“Dr. Sir, I have received two letters of yours from Wethersfield—one dated the 15th of Jan., the other without a date—By Colo. Blaine, who I expect will be the bearer of this, I send twenty guineas and a phial containing the stain and counterpart of the stain for C, Junr., which I wish may be got to him with as much safety and dispatch as the case will conveniently admit of. It is my further most earnest wish, that you would press him to open, if possible, a communication with me by a more direct route than the present.—His accounts are intelligent, clear, and satisfactory, consequently would be valuable, but owing to the circuitous route through which they are transmitted I can derive no immediate or important advantage from them, and (as I rely upon his intelligence) the only satisfaction I derive from it, is, that other accts. are either confirmed or corrected by his, after they have been some time received.
“I am sensible of the delicacy of his situation, and the necessity of caution—for these reasons it is I have hitherto forborn and am yet unwilling to mention, persons to him as the vehicles of conveyance lest they should not prove so trustworthy and prudent as we could wish, but if he cannot form the first link of the chain of communication himself and will let me know it, I think I can name one or two men to him who will receive and convey to me through others such intelligence as he may think important.”
Woodhull visited Townsend in New York toward the end of February. He was then probably trying to send his intelligence by the shorter route, as the next letter would indicate:
“32 729-215-fn-1780
“Sir, Late last night I returned from 727, where I had the pleasure of seeing C. Junr. and many other good friends—I have nothing to enclose you from C. Junr. He assuring me that Coll. Ramsay and some other gentlemen that left 727 on Wednesday last on their way to Head Quarters, was furnished with all the intelligence that he could informe. Yet requested I would write to accompany the newspapers. On Saturday last a packet arrived with the Decr. Mail, and by private letters and all that we can understand, indicates a continuance of the war. The spirits of the enemy on the same account are very high. The Loyalist, formerly the Oliver Cromwell, is about to sail in search of Genl. Clinton. Hope they are all safely landed in the Eternal Regions. A few days agone, a ship arrived from Jamaica, but nothing can be learnt more than what is published. There’s a large fleet with dry goods &c. daily expected from Europe, and a great number of Merchantmen from other quarters. Our prisoners on board of ships hath suffered much this winter, and to complete the total destruction of the sick, the hospital ship on Thursday last about 4 o’clock took fire in the Stern, said by means of a stove, and was immediately consumed. How many perished I cannot say. Reports are from 3 to 50. There’s a very great mortality amongst the enemies horses. There was no appearance of any movement that I could learn. I shall now mention the situation of several corps on Long Island and conclude. At Lloyd’s Neck Coll. Ludlow’s Regt. At Oyster Bay about 40 of German Huzzars. At Jericho the second Battallion of Skinner’s Brigade. The 17th Dragoons at Hempstead. Coll. Fannings Regt. at Jamaica. Gover Browns at the head of the Fly near Flushing. 54th Regt, at Newtown. One Regt of Hessians at Bushwick. 725 handed me two phials and 20 guineas which shall be immediately transmitted to C. Junr. I could wish to serve you better but it not being in my power at this time. Am in great haste, Yours Sincerely,
“Saml. Culper.”
Another letter from Samuel Culper is dated March 13.[(124)] In a postscript to it he adds:
“I have just heard that the enemy hath made a demand from Smith Town of a thousand cords of wood and that all the wood lying near our harbor is to be cut for them—and two regts. is to be stationed in this Town. If it should take place it will I fear entirely ruin our correspondence. To prevent which I shall give you early intelligence of their motions from time to time, that you may be prepared to give them a fatal blow at the beginning, or we shall be totally ruined. 725 must come on the 25th instant. I am yours Sincerely,
“S. Culper.”
The difficulty in finding the stain letter hid among many similar looking blank sheets of the same paper is mentioned in the next, which reads: