Source 2b

Extract from a letter from Edward Harvey to John Irwin, 30 June 1775. Catalogue ref: WO 3/5 p.37

Transcript

That attempting to conquer A[merica] Internally by our L[an]d Force is as wild an Idea as ever controverted [denied] Comm. [common] Sense will be in the end apparent.

 

Adieu [goodbye] & etc. E.H. [Edward Harvey]

 

London 30th June 1775.

 

« Return to American Revolution: Early conflicts
  • What does this letter infer about the attitude of British soldiers towards war in America?
  • Why do you think it was difficult for a land force to conquer the American continent? [Refer to Sources 2a & 4 in your answer]
  • John Irwin was the Commander in Chief in Ireland (1775-82). What does this reveal about communication networks between British territories in the late eighteenth-century?