The New Hampshire Gazette

LONDON, March 31.

Extract of a Letter from a Gentleman in Zell [a City of Germany, 30 Miles North of Hanover] to his Friend in London, dated March 9.

SIR,

I find my sundry Letters did not come to your hands, wherein I gave you a full account of what has happened here since the French have been in the country, I shall repeat the same in this Letter.

Since the 12th of August we have been plagued with them here. From that time we have had 40 Troopers quartered in our House, whom we have been obliged to furnish with Beds, Fire, Candles and Greens. They have ruin'd our House, Furniture, Gardens, &c.--They have taken by force our Hay, Corn, &c. and left us nothing; so that we were obliged to sell and kill our Cows; and sometimes we have been three Days together without a morsel of Bread.--This misfortune has happened to every Body.--We have been robbed besides of our Pewter, Copper, and many other things of value.--We are a ruined people in this country, and know not how we shall or can maintain Ourselves and get Bread for Our Families.--What we have lost amounts to many thousand Crowns; nay, we cannot yet justly tell what our losses are. The Hospital of St. Ann's, the Orphan-house with the Children in it, and the whole Fricken Wiefe is burnt by the French. Almost all the Houses before the Gate called Helen Thoré, look like sieves, where the Cannon-balls went thro'. The calamity is general, so that the people cannot help one another.

It is now ten Days since the French left this place, and our Troops took possession of it. Some of them are quartered in our house: We must give them the same that the French used to have, and every body does it cheerfully, as far as lies in his power, for they are our Friends. The people here die very fast.

Dear Friends. What can we do? We must have patience, and thank God it is no worse: He will raise up some friends to our assistance. All our trade is gone, and no body knows what to begin with; for every thing is dear, and hardly to be had for love or money.

On the 14th of December the French burnt, just behind our house, fourteen vessels from Bremen, laden with victuals; so that we expected every moment to see our houses on fire. The loss of these vessels amounted to more than 550,000 Crowns, and nothing was saved out of them; so that the Merchants at Bremen have been great sufferers thereby.

Now that the French are gone, our houses look like dung holes and jakes; and where to begin to clean or repair them we know not yet. I am not able to give you a true description of our circumstances: it would melt the heart of a Barbarian to behold our condition; for nothing is left us but life, and what is life without subsistence? tho' I hope God will be our best help; he knows how to find ways and means to support us.

I have been this week in the Country, and have found most people there, as I may say, naked: they creep together like sheep, to keep one another warm, and they have nothing left to live upon. Most of them have lost their Cattle, Horses, Waggons, &c. Cocks and Hens are a great rarity. But, no doubt, our gracious King, whose life God long preserve, will have pity on us...

To dwell a little longer on our present situation; I must add, that the French have left here above 380 sick; they lie in the Castle, but will be removed to their proper Hospital which is the Riding house here: they have their own Physicians and Surgeons. They have also left sick, more or less, in every place where they have been. We have likewise some thousands of Prisoners to feed, which is a great burden to this Country. To their sorrow they sent last year 119,000 men from France, and now they have not 46,000 left: the rest died in the Hospitals, or fell in battles and skirmishes. To day we hear that they have passed the Weser; so they have quitted our Country, for which God be praised.

Our Ramparts and Fortifications here are ruined; and our Woods and Gardens look so much like wilderness, that few know their own Property.

I do not at all envy your happiness in living in a tranquil and plentiful Country, but wish I was there.

Your's, &c.

J. G. R.