The rifle-men and soldiers of Hampton desire their compliments to capt. Squire and his squadron, and wish to know how they approve the reception they met with last friday [October 27]. Should he incline to renew his visit, they will be glad to see him; otherwise, in point of complaisance, they will be under the necessity of returning the visit. If he cannot find the ear that was cut of[f], they hope he will wear a wig to hide the mark; for perhaps it may not be necessary that all should know chance had effected that which the laws ought to have done.

It is certainly a fact, that in the late engagement at Hampton a rifle-man killed a man at the distance of 400 yards. Take care, ministerial troops.

The seven white prisoners taken on board the Hawke tender at Hampton had been treated with great humanity, one of them admitted to his parole, and another discharged; but the negro slaves are doubly confined, and will be tried for their lives.

A small squadron (commanded, it is said, by capt. Montague) a few days since exchanged some shot with a party of riflemen at Jamestown, without any effect. The frequent depredations committed on the rivers by the tenders have provoked the inhabitants in every part to await their people coming on shore, when they expect to treat them with that riguor due to thieves and robbers.

Between 1 and 2 o'clock last wednesday morning [November 1], it being very dark and. rainy, the sentinel on duty at the treasury fired upon some persons, whom he had repeatedly challenged without receiving any answer; and suspecting they were armed, and that they might return, he hung his blanket upon some pales, and stood with his gun ready cocked to fire at the flash of their guns. In about half an hour a gun was discharged from behind the treasury, the ball from which struck close to the blanket, and the sentinel fired a second time. The captain of the guard at the magazine, hearing the report of guns, went immediately with a small detachment to endeavour to intercept the villains upon their retreat, and it is said saw three men at whom he fired, without success, it being exceedingly dark. Next morning several parties were sent after them, but could gain no other intelligence than that two or three men, in blue jackets, had been seen early that morning, near the creek, by some negroes.

It has been suspected that capt. Montague himself was the person, and that his design was to attempt to destroy the magazine or treasury; and that his madness and folly made him return the sentinal's fire. Whoever he was, he had a narrow escape.