York Town May 3d. 1778
Dear Sir
Your Favour of Novr. 241 was Yesterday delivered to me; and I feel myself greatly obliged by the affectionate and honorary Terms in which you speak of my Sufferings, my regained Liberty and my Engagement in the Service of my Country.
In the month of October 1775 I used the Freedom of writing to you from Boston Prison by a Mr. William Powel who had also in Charge some Papers to enable you to stigmatize the mean Cruelties of Gage who was then quitting his Command. But the Papers which I afterwards sent to you from Halifax Jail by an amiable Lady afforded proofs of scientific Barbarity in Howe which tended to obliterate the Memory of what I had endured under his Predicessor. I had the Imagination, at that Time, of pursuing those Men personally to Europe, but when I heard my Countrymen had wisely declared Independency, I felt myself instantly repaid for all my Losses & bodily Injuries. I will not endeavour to cons[ ] that I am governed, at this Day, by [ ] Motives of the most laudible Patriotism. I am not anxious to disavow a Degree of the Spirit of Retaliation which our Enemies seem to have been industrious to excite in us. It would be false affectation of universal Benevolence to say I lament the present Disgrace of Britain. Whether she mends upon it or not, I must rejoice at it, though upon different Principles.
As your worthy Brothers will be particular to you in Addition to public Letters, I will only add my Congratulations upon the present Alliance with France, and close by assuring you of my most sincere Wishes for your personal Felicity, being, Sir, your obliged, humble Servant,
James Lovell
Receiver's copy, Houghton Library, Harvard University.
1 Lee's November 24, 1777, letter has not been found, but for his July 28, 1778, response to Lovell, see Richard Henry Lee, Life of Arthur Lee, LL.D. 2 vols. (Boston: Wells and Lilly, 1829), 2:143