University of Virginia Library

I do not feel easy more than two days together
without writing to you. If you abound, you must
lay some of the fault upon yourself, who have made
such sad complaints for letters; but I really believe
I have written more than all my sister delegates.
There is nothing new transpired since I wrote you
last, but the sailing of some transports, and five deserters
having come into our camp. One of them
is gone, I hear, to Philadelphia. I think I should be
cautious of him. No one can tell the secret designs
of such fellows, whom no oath binds. He may be

sent with assassinating designs. I can credit any
villany, that a Cæsar Borgia would have been guilty
of, or Satan himself would rejoice in. Those who
do not scruple to bring poverty, misery, slavery, and
death upon thousands, will not hesitate at the most
diabolical crimes; and this is Britain. Blush, O
Americans, that ever you derived your origin from
such a race.

We learn from one of these deserters, that our
ever valued friend, Warren, dear to us even in death,
was not treated with any more respect than a common
soldier; but the savage wretches, called officers,
consulted together, and agreed to sever his head
from his body and carry it in triumph to Gage, who
no doubt would have "grinned horribly a ghastly
smile," instead of imitating Cæsar, who far from being
gratified with so horrid a spectacle as the head
even of his enemy, turned away from Pompey's with
disgust, and gave vent to his pity in a flood of tears.
How much does Pagan tenderness put Christian
benevolence to shame! What humanity could not
obtain, the rites and ceremonies of a mason demanded.
An officer, who, it seems, was one of the brotherhood,
requested, that as a mason, he might have the
body unmangled, and find a decent interment for it.
He obtained his request, but, upon returning to secure
it, he found it already thrown into the earth, only with
the ceremony of being first placed there with many
bodies over him;