part 2
but the american refugees had made interest with the general
not to suffer us to land, and we were ordered by dawson to depart.
we interceded with him to let us stay a little longer, for we found
the expedition was progressing rapidly, and unless we could arrest
it, it would be in vain to proceed to new york. dawson by request
of general prescott, under the influence of the refugees, ordered
our immediate departure again. dr. tupper now for the first time
went on board, and in his plain blunt way, after the usual ceremony
of entry, addressed him in this manner:
"you order us to depart. we cannot be frightened away, nor will
we depart. we know the extent of your authority. you may make
a prize of our vessel, and imprison us -- much better for us to be
thus treated, than to be sent away. we came here for peace, and
you ought to encourage everything of this kind," etc. -- his reasons
made such an impression on captain dawson, that he gave us
liberty to stay as long as we pleased -- the refugee boat came sev-
eral times to us, to get us (to go) off -- we insisted on going on
shore, but they as often refused us.
after this conversation with
dawson, the boat came again, and dr. tupper insisted that he
would go on shore -- they still denied him unless he intended to
stay with them. as he was not always exact in his expressions, to
answer his purpose he says "well, i am going to stay," and almost
forcibly got into their boat, and went on shore, being satisfied that
if he could once see the general, he could in this respect destroy
the influence of the refugees. he accordingly got liberty for sam-
uel starbuck to come on shore, and the next day for me to follow.
we found it necessary to be in friendship with the refugees,
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if possible we might stop the current of their intended predatory
visit.
i got on shore in the afternoon, and found that i must wait on
general prescott. -- knowing his brittle temper, and it being in the
afternoon i almost dreaded to appear in his presence. however, let
my treatment be what it would,
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went.
i was introduced to him by one of his aids. -- he received me
very cordially, gave me his hand, and said "mr. rotch will you have
some dinner?-- i can give you good bread, though the rebels say
we have none." i thanked him saying i had dined -- "well, will
you take a glass of wine?" i answered "i have no objection if thou
canst put up with my plain way" -- the glass was filled, with his
own, and those of all the officers at table -- as a stranger intro-
duced, they all drank to me before i put the glass to my lips -- i
then observed to the general, "as i mentioned before if thou
conldst put up with my plain way, i was willing to take wine with
thee, but as we as a society disuse these ceremonies, i have always
found it best to keep to my profession, let me be in what company
i may. therefore i hope my not making a like return will not be
accepted as any mark of disrespect,
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case."
his answer was, "oh, no, if a quaker will but be a quaker,
it is all i want of him -- but----------is no quaker" -- (naming
one of our profession) and i was sorry for the cause of his remark.
after some conversation. i mentioned that i did not wish to
intrude further on his time, and rose to retire – "oh no," says he,
you must take coffee." i accordingly stopped. he was full of
conversation respecting the siege of the americans, and made it a
very trifling thing. i then mentioned (the french fleet being at
that time before the town) that twelve capital ships being before
the town we thought was much against them.
"to be sure," said he, "it is not very pleasant, hut we do not mind
them."
i then gladly got away. we applied to major winslow formerly
of plymouth to introduce its to colonel fanning who was the principal.
when we mentioned our situation, that we were likely to be
destroyed, the colonel was very high, saying we might join the
english then -- we observed that such a step would inevitably
destroy us. – "well," said he, "i have been destroyed also" -- (i be-
lieve he was governor of north carolina at the beginning of the
war) -- major winslow endeavored to soften him by representing
our peculiar situation, but there seemed little prospect of anything
favorable when we parted. they had a board of refugees estab-
lished,
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met. we accordingly attended, and found fanning very mild, and
disposed to alleviate our sufferings -- and as we proposed applying
to the commanders in new york,
Microsoft Office 2007, we asked if they would put off
their expedition, until they could know the result of our mission
there.
fanning thought this reasonable, and put the question to all the
principals there -- they readily agreed until it came to leonard,
who very reluctantly gave his assent.
we then proceeded to new york, and applied to the command-
ers, commodore sir george collier of the navy, and sir henry
clinton of the army. on representing our case to sir george, he
readily gave us an order, forbidding any british armed vessel to
take any thing out of our harbor. this was a great relief.
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