Humbly Sheweth

That Your Memorialists Husband Served Eleven Years in his Majestys Eighteenth or Royal Irish Regiment of Foot. That in January One Thousand Seven hundred and Seventy one he Married your Memorialist with a Fortune of One Thousand Five Hundred pounds but having a Young Growing Family Sold his Company and Settled in Philadelphia in the wine Business with a Capital of Three Thousand pounds Sterling.

That upon the breaking out of the Rebellion he bought a Vessel, loaded it with wine and other kind of Necessaries to the amount of Two Thousand pounds Sterling and went therewith to Boston to the Relief of the Garrison at that time in the Greatest distress under the Command of General GAGE, having had Several Letters from Officers there, requesting him to Come to their Assistance.

That the Greater part of this Cargo together with the Ship were Entirely lost.

That the Rebels were so Exasperated at his Succouring the British Troops that it was unsafe for him to think of returning to his wife and Family and his Attachment to the Royal Cause so Strong that he Chearfully accepted a Company in the Royal American Fencibles, which was given to him by General GAGE as a reward for his Loyalty and Military skill and was soon afterwards appointed Major to Colonel GOREHAMs Regiment of Royal American Fencibles.

That he was the first Man among the Americans that drew his Sword and Enlisted Men for his Majestys Service having gone to Newfoundland at a very great Expence and raised Every Man in his own Company.

That he might have had very High Rank and Command in the Rebel Service but nothing Could make him Swerve from his loyalty and Allegiance.

That when he went to Boston he left with your Memorialist a large parcel of Wines to the value of One Thousand Pounds Sterling.

That Your Memorialist Carried on the business for a Considerable time and when she Demanded payment was insulted and absolutely refused. That this necessarily involved her in very great distress. That afterwards in the General Confusion she was obliged to quit Philadelphia and retire to Trenton where she was plundered, that from thence she was forced to Fly and take Shelter in the County of Bucks.

That after General HOWE took possession of Philadelphia she returned thither and Continued there until it was Evacuated by the British Troops.

That from thence she went to New York and from thence to Halifax to her Husband where She Continued with him 'til the Month of May One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty when he thought it adviseable to avoid the Further Dangers incident to warr to send off Your Memorialist and his two helpless Children to Ireland as a place of safety.

That in the Month of July last Your Memorialists said Husband died at Fort Cumberland in Nova Scotia being then and for some time before in the actual Command of that very important Frontier post, appointed thereto for his knowledge and abilities in Military affairs as well as for his known attachment to his King and Country.

That by his Death your Memorialist is unhappily reduced together with her two Infant Sons to the lowest depth of distress and Misery in a Strange Country (being herself a native of Philadelphia) totally unprotected and Forlorn and the whole of her own property that remained after the losses they sustained at Boston as well as that of her late Husband having been wholy Swallowed up by the Rapacity and Revenge of the American Rebels.

May it therefore please Your Lordships to take Your Memorialists Melancholy Case into your Consideration and on account of her Husbands Services and Losses as well as her own distressed Situation to Grant her Such Relief as to Your Lordships Wisdom and Humanity Shall Seem meet.

And Your Lordships Memorialist will Ever pray.

[Catherine BATT]

Great Britain, Public Record Office, Audit Office, Class 13, Volume 70B, folios 124-125.

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