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Letter written by Nathaniel Little to his brother from Louisburg dated July 25, 1745. Published in the Newburyport paper July 25, 1895. Note: letter has rural spelling with added adjustment for easier reading
Dear Brother:
I have an opportunity to write unto you to let you know that I am not unmindful of you, but are often in my thoughts. These lines come with my hearty and sincere love unto you hoping that they will find you in health as they left me.
Dear Brother: {written another day}
If I am permitted so to speak, I will inform you some abut the fite {fight} We built a battery on green hill. And there I youst (stand} guard day and night. I bing {been} there when the cannon balls have killed three men. Then we built another bratean batteaux about as far as from the Sity {city} as from our house to barn and I youst {stand} guard at nights and I have been there
when the hunch fired fifty bumes a night beside the cane and small arms. I have fired there while my gun had been heete {heat} so most to burst great fumes so most to burst great guns we used to shut at the west gate. There was a man said if he didn’t hit the gate to the next shot be he dim and before he had time to fire there came a cannon ball and split his head in the medle {middle} and one half on one shoulder and another half on other shoulder. The small arms killed our men. But to give strick count I can’t count how many there was killed, but I believe about two hundred in all was killed—the Indians some and the island battery some. One weake there came a long ship to the harbor mouth and fired for a pilot and tow ship commodore went out and brought her in it the rich prize brought into New England and believe I shall come home about September and so no more at present. John Akers well and in good health and remembers his love to all at home and so remember our love to our friends. {He then lists the following initials stating they are well} S. H. and B. H. and R. H. and J. K. and J. C. David Woodman sends love and he would have you remember his love to Cutting Lunt and Nat.
Nathaniel Little
The author of this letter did not come back as he proposes in September. He never again saw Plum Island Point or Old Town Green. Like many hundreds of his mates who were obliged to wait over the water for the relief garrison from England, he died of the terrible pestilence which broke in the ill provisioned town. The initials we can only guess who they are.
Cutting Lunt was father of the famous naval hero of the same name. Nat Lunt was his brother, a noted character {Lunt brothers born to Joseph Lunt and Martha Noyes} Nat is said to have started the Green Pond for brick kiln, and with some of the stubbornness of his noted nephews earning the local rhyme, Nat Lunt have his will If he loses money in every kill Nathaniel Little was a son of Tristram and Sarah (Dole) Little just 21 years of age, 6 feet in stockings and a noted athlete. He was the same age and cousin to Moses Little of Bunker Hill fame who led our soldiers to the second Louisburg expedition. The traditions that the night before they left several of the young soldier chums from the Port gathered at Little’s house in Old Town where Joseph Little now resides and as they went each one “stomping” cleared a five-barrel gate in their spirits. Little’s father sadly remarked, “that all those smart young fellows will not come back,” and his son was one.
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