July 22/23, 1775
TO MAJOR CANE IN BOSTON, ON HIS MAGISTY'S SARVICE
I HOPE THIS WILL REACH YOU; THREE ATTEMPTS HAVE I MADE WITHOUT SUCCESS. IN EFFECTING THE LAST, THE MAN WAS DISCOVERED IN ATTEMPTING HIS ESCAPE, BUT FORTUNATELY MY LETTER WAS SEWED IN THE WAIS[T]BAND OF HIS BREECHES. HE WAS CONFINED A FEW DAYS, DURING WHICH TIME YOU MAY GUESS MY FEELINGS. BUT A LITTLE ART AND A LITTLE CASH SETTLED THE MATTER.
'TIS A MONTH SINCE MY RETURN FROM PHILADELPHIA. I WENT BY THE WAY OF PROVIDENCE TO VISIT MOTHER. THE COMMITTEE FOR WARLIKE STORES MADE ME A FORMAL TENDER OF 12 PIECES OF CANNON, 18 AND 24 POUNDERS, THEY HAVING TO A PREVIOUS RESOLUTION TO MAKE THE OFFER TO GENERAL WARD. TO MAKE A MERIT OF MY SERVICES, I SENT THEM DOWN AND WHEN THEY RECEIVED THEM THEY SENT THEM TO STOUGHTON TO BE OUT OF DANGER, EVEN THO' THEY HAD FORMED THE RESOLUTION AS I BEFORE HINTED OF FORTIFYING BUNKER'S HILL, WHICH TOGETHER WITH THE COWARDICE OF THE CLUMSY COL GERRISH AND COL SCAMMON, WERE THE LUCKY OCCASION OF THEIR DEFEAT. THIS AFFAIR HAPPENED BEFORE MY RETURN FROM PHILADELPHIA]. WE LOST 165 KILLED THEN AND SINCE DEAD OF THEIR WOUNDS; 120 NOW LIE WOUNDED. THE CHIEF WILL RECOVER. THEY BOAST YOU HAVE 1400 KILLED & WOUNDED IN THAT ACTION. YOU SAY THE REBELS LOST 1500, I SUPPOSE, WITH EQUAL TRUTH.
THE PEOPLE OF CONNECTICUT ARE RAVING IN THE CAUSE OF LIBERTY. A NUMBER FROM THIS COLONY, FROM THE TOWN OF STANFORD,[57] ROBBED THE KING'S STORES AT NEW YORK WITH SOME SMALL ASSISTANCE THE NEW YORKERS LENT THEM. THESE WERE GROWING TURBULENT. I COUNTED 280 PIECES OF CANNON FROM 24 TO 3 POUNDERS AT KING'S BRIDGE WHICH THE COMMITTEE HAD SECURED FOR THE USE OF THE COLONIES. THE JERSIES ARE NOT A WHIT BEHIND CONNECTICUT IN ZEAL. THE PHILADELPHIANS EXCEED THEM BOTH. I SAW 2200 MEN IN REVIEW THERE BY GENERAL LEE, CONSISTING OF QUAKERS & OTHER INHABITANTS IN UNIFORM, WITH 1000 RIFFLE[58] MEN & 40 HORSE WHO TOGETHER MADE A MOST WARLIKE APPEARANCE. I MINGLED FREELY & FREQUENTLY WITH THE MEMBERS OF THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS. THEY WERE UNITED, DETERMINED IN OPPOSITION, AND APPEARED ASSURED OF SUCCESS.
NOW TO COME HOME; THE OPPOSITION IS BECOME FORMIDABLE; 18 THOUSAND MEN BRAVE & DETERMINED WITH WASHINGTON AND LEE AT THEIR HEAD ARE NO CONTEMPTIBLE ENEMY. ADJUTANT GENERAL GATES IS INDEFATIGABLE IN ARRANGING THE ARMY. PROVISIONS ARE VERY PLENTY. CLOATHS [sic] ARE MANUFACTURING IN ALMOST EVERY TOWN FOR THE SOLDIERS. TWENTY TONS OF POWDER LATELY ARRIVED AT PHILADELPHIA, CONNECTICUT & PROVIDENCE. UPWARDS OF 20 TONS ARE NOW IN CAMP. SALT PETRE IS MADE IN EVERY COLONY. POWDER MILLS ARE ERECTED AND CONSTANTLY EMPLOYED IN PHILADELPHIA & NEW YORK. VOLUNTEERS OF THE FIRST FORTUNES ARE DAILY FLOCKING TO CAMP. ONE THOUSAND RIFFLE2 MEN IN (2 OR 3 DAYS RECRUITS)[59] ARE NOW LEVYING TO AUGMENT THE ARMY TO 22 THOUSAND MEN. TEN THOUSAND MILITIA ARE NOW APPOINTED IN THIS GOVERNMENT TO APPEAR ON THE FIRST SUMMONS.
