Morris: Letter-Book of Capt. Alexander McDonald 83 



Sorely wounded, & After the Peace was reduced Captain Lieu- 

 tenant of Coll. Montgomery's. 



" After All this I married & Settled on Statten Island in the 

 Province of New York, where from the Uhappy Spirit that has 

 Actuated the Americans for Years past I had frequent Oppor- 

 tunities of doing My Duty in defending the Authority of the 

 Parent State over the Colonies as much As was possible for any 

 private Subject — As far as my inferior Judgement could enable 

 me, I Made it My business to Observe wherein the root of the 

 Evil lay, & the means fit for exterminating or Conquering it, 

 Never doubting but Matters would proceed to the present Ex- 

 tremitys, if Not in My day, at Least Not at Any distant period — 

 In time of the Stamps I ofifered Myself to the Commander in 

 Chief for any Service he might require, & thereafter began to 

 prepare for taking the part I clearly saw my duty would demand 

 & that Shortly too — In the Mean time the Methods, which have 

 been but too Successfully Used to withdraw Other Unhappy half 

 Pay Officers from their Allegiance, were Also applied to me. 



" The Temptation of a very Command was held forth, but 

 rejected with Indignation: that of peculiar Support & Interest 

 from My American allies was offered would I but remain peace- 

 able & neutral at home : to this I could not reconcile my Mind, 

 while My King and Country were reviled, & their Laws treated 

 with Contempt — And when I saw they were on the very point of 

 Commencing the Rebellion, I wrote to Major John Small, who 

 was Connected with me in all these Endeavours desiring he would 

 inform General Gage that I would join the Army with 100 good 

 men, how soon His Excellency would enable me by granting a 

 Captains Commission — The General was pleased to order Major 

 Small to return me his thanks for my Loyalty & Spirited ofifers, 

 but that Nothing could be done till further orders from home — In 

 the mean time this hint was farther improved & in place of 100 

 it was proposed to raise 500 Men to be Commanded by Major 

 Small: to which I entered with the greatest Pleasure, & it being 

 recommended home from the General we did not doubt its being 

 Adopted. 



