Letter from Thomas Danforth to Deputy Governor William Leete and the Connecticut Council
Honored Gentlemen,
Your letters dated the 10th of this instant, we received, and having perused the contents thereof, do fully concur with the apprehensions as to the necessity of field forces to be improving for distressing and pursuit of the enemy and therefore have agreed that one thousand men be forthwith listed and every way fitted with arms and ammunition, to be in readiness to march at an hour's warning, whereof five hundred to be dragoons[1] or troopers with long arms; our meaning is that those that are already out upon service in garrisons or elsewhere shall be accounted as a part of this number to be raised in proportion according to the Articles of Confederation,[2] which is as followeth: i.e., Massachusetts, 527, Plymouth, 158, Connecticut, 315. In case the providence of God do so order that the opportunity of pursuing the enemy should be in those westerly plantations up the river, we then judge it best, and do accordingly order that such force as shall be needful be taken out of Massachusetts and Connecticut soldiers, it being too far distant to fetch any from Plymouth Colony; And it approaching at present to be the best expedient, that the commander in chief be from time to time appointed, as may most accommodate the place where the pursuit must be made. We concur with the Council of the Massachusetts in designing and appointing Major Pynchon[3] to be the commander over all the forces that shall be employed in those parts and do desire your assistance and counsel to him from time to time, and in case you judge it meet, that you do appoint and send some fit commander of your own Colony to be joined with Major Pynchon as his second in council and command, over our joint forces there, and we shall accordingly own and approve him in that capacity.
And considering the great trust and dependence that is upon Major Pynchon for the constant management of the public affairs in those parts we do not expect that he should be personally present in every expedition against the enemy, further then himself, and his council of officers shall see a necessity of, but they may appoint and send forth such persons on particular services as to them shall seem best as for the number of soldiers to be employed at present, we not well knowing how many are already on the place, and also ignorant of the enemy’s strength, must leave that wholly to those that are betrusted there, to take such number of soldiers as shall be thought necessary, and such of your Indians as shall be judged useful may be added unto them, committing yourselves the interest of God's people and the care for their provisions and salvation to him who is their great shepherd.
We take leave and remain, Gentlemen, your loving friends and confederates,
President in the name and with the consent of the Commission of the United Colonies
Boston, September 16, 1675
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Postscript: |
Gentlemen, we intreat your favour to dispatch with all speed the enclosed to Major Pynchon, as also to acquaint him with the contents of this to yourselves for the Worshipful and Much Honoured William Leete, Esq., Deputy Governor of Connecticut Colony to be communicated to the Council these present. |
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Endorsement: |
The Committee's Letters, November 16, 1675 |
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Cataloguing: |
19 a-c |
[1] Dragoons were a class of mounted infantry, who used horses for mobility but dismounted to fight on foot. Wikipedia.
[2] The Articles of Confederation of the United Colonies of New England; May 19, 1643, The Avalon Project, Yale Law School, https://avalon.law.yale.edu/17th_century/art1613.asp.
[3] Major John Pynchon