The reason of deferring the battery on Sullivan's island was, the Tamar and Cherokee sloops of war lay close alongside of this island; which was made a den for runaway slaves, who were encouraged and protected by the people belonging to the ships. The departure of them, occasioned by want of provisions which we refused to supply them with, the moment we had it in our power to prevent them from plundering, gave us an opportunity of fortifying the island. I went twice down, and worked the first time three, and the 2d two days, the only volunteer. The ships were but a few days gone, when three others, sent from England, appeared off our bar, the Syren of twenty eight, Raven of twenty guns, and a transport. They several times attempted corning in, but the wind for three or four days prevented them. One of our pilot boats fired upon their barge, which was several times returned, without damage. They at last sailed for Georgia, where they and the other men of war are now striving to procure provisions, after which we expect a visit from them, and are pretty well prepared. We have above one hundred heavy cannon mounted for the defence of the town and harbour, the militia from all parts are marching into town.

Upon the return of the Georgia Delegates, the Sons of Liberty [in Savannah] assembled, unrigged all the vessels that were ready to sail for England, set up a liberty pole, seized upon the persons of the Governor and Council, and sent to us for two hundred men. Some Tories there are striving to bring on an Indian war, and recruiting for government in the back parts of that Province.

The town [Charleston] is surrounded with seven batteries, two on James island, viz. Fort Johnston of twenty, and a new one of eleven guns, and two on Sullivan's island, one of twelve and another of four guns, so that we can rake the whole harbour from the bar. But I suppose this is nothing to what your Council of Safety has done for the defence of Philadelphia, which is so easily defended on account of the length of your river. You must be impregnable by this time. You are happy, my dear friend, in not being exposed to the more than diabolical machinations of government tools, and the dread of insurrections from your slaves. Hell would be ashamed of such mean and more than brutal attempts to destroy us, and the Devil would blush at the impudence of the man who would have the effrontery to recommend a reunion with so barberous a government.