A Letter Home

July 4, 2013

Good morning everyone.  As you enjoy the festivities and the outings with your families, don't forget to give thanks to all the men and women who have made this freedom possible. 

Peleg Loud, son of Jacob and Mary (Smith) Loud, enlisted on April 29, 1775 as a Sergeant in Capt. Jacob Goold's Co.  The following is a true copy of a letter written and signed by Peleg Loud to this parents.   

"New York, April 13, 1776 -- Most Honoured father and mother.  These few Broken and Imperfect Lines are to Inform you that my Brother and I Both are Tolerable well at this time and we Hope that These Lines will find you all well at Home.  I inform you that we marched from Norwich the Tuesday After I Wrote you a Letter from that Place and marched from there to New London and there we Imbarked aboard the Transport about 20 Sail and Set out for New York and having Been out three Days Beating in the Sound of at the East End of Long Island we Got Discouraged and tacked about and Ran into New London Again and at 9 oclock that Night we Set out Again and in 13 hours we Came through the Dangerous Place Called Hells Gate within 9 miles of this City which is Called 150 miles from New London!  I inform you that there is Plenty of Cannon in this City more than Ever I See Before by one Half and Powder and Balls Plenty and About 11000 of the Continental Soldiers and are a fortifying with Great Speed for the most Vigorous Defence, there is Some of King George's Ships here.  Our Brigade and General Heath's Brigade Expect Every Day to have orders to march!  Some Say to Canada and Some Say to Philadelphia and others say to Virginia.  So it is uncertain for me to determine the Place.  But to Either of them I Shall almost Despair of Ever Seeing Weymouth Again.  I therefore Remain your Dutiful Son.  Till Death.  Written with my Hand and Sealed in the City of New York on 13th April 1776. 

Peleg Loud

Peleg Loud died fighting for this country Aug. 18, 1776 at Fort Ticonderoga;  he was unmarried.  This original letter can be found in the Weymouth (Massachusetts) Archives.

I've copied this letter from my my family book.  My ancestors came over on the Mayflower.  Peleg and I are both descended from Francis Loud, Jr   This can be another story for another day.

Enjoy your day.  Till tomorrow, Y'all be safe and have a fantabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.