Read a letter from Capt. [George Gabriel] Powell, 5th Jan., 1776.

Whereas, all the British ships of war that were in Rebellion Road, have this day quitted the harbour. Therefore

Resolved, That the order of this board of the 4th instant, to Capt. Powell, to proceed with the brigantine Comet through Wappoo Creek into Stono River, be withdrawn; and that Capt Powell do forthwith return with the said vessel into Charles-Town harbour.

Ordered, That Capt. Powell be served with a copy of the above resolution.

Ordered, That Mr. John Rutledge, Col. [Charles Cotesworth] Pinckney, Mr. Bee, Mr. Arthur Middleton, Mr. Thos. Heyward, jun., and Doct. [David] Oliphant, be a committee to inquire and report to this board, what further measures out to be pursued for the better securing and defending the port and harbour of Charles-Town.

An information was given to the board of two scooners loading with flour, etc., for the West Indies by Wm. Gichie [William Ritchie] and Wm. Wayne, pretended to be destined for Georgia, and intended to pass through Wappoo Creek.

Referred to the committee of observation.

In the Council of Safety,
Saturday Evening, Jan. 6th, 1776.

Ordered, That letters be written and sent by express this night.

To Col. [Stephen] Bull, desiring him to confer with the Committee at Beaufort, and to send a boat under the conduct of a proper person to Cockspur, in order to give the earliest intelligence of the arrival at Tybee of the Tamar, or any of the ships under her command, which sailed this morning from Rebellion-Road, And

To Archibald Bullock at Savannah, on the same business; and also, if practicable, to send Lord William Campbell to his proper place of residence in Charles-Town, and his Secretary [Alexander] Innes, with his Lordship.

And accordingly the following letters were written, and sent by Muckenfuss.

Charles-Town, Jan. 6th, 1776.

Sir ー We received by Muckenfuss, who is bearer of this, your letter of the 3rd inst., which time will not permit us at present to reply to, except to assure you, that we are well pleased with the contents, and are sensible of your continued endeavours to promote the interest of the colony.

This morning sailed out of Rebelion-Road to sea, the Tamar and Cherokee, the Sandwich packet, the armed scooner, and a brig prize, laden with salt, taken in Stono river, and a pilot boat belonging to Georgia. We are told the Tamar is gone to North-Carolina to heave down; that the Cherokee is to go in at Tybee, and to lie somewhere in Savannah river. The end of our present application is, to request the Committee at Beaufort will immediately send a proper boat to wait near Cockspur, and to give us the earliest intelligence of her arrival, and particularly whether the Tamar also arrives there. This is a matter of the utmost importance; we desire the business may be committed to a very careful, judicious man, and that he be charged to conduct it with secrecy and dispatch. You will draw upon this board, for the expence which may attend the present service.

As the vessel or vessels above mentioned may be several days on their voyage, admitting they are really destined for Tybee, as we have been informed, we have therefore written to Archibald Bulloch esq., to give us notice of their arrival. We enclose our letter under this cover. Your messenger may, if the vessels do not appear when he reaches Cockspur, proceed to Savannah, and deliver it into Mr. Bulloch's own hand; after which he may return to Cockspur, and wait or proceed again to Beaufort, as you may order. But Mr. Bulloch should be apprized, if he intends to wait, and how long, in order to save the expence of double expresses. This is one reason for desiring a careful, sensible man to be sent as messenger, that he may confer with Mr. Bulloch, and be capable of following orders with precision.

You will recommend also to the committee to keep a look-out against an attempt by the Cherokee or the armed scooner to retake the indico brigantine, if she is in possession of the committee. We beg these gentlemen will excuse our delay of writing to them in answer to their late letters, of the 1st and 2nd inst. It is impossible by this opportunity.

By order of the Council of Safety

Col. Bull.

Henry Laurens, President.
Charles-Town, Jan. 6th, 1776.

Sir ー We refer to a letter written to you the beginning of this month by the President, and sent by express.

This morning the Tamar sloop, Cherokee armed ship, and an armed scooner as a tender, together with the Sandwich packet, a brigantine prize, and a Georgia pilot-boat, sailed from Rebellion Road to sea; and this evening we are informed that the Cherokee is destined for Savannah river, the Tamar sloop for North-Carolina, in order to clean her bottom. We have desired the Committee at Beaufort to dispatch a proper boat to Cockspur, in order to gain the earliest intelligence of any one or all of those vessels; if none are arrived when the Beaufort messenger reaches Cockspur, he will proceed to Savannah, and deliver this into your own hands, and concert a plan with you for giving us the earliest intelligence, either by detaining him a few days, or by such means as you shall judge best. If the Cherokee alone arrives there, it will please us more than if she is escorted and guarded by the Tamar.

Should Lord William [Campbell] and his secretary, Capt. Innes, walk the streets of Savannah, we doubt not but that our friends there will think they go to hold counsels which cannot be intended to produce benefit to either of the colonies, and that proper means will be taken to send those itinerants, with all dispatch, to their late habitation in St. Michael's, Church street, Charles-Town, where the Governor particularly is extremely wanted, and from whence he retired without good grounds, and very much against the inclination of the people over whom he presided, and who are exceedingly desirous of his return.

By order of the Council of Safety

Henry Laurens, President.

We write to you particularly ー you will best know whom to consult.

Arch'd Bulloch, esqr.