John Penn to Samuel Johnson regarding French and Spanish warships - American History 1493-1945 - Adam Matthew Digital

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Field name	Value
Collection Reference Number	GLC00184.38
From Archive Folder	Autographs of signers of the Declaration
Title	John Penn to Samuel Johnson regarding French and Spanish warships
Date	28 September 1776
Author	Penn, John (1741-1788)
Recipient	Johnson, Samuel
Document Type	Correspondence; Military document
Content Description	Penn also writes of his wish that France and Spain would join in fighting Britain. He concludes that "we have too many officers who are not fit even to act as common soldiers in that they have not one spark of honour."
Subjects	Revolutionary War Navy Continental Army Militia Military History Global History and Civics France
People	Penn, John (1741-1788) Johnson, Samuel (1757-1834)
Place written	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Theme	The American Revolution; Naval & Maritime; Foreign Affairs
Sub-collection	The Gilder Lehrman Collection, 1493-1859
Copyright	The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Module	Settlement, Commerce, Revolution and Reform: 1493-1859
Transcript	Show/hide Philada. Sept 28th. 1776 Dear Sir As you will have an opportunity of hearing from Mr. Hewes all the news that is stirring this way, shall not trouble you with any thing on that head except the contents of a letter which Mr. Robert Morris received last evening from the mole the writer I am told may be relied on. "that there were three ships of war ordered from France imediately [sic] to cruise round the mole , for the express purpose of affording protection to our vessels, also two or three from Spain to their Islands for the same design, that they are to act together and are to pay equal respect to the commands of the French Governors as to their own, that there was a large Fleet almost ready to sail from Brest & that great preparation was making for war in both kingdoms, that there was great plenty of powder & very cheap at the mole. I do most sincerely wish that the above Nations would declare war against Britain as it would give us an oppor[2]tunity of now modeling our army, I am sorry to tell you that we have too many officers who are not fit even to act as common soldiers in short they have not one spark of honour. I am with great respect Dear Sir Your obt. Servt. John Penn [Address]: Sept. 1776 28. To Samuel Johnson esqr. Edenton N. Carolina Favd. by Jos. Hewes esqr. [Docket]: Penn.

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