JOSHUA MORSE ALS
"My Love to all Flesh Except
the Damd Indians I Cant Love them I Sware"
JOSHUA MORSE American soldier in the Revolutionary War, served in the Siege of Boston and as reinforcement at Bennington.
[PROPOSED EXPEDITION AGAINST CANADA, 1778] Autograph Letter Signed. "Joshua Morse", 1p. . 8 x12 ½". February 12, 1778. Worthington, MA. Secretely worded Joshua Morse letter on a proposed expedition against Canada in the spring of 1788. to Captain Nathan Peters, in Preston, Connecticut. A somewhat subtly worded invitation to join a proposed expedition against Canada. Morse begins in a jocular tone noting that:
"... in this Part of the world we have some Small Trifle of Snow hereabouts and a Prospect for some more that I hope we shall inn a Few Days have a Supply so as to Shut the mounts of all that my Complain for the Want thereof..."
The lack of winter weather notwithstanding, the Spring campaign was lurking around the comer, and it was time to begin planning a follow-up to the spectacular defeat of Burgoyne the previous year: an invasion of Canada. Morse writes to Peters discussing the upcoming expedition in an oblique manner, so in the event of capture, no one could accuse him of discussing military affairs. To cover his tracks, he uses mercantile terminology as metaphor:
"as there Is a Path made into the Country of Canady [sic] and Some of my Good Friends are Bound thither giving me an Invitation something by Likes Shall Execpt [sic] of the Same: Possibly as my Brother [John] Starke [sic] is Superintendent [read general] And Likewise Supercargo [read quartermaster] of the Whole company and Cargo, Consisting of Pork and Beef and Flour Perhaps a thousand Barrels of Each and as Gunpowder and Lead and Some Few Grasshoppers and Some Iron Shot &c. are found to be of Great Value in Opening An advantagious [sic] Trade With one Mr. [Guy] Carleton and Some Gentlemen as the Call themselves; From Old England, and Some Tory Gentlemen form New England,. There will be No want of Either of the above articles New Residing in Canaday [sic] of Commerce; Nor Even Resolution, to Effect the most valuable & Advantagious Trade, that has as Yet Been [illeg.] in that, or this Country; and Sr. No Doubt you have heard of Mr. John Starke and Mr Seth Warner, and Mr Brown, and Mr. Samul. Herrick, and Mr Israel Chapen, and Mr Bodle, all Gentlemen of Character and acquainted well with the Country of Canada, and the people therein and Perhaps the Servants of the above Gentlemen: Mr Starks and other amount to Thousands (Not Exceeding Five) Heavens Succeed & Prosper all the Lawfull [ sic] undertakings of the Americans, & Succeed us in our Domestic affairs So that in the End, we may See Each other, and Greet all Friends as Conqurors [sic], Not as Conqured [sic], god Forbid: and Not be unmindfull [sic] of the one Thing most Needfull [sic]..."
He closes:
"My Time is Short So Farewell My Love to all Flesh Except the Damd Indians I Cant Love them I Sware [sic] Joshua Morse."
