THE SERVICES OF LIEUT.-COLONEL FRAtfCIS DOWNMAH, R.A 103 
crying of the other, and the condition everyone was in with the danger 
of the ship, made our situation excessively distressing. At length after 
three days of this dreadful kind of weather, that Providence which 
had hitherto protected us, ordained that the wind and sea should 
have some respite, which gave us an opportunity of congratulating 
each other on the recovery from such imminent danger. In this gale of 
wind the lading of the ship shifted, which gave her a considerable heel 
to one side, and as cannon was our cargo, it was impossible to remedy 
this matter at sea; we were therefore obliged to pursue our passage in this 
perilous situation. On the 4th of October, in the morning, we discovered 
land, but on our nearer approach found to our no small mortification 
that we were 30 leagues to leeward of our port, and therefore stood 
out to sea, and on the 7th October, we made the Navesink; here a 
pilot came on board of us and we brought to within side Sandy Hook, 
and remained all night. The next day, the 8th, we anchored at New 
York, 
During Lieutenant Downman 3 s first tour of service in America, 
between 1764 and 1772, the agitation resulting from the measures 
adopted in 1763, by the English Parliament to increase the revenue 
hitherto collected from the North American colonies was in full force. 
His being in Florida, far away from the principal scene of discontent 
and disaffection in Boston and Massachusetts Bay, may be the reason 
he has left no record of the events. After his return to England he 
appears to have kept up a correspondence with his relative, Colonel 
James and other friends, and he has preserved some interesting letters 
written at the out-break of the War of Independence in 1775. As we 
now come to his own experiences in the campaign of 1777, these letters 
are inserted here. 
LETTER I. 
It does not appear by whom this letter was written, but it was penned 
the day after the action on Bunker’s Hill. 
Boston, 18th June, 1775. 
We left Cork early in April, and after a very tedious and disagree¬ 
able passage of seven weeks, arrived here on the 26th of last month. 
On onr landing we found everything in the utmost confusion, partly 
arising from the murmurs of the soldiery, the difference of opinion 
among the superior officers, the want of fresh provisions, the great 
unhealthiness of the troops, and above all, the misery of the wretched 
inhabitants, destitute of food, raiment, or property. 
Yesterday morning the troops were ordered under arms at 3 o’clock, 
on a boat being sent from one of the ships of war to acquaint us that 
the rebels were raising works in order to besiege us and put us between 
a cross fire. 
The troops destined for service were landed on the Charlestown side 
between 8 and 9 o’clock, but on account of the number of rebels, the 
