University of Virginia Library

TO EDMUND PENDLETON.

Dear Sir,—Your favor of the first Inst. came safe
to hand yesterday. The enclosed was sent to Mr.
Pendleton who is still in town.

All we know of the several fleets in the American
seas is that Rodney with a few ships is at N. York,
the remainder having joined Graves & Arbuthnot
whom we know nothing about. Ternay is still at
Rhode Island. The main French fleet under Guichen
left the West Indies about the time first mentioned
with a large fleet of merchantmen under its convoy,
and has not since been heard of. The residue of the
french fleet is in the W. Indies but we do not hear of
their being any way employed. It is said an English
expedition is preparing at Jamaica against some of
the Spanish settlements. The Spanish expeditions
against the Floridas I believe I mentioned in my
last.

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74

We have private accounts, through a channel which
has seldom deceived that a very large embarkation
is still going on at N. York. I hope Virginia will
not be surprised, in case she should be the meditated
victim. André was hung as a spy on the 2d inst.
Clinton made a frivolous attempt to save him by
pleading the passport granted by Arnold. He submitted
to his fate in a manner that showed him to be
worthy of a better one. His coadjutor Smith will
soon follow him. The Hero of the Plot, although
he may for the present escape an ignominious death
must lead an ignominious life which if any of his
feelings remain will be a sorer punishment. It is
said that he is to be made a Brigadier and employed
in some predatory expedition against the Spaniards
in which he may gratify his thirst for gold. It is
said with more probability that his baseness is universally
despised by those who have taken advantage
of it, and yt. some degree of resentment is mixed with
their contempt on account of the loss of their darling
officer to which he was accessory.