, having never dipped before into politicks [politics?], so can afford you but very little entertainment: I fear I have tired you with my long epistle, I Know not when I shall have another opportunity of writing, but be assured I shall let no one slip." |
