1759, June 27

The following data is extracted from Letterbooks of William Henry Lyttleton 1756-1760.

Sir

I am Sorry to Acquaint you Excellency of an affair that Happen’d here tho 21st Inst. I Having a Little Rum cam Safe & the Skin being Absent so Long without Liquor & Difirious of having it I took the Opportunity now y Indians being gone & hunting to grant their Request & I order’d a Small Quantity to be given amonst my Com’d _____I foon Perseive, d Affect’d them I then thought Proper to give orders that no more Rum Shou’d be Ifsued out. The next Day I was Supprisy’d to find y Command more Diguised & Inquiring into y Cause of it was Informed by Severall of my Men That Ensign Bell had Sold them Rum Contrary to my orders, & He Kept himself to His Room all y afternoon. All tho he was Officer of the Guard, & Invited the Interpreter to Keep him Company till were both drunk & Incapible of Buifinifs. In y Evening Mr. Anderson came to Receive the Paro____ for Him & I told him I was Suppris’d at Ensigh Bell’s Procedding, ____ Said he Knew nothing of Bell Selling Rum but _____ Bell had Six Kegg. I told him I was contempiously used by Him _ppon Wm. Anderson Took His Leave In a Short Time ___ Comes Ensign Bell to my Room In a most fhamfully Disorder in Liquor & abraid’d me for That. He was guilty of himself. I answered Him I was Shock’d at His Behaviour & Defire’d he ___ goe to his Room. He broke out upon me with Repro_____j___ and and and Provoking Spuckes’ ___ I could bear wth Him no Longer, I ordered Mr. Bogges whom being Present all the time to Putt him under Arrest. To ___ he did, no’ Sooner had he gott him to His Room he falls a Fighting with his fist & abusing everyone that came to his Afsistance acting like a Mad man? Brakes his Arrest Run’s about ____ the Parrade’ Afspiring any Carrictar, and Calling me a Frence Coward, & that I Run Away from my Coulers when I was in Virginia & So he Continue’d most Part of the Night ___Such Shamefull & Villianous Insit____e words amonst the men The day Following he kept his Room pretty Decently and the Next Day he Sends me an Excusing Letter for his being Drunk wch. I answer’d by the Hand of Ensign Bogges he must make a Publick Acknowledgement of his Faults & ask Pardon when the men are Under Arms, at which He Comply’d, with But notwithstanding I could not _____ with His behaviour, So for the good of the Service I Have Sent Him down to be ___ for another at Keowhee and Leave the Whou_l to your Excellency Pleasure
J am with Respect

Sir

your Excellency’s

most obedient
and most Humble Servant

Paul Demere

P. S. inclosed j send the Linguister’s journal

Source: Letterbooks of William Henry Lyttleton 1756-1760

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