A NEW-YORK TORY[51] To His Friend in Philadelphia Dear Sir, I'm so anxious to hear of your health, I beg you would send me a letter by stealth: I hope a few months will quite alter the case, When the wars are concluded, we'll meet and embrace. For I'm led to believe from our brilliant success, And, what is as clear, your amazing distress, That the cause of rebellion has met with a check That will bring all its patrons to hang by the neck. Cornwallis has managed so well in the South, Those rebels want victuals to put in their mouth; And Arnold has stript them, we hear, to the buff[52]-- Has burnt their tobacco, and left them--the snuff. Dear Thomas, I wish you would move from that town Where meet all the rebels of fame and renown; When our armies, victorious, shall clear that vile nest You may chance, though a Tory, to swing with the rest. But again--on reflection--I beg you would stay-- You may serve us yet better than if moved away-- Give advice to Sir Harry of all that is passing, What vessels are building, what cargoes amassing; Inform, to a day, when those vessels will sail, That our cruisers may capture them all, without fail-- By proceedings like these, your peace will be made, The rebellious shall swing, but be you ne'er afraid. I cannot conceive how you do to subsist-- The rebels are starving, except those who 'list; And as you reside in the land of Gomorrah, You must fare as the rest do, I think, to your sorrow. Poor souls! if ye knew what a doom is decreed, (I mean not for you, but for rebels indeed), You would tremble to think of the vengeance in store, The halters and gibbets--I mention no more. The rebels must surely conclude they're undone, Their navy is ruined, their armies have run; It is time they should now from delusion awaken-- The rebellion is done--for the _Trumbull_[53] is taken! [51] _Freeman's Journal_, September 5, 1781. [52] Cornwallis, in command of the British army in the South, was in the early part of 1781 working his way steadily northward from South Carolina. Benedict Arnold arrived in the Chesapeake, January 2, 1781, and, supported by the British navy there, committed extensive ravages on the rivers and unprotected coasts of Virginia. Arnold offered to spare Richmond if he were given its stores of tobacco. The offer being rejected, the city with its tobacco was burned.