[c.8 January 1776]
. . .2 being so full as other ways I shouâd. You have seen the Kings speech, which you wouâd suppose must convince everybody of the bloody intentions of the King EL ministry, but it is far from being the case in this City; for there is a certain Ld. Drummond who persuades the tools who are gaping after a reconciliation, that he is in the secrets of the inner Cabinet, that the sincere wish is to make up with America, upon her own terms, that even Ld. Mansfield is a warm friend to our Cause. All this is so absurd, that you will say none but rank tories can pretend to beleive it & so shoud I did I not find the contrary, for you may be assured that many friends & well meaning people are taken in & wish loudly for Congress to send deputies home. Indeed I am not without my fears, that Congress may be somewhat affected.3 This day a motion was made to [. . .]4 from this measure, by myself & some others. You shoud be here as soon as possible,5 I mean with tolerable convenience to yourself, for I see no prospect of the Congress adjourning. Nine batallions are orderâd for Canada to march as quickly as they can be raised. Bullâs & Maxwellâs are two of them who go off directly.6 Montgomeries last Letter informs us of his being before Quebec, & confident of success. We have recd. 57 tons of saltpetre & 30 tons of powder; & have intelligence of a vessell with 15 tons & 2000 stand of arms which is every day expected. Yr. fleet is not yet out of the River but I believe they have Now No obstruction, Tho Virga. I believe will not receive any benefit as the pilots are sent home.7 Norfolk we hear is destroyd, but we are anxious to know the fate of the troops there.8
God bless you. Farewell,
F. L. Lee
Receiverâs copy, University of Virginia Library.
1 The date and the recipient of this letter have been conjectured from the content of Leeâs remarks.
2 The top portion of this letter is missing.
3 See Lord Drummondâs Notes, January 3 - 9? 1776, note 1.
4 MS damaged; several lines missing.
5 Richard Henry Lee, the probable recipient of this letter, did not return to Congress until early March. See JCC, 4:196; and Richard Henry Lee to George Washington, March 13, 1776.
6 See the resolutions of January 8, 1776, JCC, 4:39.
7 See Benjamin Harrison to Wilson Miles Cary, December 10, 1775.
8 On January I Norfolk was cannonaded by Dunmoreâs ships, and a landing party set fire to the warehouses along the wharf. The heaviest destruction, however, was apparently the result of fires set by Virginia troops. See Clark, Naval Documents 3:563 - 65, 579 - 80, 617 - 18; and Thomas J. Wertenbaker, Norfolk, Historic Southern Port (Durham, N.C.: Duke University Press, 1931), pp. 67 - 68.