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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from William Legge, Earl of Dartmouth to Josiah Martin
Dartmouth, William Legge, Earl of, 1731 - 1801
July 05, 1775
Volume 10, Pages 66-68

[B. P. R. O. Am. & W. Ind.: No. Carolina. No. 222.]
Letter from the Earl of Dartmouth to Governor Martin.

Whitehall July 5th 1775.

Sir,

I shall hope to be able by a Store Ship that will sail for Virginia in a few days to write you fully upon the state of the Province under your Government and upon the variety of matter contained in your late Dispatches Nos 29, 30, 31 & 32.

In the mean time I take the chance of a Conveyance to you by the Carolina Packet, to acquaint you, that in consequence of the Advices received from all Quarters, that not only the four New England Governments are in Arms, but that almost every other Colony has catched the flame, and a spirit of Rebellion has gone

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forth that menaces the subversion of the Constitution, it is the King's firm resolution, that the most vigorous efforts should be made, both by sea and land to reduce his Rebellious Subjects to obedience, and the proper Measures are now pursuing not only for augmenting the Army under General Gage, but also for making such addition to our Naval strength in North America as may enable Admiral Graves to make such a Disposition of His Fleet, as that besides the Squadron necessary for the New England Station, there may be seperate Squadrons at New York, within the Bay of Delaware, in Chesapeake Bay, and upon the Coast of Carolina.

After what has passed there can be no doubt what ought to be the plan of operations for the Squadron upon the New England Station and I think it necessary to acquaint you, for your own Information, that Admiral Graves will be instructed to exert the most vigorous efforts for suppressing the Rebellion now openly avowed and supported in that Country, and to seize and detain all Ships and Vessels belonging to the Inhabitants thereof, such only excepted as are the Property of Persons who are Friends of Government and have shewn an Attachment to the Constitution.

There is still some room to hope that the Colonies to the Southward may not proceed to the same lengths with those of New England, it is however His Majesty's Intention, that the Commander of the seperate Squadrons I have mentioned should be instructed to prevent all Commerce between the Colonies within their respective stations, and any other Places than Great Britain Ireland and His Majesty's Islands in the West Indies, that they should receive on Board and give protection to any officers of the Crown, who may be compelled by the violence of the People, to seek for such an Assylum, and to proceed as in the case of a Town in actual Rebellion against such of the Seaport Towns being accessible to the King's Ships, as shall hereafter offer any violence to the King's officers, or in which any Troops shall be raised or Military Works erected other than by His Majesty's Authority or any attempt made to seize or plunder any public Magazines of Arms or Ammunition. With regard to the plan of operations to be adopted by General Gage, it must depend upon his own Judgment, and the opinion of the able Generals with him, and therefore I have only to add, that it is His Majesty's express Command, that you do exert every Endeavour, and employ every means in your power to aid and support

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him and Admiral Graves, in all such operations as they may think proper to undertake for carrying the King's orders into full execution, and restoring the Authority of His Majesty's Government.