[Extract]

The affair at Hampton is at once a proof of the natural bravery of our countrymen, of the excellence of their aim in firing, and of the insignificancy of tenders. No troops could shew more intrepedity than the raw, new raised men, under the command of captain [George] Nicholas, of the second regiment, and captain [George] Lyne, of the minute men, together with some of the country militia. These brave young officers, at the head of their men, without the least cover or breast-work, on the open shore, stood a discharge of 4 pounders, and other cannon, froin a large schooner commanded by captain Squire himself, and from a sloop and two tenders, which played on them with all their guns, swivels, and muskets. They stood cooly till the vessels were near enough for them to do execution, when they began a brisk and well directed fire, which forced the little squadron to retire. In the night the tenders forced their way through the vessels, which were sunk in the mouth of the river, and came close up to the very town, on which they fired till they were again repulsed with the loss of 9 men killed on board the schooner, and many wounded, 2 killed on board a tender which was boarded and taken, and from which lieutenant Write [Wright], of the Otter, made his escape wounded, by swimming to the schooner on the opposite shore. Colonel Woodford, who had just entered the town as the fire began, with a reinforcement of 50 fine riflemen under the command of captain [Abraham] Bluford, an experienced and brave rifleman, compleated the victory, and we have no doubt, could they have arrived an hour sooner, so as to have posted their men properly, that the schooner and tenders would have been taken.