Went in the evening to see my nieces, who have returned from seabathing. 18. Sunday. Captain Vanderput who called, told me that he had sent from the Thames 4,781 sailors who were pressed here. He said he had known for a long time that England had promised the King of Prussia to send 12 ships of the line into the Mediterranean in the course of July if His Majesty required them. 19. Monday. Captain Prevost came to communicate to me a petition which Lord Amherst had advised him to present to the Secretary of War, which I thought very good. He told me that Mr. Prevost had failed to obtain the company which Captain Dobson had got in my regiment; that the Secretary of War had told him that as the officer who had left had obtained a company of l'ensioners, the King had ordered him to appoint a half pay Captain. Prevost's protectors are Lord Sydney and Mr. Rose, who is urged by Mrs. Nesbit who has great influence over him and a Lady Warren, &c. Prevost says he would not accept a captain lieutenancy. He has been very intimate with Prince Edward; it was he who obtained for him permission to have horses at Geneva and managed all his parties of pleasure. He has received several obliging letters and the Prince offered him a company in the Hanoverian Guards, &c. He studied for the Bar and was to be received as a doctor when the troubles in Geneva began; he took up arms in defence of the magistracy and had a uniform made for the Genevese dragoons, in which he appears as an officer. General A. Prevost procured him an ensigncy in his battalion. He joined it in 1782 in the West Indies, two months before the peace; the battalion was reduced shortly after (in June 1783), and Prevost went to Geneva where he has enjoyed half pay for five years. He was then replaced as ensign shortly after; two new battalions were raised and I did my utmost to obtain a lieutenancy for him, which cost me much trouble. He was for some time at Chatham to receive recruits. He found means to go to Geneva, where he paid his court to Prince Edward, the son of Mr. Rose and some ladies, who have recommended him here, and it is through them he hopes to obtain a company. I do not believe that he has been altogether three years with the regiment. His lieutenant's commission is dated the 25th June, 1781. He quarrelled very unseasonably with Major Whitesake [Whiteside] of the 4th Battalion, because he entered into the battalion. The latter, brother-in-law of Mrs. Lewis, must have written about it. He is generally turbulent, and wishes to direct and interfere in every thing. He desires to profit by the services of General Prevost (to the prejudice of the children), so that he may secure advancement. As to the affairs of Gibraltar, Prevost told me the Prince behaves very well. He dines once a week with O'Hara and will have (?) with him. Further, he sees him only in the evening. The Prince has a passion for horses, has the ears of the assos and mules cut, &c. O'Hara is not liked; he is too severe. He is at this moment embroiled with Colonel Mars [Marr], who is chief engineer. It seems to me that both are wrong. Sir Boyd has gone to the King to ask to go to Gibraltar. The King told him he must think of it. It is said that Lieut.-General Lenox is to take the place of Goneral Heathfield; the latter ordered that his remains are to be taken to Gibraltar. 20. Tuesday. The Baron dined with me. Went to the Secretary of War. 21. Wednesday. Was at Lord Amherst's, to whom I spoke regarding Prevost. He showed me a letter he had written, begging him to procure him a company, as he was no longer in a position to purchase. He also wished to be employed in recruiting, but we agreed that it would be more suitable that he should join his regiment. Dined at Nepean's with Admiral Pigot, General Fawcett, General Clarke and Captain Croffort [Crawford]. We stayed till eleven; spoke little about Canada. Le jeudy 22. Eté chés Lord Ambert qui me fait envoyer les Lettres qu'il a reçues du Canada sur les affaires des jesuittes, je lui ay promis d'en parler au G1 Clarck & d'en ecrire à Mr Williams. Budé, le Baron & le G1 Cammond ont dinné ches moy le dinné excellent -eté à Hamstead. Le Vendredy 23. Id Amherst ma fait visitte à 8 heure du matin pour m'invitter à aller à Mt Real. J'ay été au Levé. Le G1 Clarck ma accompagné ches moy, pr me faire plusieurs