This collection contains 5 letters by British artillery officer Samuel Cleaveland and 4 letters by his wife Mary. The letters, addressed to the Cleavelands' acquaintance John Beague in Dulverton, West Somerset, England, concern Samuel Cleaveland's experiences in North America just before and during the early stages of the American Revolution. In 1772 and 1773, Samuel Cleaveland wrote to Beague about the 4th Artillery Battalion's move to North America, completed in July 1773. On July 18, 1773, he wrote to Beague from New York, reporting his safe arrival and providing his opinions of North America, where he enjoyed the food, drink, and climate. He wrote again on April 25, 1776, sharing his optimism about prospects for military victory.
Mary Cleaveland corresponded with Beague following her husband's departure, often passing along news of her husband and son, which she gathered from their letters to her. Along with reports on the state of the war, she expressed confidence in the British position and noted that neither Samuel nor her son "[thought] their situation in the least Alarming" (July 15, 1775). She also shared her opinion on the American "vilains," reported on her son's capture in Philadelphia, and praised successful British operations on Long Island (October 12, 1776).
Samuel Cleaveland (ca. 1727-1794), a British artillery officer, assumed command of the First Royal Artillery Company in India in 1748, and served with the unit until 1762, when he was promoted to major following the successful capture of Havana. The same year, he transferred to the 4th Battalion of Royal Artillery; he served intermittently in North America until his permanent return to England in 1777. In 1781, Cleaveland commanded the 3rd Artillery Battalion, then stationed in England, and eventually rose to the rank of lieutenant general. He and his wife Mary had at least one son, who joined his father in North America during the war and was held prisoner at Philadelphia in 1776; Mary remained in London during the war.