THE BILLS OF ALL THE COLONIES CIRCULATE FREELY AND ARE READILY EXCHANGED FOR CASH. ADD TO THIS THAT, UNLESS SOME PLAN OF ACCOMMODATION TAKES PLACE IMMEDIATELY, THESE HARBOURS WILL SWARM WITH PRIVATEERS. AN ARMY WILL BE RAISED IN THE MIDDLE PROVINCES TO TAKE POSSESSION OF CANADA. FOR THE SAKE OF THE MISERABLE CONVULSED EMPIRE, SOLICIT PEACE; REPEAL THE ACTS OR BRITAIN IS UNDONE. THIS ADVICE IS THE RESULT OF WARM AFFECTION TO MY KING & TO THE REALM. REMEMBER, I NEVER DECEIVED YOU. EVERY ARTICLE HERE SENT YOU IS SACREDLY TRUE.
THE PAPERS WILL ANNOUNCE TO YOU THAT I AM AGAIN A MEMBER FOR BOSTON. YOU WILL THERE SEE OUR MOTLEY COUNCIL. A GENERAL ARRANGEMENT OF OFFICES WILL TAKE PLACE, EXCEPT THE CHIEF WHICH WILL BE SUSPENDED BUT FOR LITTLE WHILE TO SEE WHAT PART BRITAIN TAKES IN CONSEQUENCE ON THE LATE CONTINENTAL PETITION. A VIEW TO INDEPENDENCE GR[OWS] MORE & MORE GENERAL. SHOULD BRITAIN DECLARE WAR AGAINST THE COLONIES, THEY ARE LOST FOREVER. SHOULD SPAIN dECLARE AGAINST ENGLAND, THE COLONIES WILL DECLARE A NEUTRALITY WHICH WILL DOUBTLESS PRODUCE AN OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE LEAGUE BETWEEN THEM. FOR GOD'S SAKE PREVENT IT BY A SPEEDY ACCOMMODATION.
WRITING THIS HAS EMPLOYED A DAY. I HAVE BEEN TO SALEM TO RECONNOITRE, BUT COULD NOT ESCAPE THE GEESE OF THE CAPITOL. TOMORROW, I SET OUT FOR NEWPORT ON PURPOSE TO SEND YOU THIS. I WRITE YOU FULLY, IT BEING SCA[R]CELY POSSIBLE TO ESCAPE DISCOVERY. I AM OUT OF PLACE HERE BY CHOICE; AND THEREFORE, OUT OF PAY, AND DETERMINED TO BE SO UNLESS SOMETHING IS OFFERED IN MY WAY. I WISH YOU COULD CONTRIVE TO WRITE ME LARGELY IN CYPHER, BY THE WAY OF NEWPORT, ADDRESSED TO THOMAS RICHARDS, MERCH[ANT].[60] INCLOSE IT IN A COVER TO ME, INTIMATING THAT I AM A PERFECT STRANGER TO YOU, BUT BEING RECOMMENDED TO YOU AS A GENTLEMAN OF HONOUR, YOU TOOK THE LIBERTY TO INCLOSE THAT LETTER, INTREATING ME TO DELIVER IT AS DIRECTED; THE PERSON, AS YOU ARE INFORMED, BEING AT CAMBRI[D]GE. SIGN SOME FICTITIOUS NAME. THIS YOU MAY SEND TO SOME CONFIDENTIAL FRIEND IN NEWPORT, TO BE DELIVERED TO ME AT WATERTOWN. MAKE USE OF EVERY PRECAUTION OR I PERISH.
For the most part, punctuation has been added. Church only occasionally suggested punctuation, mostly some apostrophes and a few periods.
Paragraphing has been arbitrarily introduced for readability, based on major changes in topics discussed.
Numbers have been spelled out only when they start sentences.
Ampersands have been used as deciphered.
[57] Church probably misspelled Stamford, Connecticut.
[58] Church used two Fs; the deciphered letter used the currently accepted spelling with one F. Interestingly, General Washington also spelled rifle with two Fs in his letter to Congress on the matter.
[59] Parentheses were placed around "2 or 3 days recruits" in the deciphered letter; there is no hint of punctuation in the original cryptogram which might help clarify Church's intended meaning.
[60] The deciphered letter contained the ANT.