questions sur le Canada. Il me demanda si Davisson pouvoit lui convenir pr secretaire, je lui ay dit que Oui. Il souhaitte de mener deux officiers avec Lui qui Lai sont fort attachés, & il souhaittoit de savoir s'il n'y avoit point d'employe ou de revenant bon, qu'il peut leur accorder &c. Il me demandat si je croyois qu'il peut vivre dessement avec 1500 L. par année, &c. Il me promit de venir dinner ches moy Vendredy prochain. Samedy 24. Dinné ches moy fait visitte à Mrs Coore: Dimanche 25. fait visitte au Baron Alvensleben qui masseure fort amicalement & vouloit que je dinnasse avec Lui. Il etoit fort curieux de savoir si le Roy avoit nomé au Gr de Gibraltar. Il me dit lorsque je le quittay si javois quelque chose a faire dire au Roi, qu'il le verroit demain & qu'il avoit coutume de Lui demander qu'il avoit vu, & que vraysemblablemt Il lui parleroit de moy. Lundy 26. Le Capt Prevost me communiqua la requete que Ld Amhorst Lui avoit conseillé do presenter au Secretaire de la Guerre que j'approuve fort. Les Barons ont diné ches moy. Mardy 27. Mercredy 28. Je fus au Levé ou il y avoit peu de monde. Jeudy 29. Eté au Cercle qui n'étoit pas nombreux. Je parlay à Sir G. Yong au sujet de Lt Prevost il me dit qu'il avoit repondu à Mr Rose. Le Col Kemble et le Baron ont dinné ches moy. Vendredy le 30. Lord Amherst, le G1 Clarck, le Baron, Montbrifa, le Col. Amherst ont dinné ches moy. On nous a anoncé la mort du General Landon. Samedy le 31 Mr Inhubar m'est venu faire visitte et ma dit qu'il etoit sur que le Suedois etoient hors de combat-Que L'Imperatrice avoit consenti que le Roi de Hongrie fit une paix Séparée avec les Turcks, et qu'il y avoit toute apparence qu'elle se conclueroit, que le Roi de Prusse qui avoit demandé Datzick & Thorn, s'etoit relaché de ses protentions, & que le Roi d'Hongrie rendroit aux Turcks toutes les conquettes qu'il avoient faittes, de même que Belgrade. La nouvelle de la perte de la Flotte Suedoise a été annoncée aujourd'huy dans la Gazette. Il y avoit bien de l'Imprudence aux Suedois de rester aussi longtemps dans la position ou ils avaient placée Lear flotte. Cet evenement qui flatera la vauité de l'imperatrice de Russie pouroit l'engager à accorder à la Paix. Le Mj. Genn a dinné ches moy & ma fait part au sujet qui l'a appellé à Londres. On attribue au conseil d'un cape de vaisseau Anglois, l'endroit ou le Roy de Suede à mis la Flotte. Le 4e Aoust. On a reçu la nouvelle de l'avantage que le Roy de Suede a remporté sur les Budé Vanderput le Baron Regensfeld & Gunn ont dinné ches moy, 22. Thursday. Was at Lord Amherst's, who has the letters sent me which he received from Canada on the affairs of the Jesuits. I promised to speak about them to General Clarke and to write to Mr. Williams. Budé, the Baron and General Cammond dined with me. The dinner excellent. Was at Hampstead. 23. Friday. Lord Amherst paid me a visit at eight in the morning to invite me to go to Montreal. Was at the levée. General Clarke accompanied me home, to put several questions to me about Canada. He asked me if Davison would suit as bis secretary. I said yes. He wished to take two officers who are much attached to him and he wished to know if there were no office or good employment he could give them, &c. He asked me if I believed he could live respectably on £1,500 a year &c. He promised to come and dine with me on Friday next. 25. Sunday. Paid a visit to the Baron Alvensleben who received me in a very friendly manner and wished me to dine with him. He was very curious to know if the King had appointed any one to the governorship of Gibraltar, and told me, when I left him that if I had anything to be said to the King, he would see him to-morrow; that he was accustomed to ask him what he had seen and that probably he would speak of me. 26. Monday. Captain Prevost communicated to me the petition which Lord. Amherst had advised him to present to the Secretary of War, of which I strongly approved. 27, Tuesday. The Barons dined with me. 28. Wednesday. Was at the levée; very few there. 29. Thursday. Was at the Court, which was not numerously attended. I spoke to Sir George Yonge respecting Lieutenant Prevost; he said that he answered Mr. Rose. Colonel Kemble and the Baron dined with me. 30. Friday. Lord Amherst, General Clarke, the Baron, Montbrifa (?) and Colonel Amherst dined with me. General Landon's death was announced. 