Love letter from John Laurens to his wife, Martha Manning

Why this record matters

Date

9 November 1777

Catalogue reference

HCA 32/392/7

In September 1777, the British army marched into Philadelphia and claimed it as their own. The city was a highly strategic and symbolic place as it was the seat of the Second Continental Congress, which functioned as the American government during the Revolutionary War. George Washington, leader of the Continental Army, knew this and needed to win the city back.

Later in 1777, Washington and his military staff, including John Laurens, were busy planning the critical recapture of Philadelphia. During this important and chaotic time for the revolution, John took a few moments to write a letter to his wife in London, who he hoped to be reunited with soon.

John met Martha while studying law in London. During his stay in the British capital, he frequently visited the house of William Manning, a business partner of John’s father Henry. Both William Manning and Henry Laurens’ wealth came from enslaved people’s labour on plantations in the West Indies and South Carolina.

Manning had five daughters and, in the spring of 1776, John started a secret love affair with the youngest, Martha. She soon became pregnant, and the couple married quickly without parental approval.

John had no intention of settling in London with Martha. Instead, he wanted to go back to America to join the revolution. In December 1776, he left London without Martha, who gave birth to their daughter just a few weeks later.

John was known for his strong sense of patriotism and recklessness in battle. This letter, written almost a year after leaving Martha behind, shows a different side of him, one of care for his wife and of a desire for them to be together. It reveals how he frequently wrote to his wife while at war, and that he attempted several times to find safe passage for her to come to America, but without success. Assuring her of his love, he suggests that it might be best to remain in London for the time being:

‘However great our unhappiness be, in consequence of our separation, I can never consent my dearest love that you should expose yourself to all the dangers which now attend a sea voyage in a common vessel and without the guardianship of a particular Friend.’

John had good reason to be concerned. The crossing of the Atlantic was hazardous at the best of times, but during wartime, it was even more dangerous, as ships risked being captured by enemy forces. The letter testifies to John’s awareness of the dangers at sea, which made him fear for his wife’s safety if she were to travel. He makes it clear that he considers the crossing too risky and that it would be best to ‘endure the pain of absence patiently’ than the misery of her captivity.

Sadly, Martha never received her husband’s affectionate letter, because the ship that carried it, The Lowndes, was captured by HMS Martin on 4 June 1778. It was then brought into Plymouth to be claimed as a prize.

To ensure that a capture was legal, the captors had to bring their prizes in front of a court. In Britain, this was the High Court of Admiralty. The court process involved confiscating all documents found on board to use as evidence. This is how John Laurens’ letter came to The National Archives. It sits within our High Court of Admiralty records and was recently rediscovered as part of the Prize Papers project.

The letter closes with John Laurens’ 'ardent wishes’ for their reunion, which would never happen. Washington’s young lieutenant colonel died on 27 August 1782 at the Battle of Combahee River as one of the last casualties of the American Revolutionary War. He never saw his wife again or had the chance to meet his daughter.