of y hurrey of bussiness you are now in long epistles are unseasonable. Yet permit me to add a few words which you may peruse at your leisure. Goe on, Great Sr, in y strength and under ye banner of the Lord of Host. Tis not by numbers that I hope you think to conquer. But to them to whom ye arm of the Lord shall be revealed. I beleive no expedition ever will be ine [any?] more accompanied with more ardent & fervent prays (to God) then this, y' you S', may be directed to such measures as may be to yo honour and glory of God. For tis he that giveth wisdom and ubraideth not. Tis strongly imprest on my mind yt you will have ye hon of taking that strong cididale. And how sweet and pleasant will it be to you to be the person under God that shall reduce and pull down that stronghold of Satan, and sett up the kingdome of our exalded Saviour. O, that I could be with you and dear M1 Moodey in that single church to destroy y images their sett up, and ye true Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ their preached. My wife who is loe and under confinement, yet is so spirrited in y° affair on y taking of yo comand that she is very willing all her sons shall wait on you, tho' it is outwardly much to our damage, one is already enlisted, and know not but their may be more. She sends her duty to you, and tells me as long as she has life she shall impotunatly pray for you. I have attended ye enlisments by your officers here, but am surprised att y conduct of Cpt Cutter. I am, Hond

S

Your most obedient freind and very humble ser*.

JOHN GRAY.

JOHN OSBORNE✶ TO WILLIAM PEPPERRELL.

On his Majesties Service. To the Honble William Pepperrell, Esq", Brigadier General, &c., in Kittery.

re

HONBL SIR, Your favour of 18th currant we ceived. The sloop mentioned as come round to Boston the Comtee have taken up for a transport. We are much pleased to hear of the prospect your Honour has of so many brave soldiers from your regiment, and as every thing is in a great forwardness, and almost ready for departure, as we imagine your Honour will be particularly informed by his Excellency, we presume we shall very soon have the pleasure of seeing you here. The ship and snow mentioned in our former letter, wch are at Rhode Island, are engaged and coming round to Cape Ann to join the other force. The new ship (the Massachusetts, Cap Tyng) is in great forwardness, and will be ready in season, as will also Capt Snelling's ship, and we imagine every part of the expedition may be compleat for departing by the beginning of next week at furthest. We are continually exerting yourselves [sic] in the affair, and are, Honble Sr,

Y' very hum. servt.

In the name of the Comtee.

BOSTON, Feb 26th, 1744.

JOHN OSBORNE.

MOSES PEARSON† TO WILLIAM PEPPERRELL.

FALMOUTH, February 27th, 1744.

HOND SIR,- In obediance to yr Honor's command I take this, being the first, opertunity to let you know I

* Hon. John Osborne was a prominent merchant and citizen of Boston, serving in various civil capacities, and for thirty-two years was a member of the Council. At this time he was chairman of the Committee of War. He died Aug. 27, 1768, aged eighty years. See Whitmore's Mass. Civil List, pp. 54-61; Reports of Record Commissioners, passim; Roberts's Hist. of Anc. and Hon. Artil. Co., vol. ii. p. 122. — Eds.

† Moses Pearson was born in Newburyport in 1697, and settled in Falmouth in 1728 or

got home the 25th instant; since which I have inlisted twelve able-bodyed men. My being from home, Cpt Noble, Cpt Moody, and Cpt Cuter with some others teling people I had got a full company at Newbury and did not intend to return to Falmouth, but proceed to Boston, induced a nomber on whome I most depended to list with the sd Captens, so that men are not plenty; but I hope within 4 or five days to make up the nomber thurty or more, and take the first opertunity to Boston. I am Y' Honour's most obedant humble sert.

MOSES PEARSON.

Pos. Scrip. Colonal Waldow at Bideford informed me Cp Cuter wold have no commition and incuerdge me I had opertunity to take the men he inlisted at Falmouth. If so I shall be able to make up a company in a short time. I am, Hond. Sir,

Yours;

Ms PEARSON.

JOTHAM ODIORNE, JR.,* TO WILLIAM PEPPERRELL. To the Honerable Brigadeer General Wm Pepperell in Kittry. PORTSM, Febr 27th, 1744.

