Charity Clarke was the daughter of a retired British Army captain, and thus a potential loyalist. She was, in fact, not afraid to speak her mind in support of the American cause and proudly recounted the natural beauties of the Hudson in a letter to her cousin Joseph Jekyll in London.

Claremont, New York June 16, 1768I left home a few days ago in order to spend a month with a young lady near an hundred miles from N York and came by water when I had the pleasure of sailing up such a river [the Hudson] as England can not boast of, it is true we did not see a country so well cultivated as it might have been had it run through any part of England; but it is the most romantick prospect you ever saw, made almost for the foundation of a world, woods & mountains can give it. Nor is it entirely uncultivated we saw feilds of Grain & vilages & frequently houses, the winding of the river & the number of sloops that were going & coming made it a delightful scene; you may boast the work of art, and beauties the consequence of countries long settled & filled with inhabitants. Nature has given us the advantage & when this country is as much improved as yours, we will exceed you as much in the beauty &c of that, as we do now in virtue, excel the inhabitants of Great Britain.
You may think I puff, I will appeal to Capt. Jekyll; he knows wither I do or no. …
your affectionate Cousin & Sincere friend Chay. Clarke

The excerpt is from In the Words of Women, Chapter 1, page 8. Read another post by Charity Clarke HERE.