Note 950 — Chapter VII

A memorandum of Dr. Belknap, printed in the Proceedings of the Mass. Hist. Soc. (x. p. 313) shows as being in the cabinet of that society in 1792 the following sets of papers: Correspondence between Shirley and Wentworth, 1742-1753; between Shirley and Pepperrell, 1745-1746; between Pepperrell and Warren, 1745; between these last and the British ministry, 1745-1747; and between Pepperrell and persons of distinction throughout America, 1745-1747. These papers as now arranged cover the preparations for the siege, as well as its progress, and the events immediately succeeding. Pepperrell’s letters are mostly drafts, in his own hand. The instructions from Shirley are dated Mar. 19 (p. 13). We find here “A register of all the Commissions” (p. 26); the notification of the capitulation, June 20 (p. 63). There are letters of Benning Wentworth, Com. Warren, Gen. Waldo, John Gorham, John Bradstreet, Arthur Noble, William Vaughan, John Rous, Robert Auchmuty, Ammi R. Cutter, N. Sparhawk, etc. There are also various letters of Benj. Colman, who from his relations to Pepperrell took great interest in the movement. (Cf. the Colman papers, 1697-1747, presented to the same society in 1793.) The editor of N. H. Prov. Papers, vol. v., prints various papers as from the “Belknap Papers” in the N. H. Hist. Society library. Cf. Belknap Papers (Mass. Hist. Soc. Coll.), i. 120.