Fort William Ap^ll 5^th 1757

My very Good Friend

yours of the 17 of march came safe to my hands an

in answer to it I canot say where the fault lyes it may

be here or it may be at Gray^s Inn but this I will say

that I have been [illeg – subrise} where I should write to you

not hereing from you of so long a time sometimes I

thought you may be gon down to the Country and in

dudgeon pulled up your Ladder as that good man M^r

Lownds used to say I am sorry he has been ill but am

Rejoiced he is well I did see in the news that our friend

George Payne was dead I hope he had married all his

Neeces before he left this wourld pray let me know how he

Got off of the affaire of Lord Colraine

I am very much oblig’d to you for the Copy of the

memorial you are so good as to send me I hope w may hav{^e}

some relief since Lord Barrington has refered it to a

Board Officers

Colⁿ Parsons is got very deafe you say and a Little

Off of his speed I do not wonder at it but that {^the} Admiral

and the rest of our friends at Alice’s are well you will oblige

us much if you will make our sinceare Complemints

acceptable to them all

We have had a very seveare winter and it has much

affected M^rs Leighton and me with very severe could that

has not as yet left us nor as yet we cannot {^see} when the

wether will mende I cannot put my oats in the Ground

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the poore People ar almost starved here for want of

oatemeale it is at sixteen pence a peck and that hard

to get

we have Raised two Regiments of Hillanders

here aboutes and thay ar now under orders to march

for Glasgow to embarke for Ireland

Dear Sir we are much oblige to you that you ar

so kiend as to think of us at this distance and that

you give us some hopes that something may be dun as

as to the mariens acc^ts I am

Dear Sir

With all truth your

most faithfull and

assured friend

John Leighton

PS

I must let you know som thing

of our bad wether here on this new

Moone we had so violent a storme

of wind the sea drove a ship out of the

Harber and had like to have carried a

way with her the angle of one of {^one} of our {?Bastions/Fashions}

and by the forse of the winde is drove quite out

of the watter that it is thought she can not be

got off againe she has overset and at {^the} same time

the sea broke down our Counterscarpe of our maine Ditch

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and laide down a whole range of our {?tallisadees} in the

Ditch and filled it full of watter more then one Hundred

paces and sum of the Barracks had more then three feet

watter in them and our store rooms the same so that I

thought the Fort would quite have been washed away

on that side to wards the sea it has dun us a great deale

of Damage to the walls that way and if not repaired I am

afraide will all come down I think now I have quite tired

your patience and must add no more but that I am

Dear Sir

Yours

Fort William April 5^th 1757

My very Good Friend

yours of the 17 of march came safe to my hands an

in answer to it I cannot say where the fault lies it may

be here or it may be at Gray^s Inn but this I will say

that I have been [illeg – subrise} where I should write to you

not hearing from you of so long a time sometimes I

thought you may be gone down to the Country and in

dudgeon pulled up your Ladder as that good man M^r

Lownds used to say I am sorry he has been ill but am

Rejoiced he is well I did see in the news that our friend

George Payne was dead I hope he had married all his

Nieces before he left this world pray let me know how he

Got off of the affair of Lord Colraine

I am very much obliged to you for the Copy of the

memorial you are so good as to send me I hope we may hav{^e}

some relief since Lord Barrington has referred it to a

Board Officers

Colonel Parsons is got very deaf you say and a Little

Off of his speed I do not wonder at it but that {^the} Admiral

and the rest of our friends at Alice’s are well you will oblige

us much if you will make our sincere Compliments

acceptable to them all

We have had a very severe winter and it has much

affected M^rs Leighton and me with very severe cold that

has not as yet left us nor as yet we cannot {^see} when the

weather will mend I cannot put my oats in the Ground

[new page]

the poor People are almost starved here for want of

oatemeal it is at sixteen pence a peck and that hard

to get

we have Raised two Regiments of Hillanders

hereabouts and they are now under orders to march

for Glasgow to embark for Ireland

Dear Sir we are much oblige to you that you are

so kind as to think of us at this distance and that

you give us some hopes that something may be done as

as to the mariens accounts I am

Dear Sir

With all truth your

most faithful and

assured friend

John Leighton

PS

I must let you know some thing

of our bad weather here on this new

Moon we had so violent a storm

of wind the sea drove a ship out of the

Harbour and had like to have carried a

way with her the angle of one of {^one} of our {?Bastions/Fashions}

and by the force of the wind is drove quite out

of the water that it is thought she can not be

got off again she has overset and at {^the} same time

the sea broke down our Counterscarpe of our main Ditch

[new page]

and laid down a whole range of our {?tallisadees} in the

Ditch and filled it full of water more then one Hundred

paces and sum of the Barracks had more then three feet

water in them and our store rooms the same so that I

thought the Fort would quite have been washed away

on that side to wards the sea it has dun us a great deal

of Damage to the walls that way and if not repaired I am

afraid will all come down I think now I have quite tired

your patience and must add no more but that I am

Dear Sir

Yours