[Extract]

What a Scene is there before my own Door & all around me ー behold yonder in Rebellion Road ー the Tamar & Scorpion Sloops of War ー the ー Cherokee Armed Ship ー a large North Country Ship mounted with heavy Cannon ー an armed Schooner & as Lord William [Campbell] Says two Frigates & a Bomb Ketch every hour expected ー behold Fort Johnson ordered to make a defence, which I am Sure will be a destructive or a disgraceful one ー behold our Fortifications Mounted with heavy Cannon & Batteries erected on almost every Wharf ー our Men leaving the Town & near one half the Houses Shut up & without Inhabitants ー our precipitate project of a Naval Armament, laughin us to Scorn ー we have no Men & are at a Loss where to hide the Ships ー I perceive we Shall be distressed perhaps extremely distressed, Some among us have [univers]ly rushed us forward towards ruin, but I do not despair, I do not believe we Shall be quite destroyed ー we Shall rise again & although half naked, we Shall rise in the Splendor of Freedom, who would not Submit to temporary Losses & inconveniences; upon a well founded prospect of recovering his Liberty & transmitting that inestimable Blessing to posterity

pr Capt Rainier