Philadelphia, 17 March, 1776.
Our worthy friend, Frank Dana, arrived here last evening from New York,
to which place he came lately from England in the packet. In company
with him is a gentleman by the name of Wrixon, who has been a
field-officer in the British army, served all the last war in Germany,
and has seen service in every part of Europe. He left the army some time
ago, and studied law in the Temple, in which science he made a great
proficiency. He wrote, lately, a pamphlet under the title of "The Rights
of Britons," which he has brought over with him. He is a friend of
liberty, and thinks justly of the American question. He has great
abilities, as well as experience in the military science, and is an able
engineer. I hope we shall employ him.
The Baron de Woedtke we have made a Brigadier-general, and ordered him
to Canada. The testimonials in his favor I shall inclose to you.[130]
Mr. Dana's account, with which Mr. Wrixon's agrees, ought to extinguish,
in every mind, all hopes of reconciliation with Great Britain. This
delusive hope has done us great injuries, and, if ever we are ruined,
will be the cause of our fall. A hankering after the leeks of Egypt
makes us forget the cruelty of her task-masters.
I shall suffer many severe pains on your account for some days. By a
vessel from Salem a cannonade was heard from dark till nine o'clock,
last night was a week ago. Your vicinity to such scenes of carnage and
desolation as, I fear, are now to be seen in Boston and its environs,
will throw you into much distress, but I believe in my conscience, I
feel more here than you do. The sound of cannon was not so terrible when
I was at Braintree as it is here, though I hear it at four hundred miles
distance.
You can't imagine what a mortification I sustain in not having received
a single line from you since we parted. I suspect some villainy in
conveyance. By the relation of Mr. Dana, Mr. Wrixon, and Mr. Temple, Mr.
Hutchinson, Mr. Sewall, and their associates are in great disgrace in
England. Persons are ashamed to be seen to speak to them. They look
despised and sunk.
I shall inclose an extract of a letter from Mons. Dubourg in Paris, and
a testimonial in favor of our Prussian General. Adieu.