Farewell to Commodore Gambier

    839. To Sir Francis Bernard, 8 April 1771

    840. To Lord Hillsborough, 8 April 1771

    841. To John Pownall, 8 April 1771

    In Hutchinson’s official capacity as governor, it was important to maintain cordial relations with the Royal Navy’s commodore of the North Atlantic station, but James Gambier, during his stay in Boston, became a close friend as the warm tone of their personal correspondence indicates. Lord Sandwich’s return to the post of first lord of the admiralty as part of the North administration led to Gambier’s replacement by Rear Admiral John Montagu (1719–1795). Even more alarming to Hutchinson were rumors that Boston might no longer be the point of rendezvous for the North American station. The presence of a number of warships in the harbor, Hutchinson believed, not only served to intimidate the populace but provided a lucrative source of revenue for the colony as well.

    839. To Sir Francis Bernard

    Boston 8 April 1771

    (No 1)

    Dear Sir, Scot & Calef being arrived without a Line from any person whatsoever I have only the hope left that I must have letters by some of the Vessels which sailed with or before them.

    I am glad to hear Lady Bernard was arrived but sorry she had so troublesome a passage.1 I depended on your friendship to forward to me the appendages to my Commission concerning which I have wrote at one time and another and I imagine have some answer from you on its way to me.

    I will refer you to the News papers for the account of the reception of the Commissions which considering the share I have been obliged to take in past controversies has been more favorable than I expected.2 The Court is sitting and finding that I was indifferent whether they did business or not are going on as usual otherwise I would soon have dissolved them.

    We are concerned at the news of Commodore Gambier’s being superseded he having taken pains to make himself agreable to the Province, but must submit. I shall certainly hear from you before another Ship sails from hence. It is so long since I have had opportunity of writing that I had almost forgot to mention your Letter by Whitewood particularly I ought not to omit those which relate to Mr Bernard who I have repeatedly seen & discoursed with and I shall make no difficulty in complying with your proposal to give him leave of absence, but we both agreed that it was not advisable for him to determine any thing until his partner arrives. I knew nothing from his former conversation of any certain term of partnership but I find now he has agreed for ten years and he wishes as much as you do to dissolve it in which I will advise and assist him as far as I am able.3 I am Dear Sir Your Obliged and most Obedient humble Servant,

    AC (Massachusetts Archives, SC1/series 45X, 27:145–46); at foot of letter, “Sir F B”; in WSH’s hand.

    840. To Lord Hillsborough

    Boston 8th April 1771

    Private

    My Lord, By Ships which arrived yesterday & to Day from London there are Letters which mention an intented alteration of the Rendez vous of His Majestys Ships from Boston to Halifax.1 I humbly beg leave to suggest to your Lordship my apprehensions that such an alteration will have a very disagreeable effect and the construction will be that Administration are sensible of their Error in sending them here. There never was a wiser step than taking possession of the Castle & Harbour. Two Capital Ships in the harbour strikes more awe than two Regiments in the Town. From everything which has yet occurred Commodore Gambier appears to have been as proper a person as could have been pitched upon. I have been much assisted by him and the people of the Town in general have expressed their sense of the prudence and propriety of his conduct in his own department. I hope for the same assistance from his Successor in command and that I shall preserve the same harmony which I have done with the two last but if it be not too late, I beg your Lordship that at least for the present year the Station may not be altered from Boston.

    I have no motive My Lord but the publick Service. The fewer Officers and persons in publick Characters there are in the province the more time I could spare for retirement and the more it would agree with my natural temper but we are not yet sufficiently restored to admit of such an alteration.

    I remember to have suggested my opinion upon this Subject in a private Letter to your Lordship which could not have come to hand.2 I hope the importance of the Subject may justify my repeating it and that your Lordship will attribute it to my zeal for His Majestys Service. I have the honour to be with the greater respect My Lord Your Lordships most Obliged most faithful and Obedient Servant,

    AC (Massachusetts Archives, SC1/series 45X, 27:147–48); at foot of letter, “Ld. Hillsborough”; in WSH’s hand.

