Leonard Gansevoort Jr to Leonard Bronck
4 Nov 1781
My dear Sir
I most heartily congratulate you on the great and glorious News of the
surrender of Cornwallis Yesterday we testifed our Joy with the
firing of Canon, Ringing of Bells & drinking and eating plentifully Every
thing was conducted with a regularity and order which does Honour to
the citizens of this place I hope your good Whigs at Cooksackie
will also celebrate the Day
Nothing will excuse you for not doing it Let every Heart be glad Let
every Friend to his Country rejoice and let those dastardly villians
the Torys with dejected Spirit and drooping in Silenceand Sorrow curse
the Day that they became Enemies to their Country
My friend I am overjoyed So are all good and trueWhigs It
gives me Pleasure to see the Mortification of those Miscreants whose
Souls are Black as Hell and whose Minds are as dark as the Midnight
Shades I could write a whole Day but Mr. Gay waits impatiently
for my letter
A little more News and then I shall leave off Yesterday Letters
arrived from Col. Willet who is arrived at Fort Renselier He says
he pursued the Enemy until his provisions was quite exhausted He
has however had an Engagement with the Rear Guard of the Enemy and has
killed Nine of them & taken twenty Prisoners Among the killed
is Young Butler They say the Oneyda Indians have scalped him This
is certain that he is killed and that Part of his Cloaths and Ornaments
have already been sold at Schenectady I think the Expedition has
been a pretty dear One to the Enemy
Lord Stirling writes that the Enemy are not advancing further than Ticonderoga
so that we need fear nothing from there
Once more I give you Joy so I do your Father and Mother and all who
stand connected with you Rejoice with an exceeding great Joy If
you dont the Tories will think you still afraid
believe me your Friend
LG
published source: Beecher, Raymond (Ed.): Letters from a Revolution, 1775-1783: A Selection From the Bronck Family Ppaers At the Greene County Historical Society. The NYS American Revolution Bicentennial Commision; Albany (NY), 1973, pp. 38-39..