Your misfortune in falling through the ice was greater than your loss of reputation as a steady young man, greater than you suffered in health by drinking good wine, and even exceeded any inconvenience from that "Busy dog Cupid." Indeed falling into the water will as well cool one's courage this extended season as the lover's leap over a 90 foot precipice. I don't say the acre would be as permanent. I however did your messages faithfully. I drank tea with B―y, D--s. I do assure you the remembrance was acceptable-a blush suffused itself over that lovely face, & the fire of Heaven hardly is more dazzling than her Eyes. The other object of your particular attentions J-y, K--x received with a diffident smile the favourable mention of her by Colonel Webb. "Impossible he should think of me. It must be my sister"—with a hesitation as if she feared I shouldn't recollect my mistake. I wish these were all the impressions you have given or received. Affairs at Ten Hills are in a sad train and your friend must Pink Morris, suffocate himself with the smell of tar or twist a strand or two of tar and hang himself. Lucky for me, however, if I can transfer my affections & sip the sweets from flowers promiscuously, or if you please can buzz like the diligent bee from Pink to Rose and anon to the violet, though could I meet with a real honeysuckle, I could draw the sweets for life. A sly fox this Morris and an old soldier, for whilst I thought he was manoeuvreing on the banks of the N. River or the Dee, he carried on his operations on Charles River. God bless her, I believe she is a good girl, but I am not sufficiently acquainted to know her merits personally. I shall never love her less for being Morris, Mrs. Webb or any other mistress. I must repeat my acknowledgements to you and the Captain for your kind invitations. If I come into the vicinity of your mansion or quarters, some very uncommon circumstance must occur to prevent my calling upon you the first in my list. We had the most brilliant assembly last evening that has been known for many years; Such a blaze of beauty almost overpowered the senses. Poor little Innocents-not a soul of them put on their holiday countenance to harm any one, not a soul of them, and now they dress, but only look pretty because 'tis fashionable, but eno' of the little villains. They are as much plague as profit nine times in ten. I suppose you are preparing for headquarters. May you find things agreeable, and with compliments to all friends. S. B. WEBB. Subscribe, Your humble Serv't, SAM'L A. OTIS. Sam'l Otis' Letter. onit BOSTON, Feb'y 8, 1780. DEAR COLO-We have got into a confounded scrape by opening a correspondence with me. I shall persecute you with my letters in every corner of the world. This is a business letter as was my last, but I have no disposition to let you off with them. In reserve I have a sheet or two to be filled with Têté á Têté or nothing. Webb, in truth whilst the politician plods, whilst the warrior deals blood and slaughter around him, whilst the old and new Empires perform their revolution, I can amuse myself with harmless chat, decent hilarity & the Revolutions of the tea table. But to business. You may as well attempt to snatch dear Polly from S. Nicolson as get his Canteens, and I suppose his promise was at a gay late hour. The wine from Williams & Cask of to Col. Smith's Care. comes with this One unlucky circumstance attends my correspondents. They can't read half I write, but I can only say, it being some trouble to write, you must put up with the trouble of reading, being Your most Humble Serv't, Col. S. B. WEBB. SAM'L A. OTIS. Mr. Otis' Compliments to Col. Webb, is anxious for every concern of his friend & wishes particularly to know if he has found the sharp pointed penknife." Mr. O. wrote yesterday by Post. Boston. Feb'y 29th, 1780. 261 Sam'l Otis to Col. S. B. Webb. Creighton Webbe BOSTON, 28th Feb'y, 1780. MY DEAR SIR:-This acknowledges your fav'rs of 9th & 21st Feb'y, which yielded me a real pleasure; for, without flattery my dear Col., there seems to be such a soldierly frankness about you, that I regret my not before having an intimacy with you, and am determined in this way to redeem lost time. You judged rightly about the canteens. Either Brimmer wanted them or other inducements made him oppose the sending them, at least this my conjecture upon recollecting some reluctance in this matter upon the occasion. At any rate all my persuasion was vain. Nicholson is married, gone to sea, & to my mortification my friend is disappointed. By the way, after my compliments to Maj. Burnet, let him know I have not received a letter he refers to in his of 7th Feb'y, but will do all possible in compliance when I see it, but he will observe the clothing to be drawn by the staff must be from the Clo'r General or sub-clothier upon the certificate from the principal, of which by recurring to the resolve of November he will be convinced. Your commission to the sweet girls have to my utmost executed. Pretty villains, just calculated to plague mankind, unless they have experience enough to play the old soldier. What a genius is Morris. He makes love to everything pretty, but I think Ny has him fast. I like it well. There is no competition. With a thousand good qualities she never Whenever I meet with one who does will touched my heart. Being Your assured friend & humble serv't, SAM'L W. OTIS. S-1 Wte & Witty all off. She is Erstine and Livingstone went off on Sunday last. You to think me whimsical to be in love with Nicolson's wife. charming, but I am a day too late. Sleepy fellow that I am. S. B. WEBB. Copied 2 Folio, 26 5/ 262 General Parsons to Col. Samuel B. Webb. August 16, 1777. SIR-You will have your command paraded in the street in front of Col. Wylly's Regt. at 12 o'clock, provided with arms, 30 Founds of ammunition and 3 days' provision, & march to Crampond, where you will open the enclosed, which will give you further directions. Those you will communicate to no man until Ms. Laidlerd вори 18 28 Gen'l Parsons' Letter. 10th May, 1778. DEAR SIR-I have enclosed you the crisis No. 5 the Draft of a bill once read in one House of the British Parliament, which is called the Conciliatory Plan of the British Minister; the answer of Congress refusing to treat on any other conditions than an unconditional acknowledgement on the part of Great Britain of the independence of the States. Also the terms of the treaty with France, I should have sent you, but have mislaid them. The substance you may find in the enclosed Hand Bill; Be patient. I hope you will soon find that Peace restored to these States which every good man wishes to be both lasting & honorable. Your friends are well. My comp's to your fellow Prisoners. I am, d'r s'r, Y'r ob't serv't, Col. WEBB. SAM'L H. PARSONS. General Parsons' Letter. FAIRFIELD, 21st Aug., 1777. 2 Folio 26. On the present Expedition, 'tis of ye first Importance to the suc- Property. Not the least article is to be taken but by orders. We S. W. PARSONS, al le. r Colo. S. B. Webb. Brig. Gen'l Commanding. General Parsons' Letter. PEEKSKILL, 27th Oct., 1777. DEAR SIR-The two weeks past have been disagreeably spent in a dead post at Peekskill, but I am now relieved from the disagreeable necessity of continuing longer here. Oysters & Blackfish will soon be my lot. I hope to take a comfortable nap to-morrow night, or beat the Bush in which dwell some of the fairest Birds. I want nothing now but my Brigade. If Col. Webb could find means to join it, it would be very agreeable to see him. I am, Dear Sir, Yr. Obedt. h. Serv't, P. S.-Remember my Hat, being now destitute of a decent cne. |