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Sirs,

I had the Honor of writing you some Time ago P Remmens to which I refer. I have now to acquaint you that two Friends here & myself have charterej this Vessel for the Sum of one Thousand Dollars, chiefly to carry this Letter and at same Time to tender any Services she can in Case of falling in with/any of your Cruizers or Privateers, which I hope she will, and in that Case this Letter will not perhaps come to hand immediately, but as it's of the u/most Consequence I shall forward Copies by every Opportunity The Purport is this that the Governor of this Place is ready to open Trade witW you, and you may,depend will receive and protect all your Vessels, so that they have your Papers, further l can assure you that your Cruizers and Privateers may bring in their Prizes here, and they will be condemned and Sold for the Good of our Cause as your Laws in those Cases may direct; which in my Opinion may turn out very advantageous at this Port. From the Circumstances mentioned the Gentlemen that have joined me in this Expedition and self beg you will give the Bearer Captain Lemore [James La Maire] a Commission, whom you may depend is worthy of such Trust, and very capable of putting it into Execution, and is well acquainted with this Coast.

At same Time as there are Numbers of this Place Friends to the Cause and would go any Lengths to serve you, I beg you will send as many blank Commissions as you think necessary, with the proper Orders how they are to be put in Execution, which depend shall be done with the greatest Punctuality, and any other Commands you may honor me with. I have sent Copy of sundry Bills I have paid drawn by Lieutenant [Adam] Lynn belonging to the first Regiment in Virginia amounting in Dollars 2,340 V Cry. The Originals I keep as Vouchers. but when the Copies are paid they shall be void and of no Effect. The Governor wishes you Success, and hopes to hear from you soon, and would be glad to for a Correspondence so that he might be acquainted with the Affairs passing in your Parts, and at same Time acquaint you with the Circumstances here, for which he is ready to contribute towards the expence of fixing a constant Express or Post between this and your place, the most safest I believe is by Way of Fort Pitt down the Ohio. referring you to the Bearer I am &c—

This Letter was about twenty Leagues down the River, hut being Stopped by a Sloop of War some Time he returned back here for fresh Orders, and now he is to make the second Attempt to morrow Morning, which I hope will be more successful. There is hardly any Thing new expired since, only the Captain of the Sloop of War seems very much enraged against my Person and Property, by orders he says he has from Government at Pensacola, which has arose from some villainous Informations of the Tories here. And how far my Property stands safe only depends on your Success (which out of the Question I hope will be crowned with everlasting Glory) and as to my Person I look upon myself at present very safe, as the Governor of this Place has and does now protect me. But in Case of an Accident which may happen of being taken Prisoner, I would be1 happy to have Something to shew,from you either in the Character of civil or military, as you may think proper, so that it would only entitle me to be treated as a Gentleman, for at present I am threatened with only Death, which in the Service once legally appointed I should not dread.

I have now to observe that the Governor of this place has seized several English Vessels here on Account of contraband Trade amongst which was a Sloop of mine, which upon claiming as an A[merica]n Property he immediately gave her up, and farther he is determined to suppress the ,Trade of Great Britain as much as lies in his Power, and support yours. I have this Day forwarded his Orders to the River's Mouth to remain there, which is to make spanish Property of any [of] your trading Vessels that may arrive there, to cover them from the Sloop of War while she remains here. The executing of this will make some Noise and no Doubt create a Jealousy between Great Britain and this Government, but, as the saying is, the more Mischief the better Sport on the present Occasion.

I come now to acquaint you that the two Friends mentioned in my last that joined me in this Expedition are unfortunately Sufferers in the Seizures made here by the Governor, being under English Colours he could not save them, or indeed any other Colours in a contraband Trade, notwithstanding he says if you apply to the Court of Spain, he makes no Doubt but what they will have the Amount of their Vessels &c rendered them back; one is Captain [William] Pickles in the brig Norton Vessel and Cargo, value about twenty six Thousand Dollars, and the other Capt [Joseph] Calvert in the Brigantine steady Friends, Value 3000 Dollars, in all about 29,000 Dollars which is the Sum they esteem them at now, but all they can expect to be allow'd them by the Court of Spain is the Nett proceeds of what their Vessels and Cargoes will bring at Vendue. What Steps you chuse to take in this Affair I shall be glad you would advise me of immediately, otherwise forward Copy of what you write to the Court of Spain to this Governor. There is also two Slaves belonging to Captain [Patrick] Barry and one to J:W:³ which is seized and will be sold with the rest; the Proceeds of them I hope you will also claim as your Property, this being the needful.

I have only to observe as I am upon the Spot here, and that the Governor of this Place is pleased to put the greatest Confidence in me with respect to the Correspondence betwixt you and this Governor, I should be happy in having the Honor of the same Confidence from you with the necessary Utensils, say a Credit, first on the Court of Spain, or any other Part of Europe for certain Sum or Sums, which I might have Occasion for the Benefit of the Cause, that is in Case you have any Intentions of making an Expedition this Way, or if this mode is not so convenient Supplies of Flour and Slaves may answer the Purpose equally well, as the Port will be now free for your Prizes &c. I have often been obliged to advance Money for the Benefit of the Cause, which I have made no Account of now; but in future I shall furnish you with the Particulars. At present all the Reward I want is to be in the Service in the Rank or Station of Life you may think I merit, so that I may have Something to shew if called upon. Wishing you Success I have the Honor to be, Sirs. —

7th April [sic May] 1777.

Sirs,

Since I finished the above I have had the Honor of conversing with the Governor, and he desires me to assure you that if you make an Expedition against this River and Pensacola he will furnish your Troops with Cash or in short any Thing in his Power they may Stand in Want of. I have the Honor to be, Sirs &c —