SIR,Itt is with great reluctancy that I take pen in hand on this great and most important subject, well knowing my own inabilitys, and nothing butt ye obedience I owe to your commands could tempt me to thus expose myselfe, butt must att ye same time beg itt may not be seen by any butt yourselfe. In confidence of which I goe

1729. He was a carpenter by trade, and became one of the most prominent citizens in Falmouth, being sheriff of the county and one of the justices of the Court of Common Pleas. See Ridlon's Saco Valley, p. 122; Whitmore's Mass. Civil List, pp. 121, 122. — Eds.

* Jotham Odiorue, Jr., was a son of the Hon. Jotham Odiorne, of Newcastle, for many years one of the Council of New Hampshire. He married a sister of Col. Meserve, and died May 19, 1751, aged 48. See Wentworth Genealogy; Brewster's Rambles about Portsmouth. - EDS.

on to say that in my opinion, under God and your undoubted conduct and courage, nothing more likely to contribute to ye desired success than despatch from New England and early arrival att a proper landing att or near Lewisbrug, and that itt is most probable that small vessells, vizt from 50 to 120 tons, att this season of yo year, will be y most safe & expeditious. As to a proper place for first and generall randevous, I judge that Country Harbour is y most sutable, being about fourteen leagues to ye westward of Cansoe, and tho there is sundry harbours between that and Cansoe, yett none so comodious and easey outlett. As to Cansoe Harbour, which some have talkt of for randevous, itt will certainly be more likely to give yo enemie intelligence of your coming, for as that harbour is made with a number of islands laying to y° eastward of ye main land, ye French often resort there in boats for guning and other occations, they may on your arrival there verry easeyly gett away undiscoured, and so carry ye news to Lewisbrug. I much approve of what you were pleased to inform me of, your intention of taking St Peters Harbour by part of your fleet in your way to Lewisbrug, which will be of good service in cutting of any intelligence from that place going any way, and att ye same time informing you of y° state of Lewisbrug, att which place on your happy arrival I cant butt think that a suden surprize to them and a bold push on our side will undoubtedly carry the point, in which under your command (would yo circumstances of my family which are verry peculiar to my disadvantage herein admit of itt) would willingly run y° risque of my life. I well know some are of quite difernt thoughts on the affair; they are for waiting for ships from abroad and troops to our assistance. Indeed, I think them of singular use and absolute necessity in case y° place is not taken in ye afores attempt. Butt as far as I can deserne, with submission to better judgments, itt would be runing a verry great risque for us

to lay still there waiting for greater strength; for as that must come from West Indies or England, or both of them, itt is easy to conceive of yo many missfortunes that may happen in such long passages with such large ships, y danger of storms, fowl winds, loss of masts, engagements with enimies, loosing company with one or other, falling into bodys of ice, and many other unforeseen or even unthought of accidents that may hapen that may even give time enough in yo season of yo year for the place to have recrutes and succours from France; for no doubt yo French well know ye consequences of, and have their hearts much sett on, this place, and in what bad circumstances itt was left in last fall. They will send them out releife so early as they may be there as soon as ever yo season of yo year will admit of itt, and if theire ships should hapen to arive theire before ours, what a forever lamented thing would this be to us.

Sir, what occations my saying even too much on this part is from last evning's conversation with sundry gentlemen, that I presume are going on ye expedition, seemed fully inclined to a regular seige, and waiting as before. A seige in that manner is a thing I must confess is what I am a stranger to, and doubt not butt many of our countrymen are likewise, and would act very awkerdly therein, who in y° former way would be as bold and good men as ye world can produce, and I belive and trust will venture theire all in yo cause, notwithstanding if itt can't be taken in ye former way I conceive itt much to y° advantage and honour of our nation and this country in perticular to keep y° ground untill ships and men shall come from England, West Indies, and New England with all the power and force possable so as not to faile, on y whole, if itt should cost us halfe our substances; butt a more short and easy conquest would no doubt be most acceptable to us, as well as more glorious to yourselfe; and now, dear Sir, I beg leave to recomend you and y