On this day 250 years ago, in Providence, Rhode Island, Samuel Ward wrote to his fellow Member of the Continental Congress and Postmaster General, Benjamin Franklin:

On my Return I found the People of Connecticut in Arms for sixty Miles, a Fleet of twelve Sail of Men of War and Transports had been at the Mouth of Newlondon Harbor, an Attack was expected from them but they only went to Fishers Island and got about 1000 Sheep and Lambs and 30 head of indifferent horned Cattle the only fat ones being brought off a few Days before; The Wretch who owns the Island sold this Stock undoubtedly for his Tenant had made yards down by the Sea and got his Sheep and Cattle ready for them before they landed, the People deeply resent his Behaviour: The Fleet then stood for Gardners Island but a Number of armed Men probably prevented their Landing for they got no Stock save at Fishers Island: [Royal Navy Captains Sir James] Wallace and [James] Ayscough a Part of this Fleet returned to Newport and again terrified the People by making every Preparation as if they intended instantly to fire upon them: They stopped the Ferry Boats strictly examined every Person and took down the Names. They had heard of my Return and expected I should have gone to Newport and were in Hopes of getting one Delegate into their Possession; They took the western Post Rider and propose to send the Mail to Boston. I hope no Letters of Consequence may be in it but however that may be this shews the Impropriety of the Posts passing those Ferries.

. . .

The Love of Liberty triumphs in this Town over all other Considerations, every thing for the common Defence is pursued with immense Ardor every Danger is despised and every Difficulty surmounted and at the same time they are thus attentive to the general Interest of America. 

Samuel Ward was one of America’s Founding Fathers who is little remembered today. Although he was a firm supporter of Independence, Ward would die from smallpox in Philadelphia in March 1776 while serving in the Continental Congress. So his name was not memorialized as a Signer of the Declaration of Independence.

Source: “Samuel Ward to Benjamin Franklin, 12 August 1775,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Franklin/01-22-02-0095. [Original source: The Papers of Benjamin Franklin, vol. 22, March 23, 1775, through October 27, 1776, ed. William B. Willcox. New Haven and London:: Yale University Press, 1982, pp. 167–169.]

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