1The American Commissioners to Henry Johnson, 21 April 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Public Record Office You are directed to call on Capt. Wicks on your return, and inform him that We have pursuant to his proposal, ordered the Lexington, under your Command to proceed with him on the Cruise on which he is bound; you will agree with Capt. Wicks, on the place of your Rendevouz, your Signals &c. which you are to take in writing, and carefully attend to. You will also follow...
2Henry Johnson to the American Commissioners, 25 April 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Connecticut Historical Society I arrived here Thursday Morning 4 O’Clock where I found Capt: Weeks was gone for L’Orient. Have sent Express as I was much fatigued, Shall wait here for Capt. Weeks’s orders, which when I receive shall instantly set off for Bourdeaux and make every possible dispatch agreeable to your Instructions. Capt: Hammond has not as yet gone he now lays at the mouth...
3From Benjamin Franklin to Henry Johnson, 22 July 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Public Record Office The Bearer M. le Chevr. de Ꝃninon who is desirous of going to America, is well recommended to me as a Person of Character and Merit. If he takes his Passage with you, I make no doubt that you will treat him with all the Civilities due to a Gentleman, in which you will very much oblige Sir, Your most obedient humble Servant Notations: No. 5 / N 5 There because Johnson...
4The American Commissioners to Henry Johnson, 25 July 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Public Record Office Your Letter of the 18th: We received, as We gave Our Orders generally to Com: Wickes, we omitted writing in particular to You. We are sensible of Your Spirit, and gallant Behavior as an Officer, and of Your Attachment to your Country as an Americain, and shall with pleasure do justice to your Character in Our Letters to the Congress, who we doubt not will pay due...
5Henry Johnson to the American Commissioners, [after] [19] August 1777 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Public Record Office Should have wrote you e’er this! I had no subject to write upon, knowing you have enough else to do besides reading a Scrawl, which signified nothing. Yours of the 19th Inst. came safe to hand, have to say I have done tolerable well with the French Sailors, many of them finding I would pay them no money have decamped; others (some few) have gone on board....
6The American Commissioners to Henry Johnson, 28 August 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Connecticut Historical Society The matter-of-fact tone of this letter, and of the virtually identical one to Wickes that follows, conceals the fact that the commissioners had sustained a major defeat. Conyngham’s cruise infuriated Whitehall: on August 19 Stormont delivered a demand that Wickes’s squadron leave port, and Vergennes expected a British declaration of war. Naval patrols were...
7The American Commissioners to Henry Johnson, 9 September 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Connecticut Historical Society Yours informing us of your being ready for sea we recd. and by Capt. Bell advise you to settle your accts. of Disbursements and give Bills on us for the amount forwarding to us at the same time copies thereof, after which you are to take the first favourable opportunity to go for America endeavouring to make either the Port of Portsmouth in New Hampshire or...
8Henry Johnson to the American Commissioners, 16 September 1777 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Public Record Office Your agreeable favours of the 9th Inst. was handed me by Capt. Bell with the different packets and letters to morrow morning shall sail God willing. I forward by Capt. Bell my accounts I find a Ballance. I find in favour of the Congress which I shall give Credit if I find no Errors. If any shall settle the same with the Agent in America. As everything has gone...
9Henry Johnson to the American Commissioners, 2 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Yesterday I arrived here from England after effecting my escape from Mill Prison. I have in Company Capt: Eleazer Johnson of the Dalton. I am going on to Dunkirk as fast as possible. Shall be Obliged to your Honours if you’d let me know whether it will be necessary for me to come to Paris. I shall wait at Dunkirk for your answer. I shall not now endeavour...
10To Benjamin Franklin from Henry Johnson, 17 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society The Incld: Bills belong to an Industrious Black man who is with me. Shall esteem it a favour if your Excellency would Endorse or rather accept those Bills & send them to me.— In my last to your Excellency I forgot to mention to you that I took on board the Amazon Prize four Preists, Subjects of the King of Sardinia, who were going as Missionaries to...