Letter, from Capel and Osgood Hanbury, December 26, 1758

A letter detailing a variety of transactions undertaken by the Hanburys, one of Martha Custis's London agents. Of particular interest is the account of a ship with a letter(?) for Martha being "taken," presumably by a pirate or privateer, then "retaken," presumably by the British Navy.

Capel and Osgood Hanbury

Greenwood Press

1758-12-26

Custis Papers, Virginia Historical Society

eng

Fields, Joseph E. "Worthy Partner": The Papers of Martha Washington. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1994. 59-60.

Esteem'd Friend                                        London Decr 26, 1758

We have wrote Thee p the Packet & sundry other opportunity's, one of wch was p the Supply Capt Downs who was so unlucky after sailing wth Convoy as to be seperated therefrom & to be taken, was afterwards retaken and carried into Bristol & instead of our Letter to thee geting to hand in due course, it was sent us a few Days agow & comes inclos'd. the Law Books were also sent p that Ship vallue £ 17.10.2; as soone as the Affair can be setled, the Estate shall have Credit, for the moiety of the net amount of the Sale thereof, as all the Goods are to be sold at Publick Sale. We bespoke other Books to replace them & wch intend to find p the Dispatch in a short time if a suitable Convoy offers as it seems likely that the Virginia Fleet will not sail until1 late Spring. The Anna is now safe in this River & delivering her Cargo. No endeavours of Ours shall be wanting to make the most of the 17 hhds DPC by her, and as soone as will get the Accounts relating to the Salvage finally setled & communicate the same (illegible). Thy favour of the 1st of Sepr is now before us. We shall find our Friends Account Currt in a short time. We have wrote to Hill of Madeira for a Pipe of good old Wine & a Box of Citron for thee, his Bills for it shall be duly honoured as has been all the Bills thee Drew upon us that have appeared; we request thee not to draw (illegible) sets of Bills of the same date to the same Persons for the same sum as it is liable to create great errors by paying two Bills of the same set. We are very sorry that We have no Tobacco from thee by the Dispatch, nor by any other Ship in the Fleet, we hope it is not owing to our having incurred thy displeasure & continuance of the Consignment, of the Estates Tobacco will give us no small pleasure, & no endeavour of ours shall be wanting to make the most of it & to transact every Affair the entrust to our care so as to merrit thy approbation. We are wth great Esteem

December 26, 1758
Thy Assurd Friends
Capel & Osgood Hanbury
To
Martha Custis
York River
Virginia

Autograph Letter Signed