    841. To John Pownall

    Boston 8 April 1771

    Dear Sir, The Vessels Scot & Calef, being arrived from London Commodore Gambier informs me Letters are come to one or more of the Officers of the Navy which mention his being superseded and that the Ships which are coming out are ordered to Halifax. I cant help opening my mind to you that so sudden an alteration of the place of Rendez vous of the Ships will give a great advantage to the Opposers of Government in this province. Better they had never come than go away in so short a time. The construction will be that the measure was wrong or it would have been so soon changed. That and the possession of Castle William were as wise measures as have ever been taken by any Administration if one is so soon receded from it would be expected the other should follow. We shall certainly return to our old state if this should be the case. I should not do Mr Gambier justice if I omitted saying to you that he has always most readily cooperated with me, whenever it has been necessary in supporting the authority of government, in conciliating persons & families who by our late party disputes had been estranged one from the other and by his discreet conduct in his particular department, he has greatly reconciled the People in general to the continuance of a Naval force among us, and I know he has the general voice in his favour.1

    James Gambier, 1773. By John Singleton Copley. James Gambier was commodore of the Royal Navy’s North Atlantic Station from October 1770 through August 1771. During that brief time, he became a warm friend of Thomas Hutchinson. Photograph © 2022, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

    By some of the Ships which are on their passage I shall have the pleasure of hearing from you which will give me occasion of writing to you upon other Subjects. In the mean time I shall remain with great regard & esteem Dear Sir Your faithful & most Obedient humble Servant,

    AC (Massachusetts Archives, SC1/series 45X, 27:146–47); at foot of letter, “Jno Pownall Esqr”; in WSH’s hand.

    842. From Thomas Gage

    New York April 9th: 1771.

    Sir, We have received here the news contained in your Letter of 31st: Ultimo; and from the same Place. A ship came in from Liverpool five Days ago, and brought Papers to the first of February, and I am told, a few Letters down to the 11th:. Notwithstanding this Appearance of an Accomodation with Spain, we are told that Government continues arming by sea and Land; and amidst these Declarations of Peace and warlike Preparations, it is difficult to know what to determine. If it is still Judged necessary to draw the American Forces into a Body, the Two Regiments from Halifax can’t be brought away too soon; and on the other hand, if Government is Satisfied, that every thing will end amicably, it will be an unnecessary Measure.1 It is not possible to decide finaly on this Point till the arrival of the February Mail, and we are in hourly Expectation of the Packet; from the favourable winds that have blown, to bring her on the Coast. I have no doubt but she will bring me Directions either to continue the operations first ordered, or to leave the Regiments in their former Stations. And I will not fail to send away an Express to Boston, the Moment my Dispatches arrive. Transports have sailed some Days to bring the Fuzileers from St: Augustine, and of course it’s out of my Power to stop the Embarkation of that Corps.

    I am greatly obliged to you for the trouble you have taken, to procure Quarters for the Recruiting Parties; and what you propose to do further, in Case the two Regiments are brought from Halifax. I will look out for the Act passed last session to continue the American Mutiny Act; which I had printed here and annexed to the former Acts; and transmit it to you.2

    With respect to the store: keeper and Signal Man; I could not pretend to fix their Salarys but from Precedents, and at the Rates paid such officers in other Garrisons. But if the Province had made a larger allowance for them at Castle William, I imagined the Plea of Custom might have been an Authority to continue the usual Pay.3 I find from your Letter that the Province Pay is small there is therefore no other Rule to follow but the Practice of the King’s other Forts. I pay the storekeeper of this Fort by order from home, in the manner now directed to be done with the storekeeper at Castle-William. His pay is only 2s—6d sterling. The storekeeper and Conductor at Niagara, Fort-Chartres &ca. have 4s: The storekeeper and Barrack: Master of Montreal the same, tho’ all these act in double Capacitys. In large and respectable Fortresses, such as Gibralter &ca. the Board of Ordinance gives larger Allowances, upon the whole I am of opinion 4s: is as much as can be well allowed Mr: Burbeck. As for the Signal Man, Precedents are not so numerous, I know of none except at Gibralter and Minorca; who are paid one shilling per Day each. If He is paid 3s: it will be full enough, and near three times the amount of his former Salary. Mr: Burbeck also at 4s. will receive above double his former Allowance. Their Pay ought to commence from the time you appointed them; and that they began to do Duty; I have no objection to grant them warrants accordingly, upon your Certificate.

    I wish it was in my Power to assist Judge Oliver in the way you mention, who undoubtedly merits every favor from Government.4 I cannot purchase a Musquet Ball, unless the exigency of the Service warranted the doing it. I must make application to the Board of Ordnance for every Article of Military stores. I am with great Regard, and Esteem Sir, your most obedient, humble servant,

    Thos. Gage

    RC (Massachusetts Archives, SC1/series 45X, 25:476–78a); at foot of letter, “His Exy: Govr: Hutchinson”; endorsed, “NYork April 7 1771 General Gage.” AC (Clements Library, Thomas Gage Papers); at foot of letter, “His Exy: Govr: Hutchinson.”