Morris: Letter-Book of Capt. Alexander McDonald 87 



could do But she behaved with an Uncommon degree of Courage 

 & even went so far as when they cursed the King she cursed the 

 Congress to their faces & I had the pleasure of Seeing them Since 

 well drubed Almost in Sight of my own house & after that being 

 totally dispersed so far that the Rebellion is looked upon to be 

 Settled I was order'd here Summer last was a year to the Com- 

 mand a Battalion of a New Regiment. 



" If you will be So kind as to send me three or four pipes of 

 the very best Madeira that Island ever produced I shall Send 

 you good Bills of Exchange in Return & if I had a hundred pipes 

 last Summer I could have sold them for Bills of Ex'ge at a good 

 price Amongst my brother offt'rs of the Army. I left New York 

 the Latter End of October last & brought Mrs. McDonald and the 

 Whole family here how long we are to be Stationed in this place 

 God only knows we are sure to remain till May next & Mrs. 

 McDonald will be much obliged to you if you'll send her one or 

 two Boxes Citron & a ten Gallon Keg of the very best Malmasea 

 Wine — all these things I should be glad were Sent in one of his 

 Majesty's Ships of War As I Suppose you will have an Oppor- 

 tunity of Seeing a Great Many ot them there. 



" After the affairs of America are Settled there will be no less 

 than Thirty thousand troops left in this Country w'ch will Com- 

 sume a vast Quantity of Madeira & I hope to have it in My 

 power to Serve my friends more than ever." 



Captain McDonald writes to an officer on Staten Island, June 

 II, 1777: "If you are Still on my place in Staten Island as I'm 

 inform'd your Regiment was Station'd there I will be infinitely 

 oblig'd to you if youl give every possible assistence to my Brother 

 in Law in allowing your men to work in Cultivating the farm 

 Making up the fences &c. as the place has been ruin'd by the 

 troops last Summer." 



Four days later Captain McDonald writes to William Mc- 

 Adams, residing on Staten Island, as follows : 



" I send you inclosed two Acco'ts with an order to receive their 

 Contents & keep it in your hands till you hear from Major Small 



