To George Washington from the Continental Navy Board, 30 December 1777
From the Continental Navy Board
Borden Town [N.J.] 30th Decr 1777
Sir
We have sent by the Bearer a few Fish which we take the Liberty of presenting to your Excellency’s Table requesting you will do us the Honour of accepting them, & hope they will prove a seasonable Refreshment.1 Had we opportunity equal to our Zeal we should be happy in exerting our best Abilities to shew the Affection & Respect we have for your Excellency. Sincerely wishing you all Manner of Felicity, & Success equal to the virtuous wishes of your Heart we have the Honour to be your Excellency’s most devoted & obedient humble servts
Fras Hopkinson
John Wharton
P:S: The Experiment recommended to our Notice by your Excellency, has been attempted but with what Success we know not—we apprehend the Season was unfavourable.2 We have advanced to Col: Worthington (besides bearing all Charges here) 200 Dollars to defray his Expences Home; this we did in Consequence of your Recommendation not doubting but it will be approved by those to whom we are accountable.
LS, in the writing of Francis Hopkinson, DLC:GW.
1. On 2 Jan. 1778 GW ordered payment to a man who brought a “present of rock fish,” apparently the bearer of this letter. See General Orders, 2 Jan. 1778, source note.
2. Elizabeth Drinker wrote in her diary on 27 Dec. 1777 that “a certain something a peice of Clockwork, a Barrel with Gunpowder, &c was found in our River, which blew up near the Row-buck Man of War, and distroyd a boat near it[.] several others they say are found, thought to be the contrivance of some designing evel minded person or persons, against the Shiping” (, 1:270–71). For the experiment recommended by GW, see Continental Navy Board to GW, 17 Dec., n. 1.