31. Saturday Mr. Inhubar came to pay me a visit and said that he was sure the Swedes were defeated; that the Empress had consented to the King of Hungary making a separate peace with the Turks, and that there was every appearance it would be concluded; that the King of Prussia, who had demanded Dantzic and Thorn, had given up his claims and that the King of Hungary would restore to the Turks all the conquests he had made, the same as Belgrade. The news of the loss of the Swedish fleet was announced to-day in the Gazette. It was very imprudent of the Swedes to remain so long in the position in which they had placed their fleet. This event, which will flatter the vanity of the Empress of Russia, may induce her to agree to a peace. The Major-General dined with me and told me what had called him to London. To the captain of a British vessel is attributed the advice as to the place where the King of Sweden put his fleet. 4th August. News has been received of the advantage the King of Sweden has gained over the Russians with a fleet of galleys. 8th August. General Clarke left for Quebec. 9 August. Dined at Baron Alvensleben's. 12th August. Budé, Vandeput, the Baron Regenfeld and Gunn dined with me. 1756. A. 1. BOUQUET COLLECTION. LETTER BOOK OF COLONEL H. BOUQUET. B. M. 21,631. Page 11 Rark of Provincial General and Feld Officers in North America, by Royal Warrant of George II, signed H, Fʊx. Regulation of the pay of the labourers and artificers, taken from the orderly book. 12 Earl of Loudoun to Sir Charles Hardy, New York. Difficulty of settling the command of the troops. First settlers, adventurers; difference in charters. The jealousy and attacks of the French. The pretentions of the Governors of Provinces to command the troops; the commissions issued by the King and rules made to prevent the dangers thence arising. The disputes as to giving the troops quarters in the different Provinces. 3 Lt. Col. H. Bouquet to Col. Conrad Weiser. Col. Stanwix has given Philadelphia. Biddle £100 for Capt. Busse to meet expenses of raising the 1st Batt Royal American Regiment. Trusts be (Weiser) will use his interest to raise 200 men for the defence of Carolina. 1757. April 9, 1 April 9, April 23, April 23, May 25, burgh, Vir- June 23. 8. Carolina. 2 Warrant empowering Col. Bouquet to appoint General Courts Martial. 13 Form of warrent by Col. Bouquet to appoint a President of a Court Martial. 15 John Appy, Judge Advocate, form of deputation to a Deputy Judge Advocate, of Courts Martial. Instruction to deputy judge advocate. 16 17 Bouquet to the Earl of Loudoun. Five companies of the Royal Americans sailed from Philadelphia have arrived at Hampton Roads, James River. 200 Virginians arrived here; the Assembly has agreed to complete the contingent with militia. The collecting of men and money goes on slowly in spite of Governor Dinwiddie's efforts. No news of the 200 men from North Carolina. 20 Same to the same. Provincial troops of Virginia arrived. Small pox Charlestown, broken out; Precautions. Bad water and heat have caused sickness. Nothing done to raise troops, but the Assembly return a favourable general answer to the Governor's demand. Governor Littleton's efforts and influence give hopes of success. The scarcity of men raised for the defence of the Southern Provinces The poor condition of the arms and men. The bad state of the defences for the town; proposals for strengthening them. French men of war sent to the Mississippi. One battalion of newly raised Highlanders to sail from Ireland to Charleston under Montgomery. Money matters. June 23, June 23, 21 Same to Governor Dinwiddie. Arrival on the 15th. Americans encamped. Dinwiddie's troops are in town. Governor Littleton, owing to the delay in Lord Loudonu's letters, could not take measures for raising the provincials; hopes the Assembly will grant funds for the purpose. French fleet at St. François; intended for Jamaica or this place (Charlestown). The rest of Dinwiddie's troops to be sent to Charlestown. 25 Same to General Webb (in French). His embarkation at Philadel Charlestown. phia and landing at Hampton Roads with the troops. No men yet from North or South Carolina. Littleton has convoked the Assembly, and has obtained the passage of a resolution to raise 500 beside the 200 men. |