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This day about one o'Clock sailed the Ship Alfred and the Ship Columbus with Two Brigs, ² the Alfred Carries 36 Guns 9 and 12 pounders, 60 Marines, and about 200 Sailors. Columbus about the same number of Men, and 32 Guns, the Two Brigs carries 16 Guns, they sailed with 5 or 6 Merchant Ships Loaded with Flour from the Congress. [Esek] Hopkins Commands the Alfred, she has Yellow sides, her Head the figure of a Man, English Colours but more Striped, ー The Columbus is all Black, except white bottom, with no Head, Commanded by one [Abraham] Whipple.

Hopkins says he will board after a few Shot at all events, they have got a Number of Grapnels, Spikes &ca for boarding, with Cohorns on the Main top. A Sloop of 12 Guns ³ is to sail this Evening, she is a sloop that came from Rhode Island. I don't know whether or not these Vessels are going but it is probable they will Convoy these Merchantmen off the Coast as they are going for Powder &ca to Spain, Portugal and Holland and to France but I cannot understand they have any particular Alliances as yet. by some words as I heard I believe they will pay Lord Dunmore a Visit soon, he is on board and is fallen down Ten Miles below Newport [sic] he has lost many Men. Three Companies is going to March from here very soon Captain Williams Alens, Dawson and Jenkenses all for Virginia. ⁴ The Neptune and the Aurora is Two of the Above Merchantmen, there Names is in their Sterns, they are certainly going for Powder and Ammunition let their pretence be what they will ⁵ very bad News from Canada Arnolds Regiment have lost great numbers of Men Starved to Death and Perished with Hunger and Cold. Governor Carlton has great Numbers in Quebec. Long Faces in the Congress because they are Almost out of hopes of taking it: the head of the Tories on Long-Island are to be taken and Secured in Goal and the Others to be disarmed; more Vessels are loading here with Flour none of them Cleared out at the Custom House, they are all Freighted by the Congress.

N.B. The first part of this Information was a Mistake, The Privateers having only fell down the River and did not sail.