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American Revolution: Reminiscenses From A Revolutionary War Veteran.

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American Revolution: Reminiscenses From A Revolutionary War Veteran.
Revolutionary War Reminiscences From William Donnison, Captain of Artillery, Continental Army and Adjutant of His Rhode Island Regiment. Three closely-written pages, 11.5" x 7.5", written in his old age by William Donnison, describing events during 1776-1781. Very Fine, and accompanied by a 19th century seven-page transcription, which is bound at the top by a green ribbon. Donnison notes that at the time he was recruited into Col. Robert Elliott's regiment, about December 1776, "Military knowledge and discipline was very rare...and I, being young...and a great whig, was thought of some consequence, for I had belonged to the Independent Company of Artillery in Providence for more than a year before the war under Col. Daniel Tillinghast...." which was raised "chiefly for the protection of the sea coast against the British depredations...." Donnison tells how Tillinghast's company was ordered to march to Boston "on the alarm of the Lexington fights, which was on the 19 April, and also on the alarm of the Bunkerhill Battle," but after marching some distance, "were ordered to halt, as the affair was over." When Donnison became ill in the winter of 1778, he took a leave of absence to go to a warmer climate and was a passenger on the brig Pallas, along with John Leverett and General James Warren's son, Winslow, when they were taken prisoner by a British cruiser, taken to Newfoundland and put on board the British ship Grasshopper; "(she was one of the China Tea Ships which brought the Tea to Boston, which was destroyed by the Bostonians)." Transferred at West India station in the Bay of Roses to the 50 gun ship Portland, on which he was to be taken to Fortune prison in England, Donnison "stripped myself in a very dark night and entirely naked crept out of a gunport into the sea and swam with great danger & difficulty to the shore among the rocks...I endeavoured to secrete myself among the Negros and Negro Hutts along the shore; being entirely naked I beged of the Negroes an old Jacket, a Hat and Trousers....I prevailed upon a Negro Shipper...to carry me to Saint Eustatia...." Donnison recounts returning to Rhode Island for the battle there, being appointed a prize agent for enemy ships captured, and his own trade in West India goods. Early in 1781, he speaks of meeting in Amsterdam with American ambassador John Adams, his son John Quincy, Francis Dana, and others. At a dinner given by Adams for a "large Company of public Characters [and] Ministers," Donnison proposes a toast to "General Washington and the American Army" which "made some of the guests stare!!" Mr. Dennie, Donnison's partner, offered "Peace and Independence to America," to which "Mr. Adams remarked, that Independence we already had - that he was not anxious." The document is lightly toned, with minor edge tears and some mounting remnants on docket page. A wonderful document, boldly written, from the hand of an old Revolutionary War veteran.