Page:Letters of John Andrews.djvu/71

 LETTERS OF JOHN ANDREWS. 65

extraordinary treatment, he would take it personally; — in conse- quence of which resolution, about noon this day, he made up to Colonel Cleveland of the train and Captain Montresor, Engineer, who were standing together in the main Street, just above Liberty tree, and inquir'd if the former was not Colonel Maddison. lie understood they said yes (but they told him no), and being provided with a pair of pistols loaded with bullets, he presented one at Colonel ( '/< veland's head and the other at Captain Montresor 's. It very luckily happen'd that the former flash'd in the pan, and the other only snap'd. Disap- pointed at his ill success, or rather diabolical scheme, he seiz'd and drew the former's cutlass out of its sheath, and made a stroke at his head. The Colonel elevated his arm, and fortunately receiv'd the blow upon one of the buttons on the sieve of his coat, which diverted the edge in such a manner, as that the blade glanced down by the side of his head and gave him only a small wound in the neck, and splitt the favorable button in two. Captain Montresor ran behind a cart to escape his fury, upon which he flung the pistols at him and run off flourishing the Colonel's cutlass, and proceeded directly to Cam- bridge and went into the room where the jirnrincitrf Congress were sit- ting, and told them he had got one of the swords that Lord North had sent over to kill 'em with. When they came to know what he had been doing, they immediately sent for an officer and committed him.

October 10th. By the return of Revere, am a little easier in regard to matters, as I hope the resolves of the Continental Congress, brought by him, will have some influence upon the councils of the provincial one, and check their impetuous zeal.

October 20th. This day the trial came on before the court of Ad- mirality respecting the seizure of a Mud scow for (hiring to conv< y a few effects over to an Island, within the limits of the harbour. The Admiral, conscious of his having done wrong, and apprehensive that judgment would be gave against him, made interest to have the court adjourn' d without any reasonable plea — but at the same time told the injur' d owner he might, if he would, take the scow, &ca., again. They likewise let a boatload of wood come up from Hingham, and told the skipper he might have brought it up ever since the harbour had been shut, if he had not been a fool — as d — d a lye as ever was told — when they've all along prevented even the produce of the islands within the harbour being brought up to town, such as potatoes, &ca. Am told they find it difficult to get a supply of wood for the troops,

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