Page:A memoir of Granville Sharp.djvu/26

22 On 28th July, 1775, accounts reached the Ordnance Board, at Westminster, of the battle of Charlestown, near Boston, and Granville Sharp, immediately making known to his superiors in office, his sentiments in relation to the contest, and his repugnance to all war, took a furlough of two months, in hopes that peace might yet be restored. The following extract from a letter, as his furlough was expiring, to Mr. Boddington, the officer in charge of the department, is quite in character: "Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland, 26th Sept. 1775; Dear Sir—As the term of my absence will expire in a few days, and there is not yet any change of public measures respecting America, though the petition lately brought over by Mr. Penn, had given me some hopes of it, I now begin to be anxious about my own particular situation; for, as my opinions on that subject are established, I cannot return to my ordnance duty, whilst a bloody war is carried on, unjustly as I conceive, against my fellow subjects: and yet, to resign my place, would be to give up a calling, which by my close attendance to it for nearly eighteen years, and by my neglect of every other means of subsistence during so long a period, is now become my only profession and livelihood," &c. His furlough was readily prolonged; but on 10th April, 1777, all hopes of peace having ceased, he finally resigned his office. Thus stood the protector of the helpless, destitute himself of the means of subsistence. But his brothers, James and William, proved brothers indeed. They revered that sacred sense of duty which had deprived him of a handsome provision, and they strove together to compensate his loss. His company, always a treasure to them, was now doubly dear, and for several years he became their companion and guest. The following lines, some time previously, were addressed to him byPayne, Esq., one of the Directors of the Bank of England: