1780, HMS Providence, Captain John Ritchie, letter regarding troops to America

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1780, HMS Providence, Captain John Ritchie, letter regarding troops to America:
$739.99

This is a wonderful, original letter from Captain John Ritchie of the HMS Providence to Nathaniel Bayles regarding his arrival in Spithead from the Americas, under the protection of the HMS MAGNIFICENT, lost many a small transport along the way, men ran away in Jamaica, joined a privateer, problems with ships of the Spanish Main, last count of troops were that out of 1500 only 500 are alive ....signed John Ritchie. Letter is 8x12, addressed outer leaf, overall fine shape. Rare first hand account naval letter.

Captain John Ritchie was the Master of the ship Providence‚ a British ship under contract with the Navy Board to transport troops to America. The Providence was owned by English merchant Nathaniel Bayles, by the late 1770s to 1780s the Providence had been hired by the navy and become a Transport taking troops over to fight in the war in North America. The Providence transported Hessian and Scottish regiments as well as supplies needed in New York.

New York was under embargo by the surrounding colonies and the only way to get fresh supplies was from the local sympathizers or from England and her colonies.

As a side note, the National Archives has a grouping of letters from the Ship Providence showing that the Providence was also a slave ship.Title of the archive in the National Archives is as follows.....\"John Ritchie, captain of ship Providence: corresp to Nathaniel Bayles of Newcastle while sailing between New York and Jamaica, voyage accounts, crew wages lists, slave cargoes and the Providence\'s involvement in the American War of Independence 1780-1782 \".

Please view the other historical and Civil War related documents I\'ll be listing this week.SEE SCAN.I now accept PAYPAL but PREFER other forms of traditional paper payment. Buyer pays shipping(usually FREE within the US and $12 for International),payment must be received within 5 days.