Page:Letters of John Andrews.djvu/57

 LETTERS OF JOHN ANDREWS. 51

Green, who has repeatedly been given over by her physicians, is now in a fair way of recovery, as almost every symptom of her tedious disorder has disappear'd — though am much afraid that Euthy is going to l»i> sick, as her very slender constitution continually exposes her to lake cold. She set out from Hingham late in the afternoon, and of consequence did not get home till between 10 ami 11 o'clock at night, by which means she has caught a very bad cold, attended with a high lever. She was let blood last Fryday. and by the appli- cation of proper medicines am in some hopes it will go oft'.

September 20th. As the fall of the year comes on, and of conse- quence the days prow shorter, I find less leisure to write as well as less subject to write upon. The first thing which saluted my eyes this morning was six loads of straw (a certain prelude to more troops) repositing in a house and barn directly opposite us (formerly improv'd as barracks) to be in readiness for their use when they arrive. Last evening six or seven iron cannon were taken by some of the towns people from near Jno. Timmins' store, and put into a mudscow, or Portsmouth pleasure boat, with a view to carry up Cam- bridge river by the way of the Mill Pond; but the tide failing 'em in the creek, they were oblig'd to leave them there, where they were discover'd, and information sent to the Admiral, who sent a boat about 11 o'clock this forenoon and tow'd 'em along side his -hip. Thus you may (iud thieving is encourag'd here, though trade is sup- press'd.

v tember 21st. Am told this morning that Enoch Brown (who lives on the Neck) was passing the evening before last to his house near the encampment of the 59th, when he was abus'd by one of the centinels. He enter'd his complaint to the officer (the only resource to be had now, since we are redue'd to a state of nature) who ac- quainted him, if he would attend the court-martial on the morrow, he should have satisfaction. He accordingly attended yesterday, but instead of that, he met with the most scurrilous abuse. The officers who sat a- arbitors ask'd him what he wanted? He replv'd that he came to have satisfaction for the insult otfer'd him the night before. They told him " there was the soldier : he might take it by boxing or pistolling with him, which he pleas'd ; that he was a dam'd rebel, and would be hung upon the Neck before long; that nine tenths of the people in Boston were a pack of dam'd rebels, and would share the same fate." He had taken two evidences with him ; one, a young fellow who attended his store, and the other a son of Nat. Barber's

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