hm_jollies | Letters from war, Pt. 1 (Reply)

From The Lost War: Letters from British Officers during the American Revolution.

Two letters from Lieutenant William Feilding (Marine adjutant) to Lord Denbigh.

						Boston June 1775

My Lord

    I take the opportunity to acquaint your Lordsp. by the Cerberus
(who lately arrived with the general Officers¹) that we arrived here
the 22d. of May after a very disagreeable passage of 7 weeks with
very hard hard gales of wind. We were much surprized to find a dif-
ferent face of affairs to what we expected, the inhabitants having left
the Town & retired to their estates in the Country, many of whom (I
am told) were under a necessity of so doing to preserve their property,
as the Yankeys had threatened destruction to all Estates belonging to
persons who wished well to the British Government, but far the great-
est part of them are inveterate Enemies to the Mother Country. I sup-
pose yr. Ldsp has heard ere this of the attack on the Troops on the
19th of Apr. last² & make no doubt that the American Writers will do all
in their power to make the public believe that the Troops went out on
purpose to attack them & that we were the first that fired; they have
endeavoured to do so in this country by a number of Affidavits which
they have published from people who were not at the attack: but your
Lordsp. may be assured that these reports are entirely false, as our
Troops acted on the defensive. The Grenad[iers] & light Infantry
under the command of Col. Smith & Maj. Pitcairn³ were ordered to
Concord to destroy a Magazine: which they did; & on their return 
were attacked the whole way by numbers who fired out of houses,
thro bushes & over stone Walls, but did not destroy so many of ours
as might be expected from their situation, as they fired entirely under
cover & wou'd never attack openly. The Rebels are now close to our
lines & will not suffer any fresh provisions to be brought into the 
Town so that Communication with the Country is shut up. The
whole winter the Town abounded with all kinds of fresh provisions &
extremely cheap but now it is quite the contrary: not even a bit of
vegetables is to be seen tho they are in the greatest quantity in the
Country. The Rebels centries & Ours are so close that they sometimes
talk to each other. They burn & destroy every thing on the Islands in
the Harbour to destress us. Our Troops I believe would be very glad
to give them a good drubbing as they are upon all occasions firing at
us (particularly at the Glasgow who lies between shores⁴) but without
effect as they want to provoke her to fire. In all the American papers
they exalt much at the victory which they say they have gained over
the Parliament Troops, as they call us & themselves the King's loyal
& faithful subjects. Our Numbers killed & wounded they multiply to
thousands, but if thousands were on any side it was theirs: tho it is
supposed they lost considerably less than 1000. Our Troops are pretty
healthy & are encamped on the common round the Town & have lost
very few men by desertion. My time as Adjutant is far from being
idle. I do assure your Lordsp. I seldom sit down to dinner: however I
am happy in a good state of health & have not as yet found the least
inconvenience from being fatigued or wet in my tent as we have had
some very heavy showers. I have sent your Lordsp. a printed account
of the attack on our Troops & likewise the resolution of the Congress.
I shall write by all opportunities.

1 - Major Generals William Howe, John Burgoyne, and Henry Clinton
2 - Lexington and Concord
3 - Lieutenant Colonel Francis Smith of the 10th Regiment and Major John Pitcairn of the Marines
4 - Between Boston and Charlestown

					Charles Town hill June 20th. 1775

My Lord

    I have just time to acquaint your Lordsp. that on saturday the 17th
inst. part of our Troops under the command of Genl. Howe¹ landed
at Charles Town to take a redoubt which the rebels had that morning 
thrown up; & have the satisfaction to acquaint your Lordsp. that the
bravery of our Officers & Soldiers is not to be equalled on the attack
& storming the redoubt & in following the Rebels off that peninsula².
    We have lost several men & Officers. The Account I have not been
able to get. Our Corps has suffered very much — have lost Major
Pitcairn two Captains & three Lieuts. killed, & three Captains & five
Lieuts. wounded very much. Your Lordsp. will have a better account
of it from the letters sent by the General. I hope your Lordsp. will ex-
cuse this scrall as my time is not my own.


1 - Major General the Hon. William Howe, commander-in-chief of the British army in America, 1775 - 1778
2 - The Battle of Bunker Hill