On Friday all was Tempest by the coming up of a Transport ー The Fears of the Multitude made them forget the Mayor's Message concerning the expected Ship & concieving that they were betrayed Mr. [Henry] Clinton & the Governor were calumniated as false Villains, Liars and Decievers ー The River was full of Ice and the Cold intemperate and yet the Inhabitants flew into the Country with their Effects & Nothing could restrain them from escaping at every poosible outlet ー The opposite Shores were covered with Household Goods there being not a sufficient Number of Carriages to take them away ー Immense Losses were sustained by the Fugitives and many weakly Constitutions will doubtless complain from this a rainy cold Day to the Hour of Death. ー Their Frights were owing to a Report that Mr. [Charles] Lee would instantly begin to fortify & bring on an Attack from the Ships in the Harbour.

Mr. Tryon at this Juncture sent [Samuel] Bayard [Jr.] the Deputy Secretary to the Committee of Safety to let them know his Answer to Bayard's Question what he should do with the Records that they were safe in their present Repository if no Works were erected to annoy the Ships and the Artillery remained untouched. This was in Effect giving Leave to General Lee to raise works in the interior Parts of the Island But the Committee made no Use of this Hint to ease the Inhabitants chusing to urge their Flight that the empty Houses might be used as Barracks for the Soldiers they had sent for ー Mr. Tryon also offered to take the Records into his own Care and be answerable for them & refused his consent to remove them ー That Message was delivered on the 7 of Feby to the Committee and reduced to writing tho' delivered in words, and one Copy left with the Mayor & another with Mr. Axtel [William Axtell] to be shewn to the Members of the Council on Shore  It gave Relief to but Few except my Family to whom (as my Wife lay in the Day before) Mr. Tryon (Saturday 10th) desired Mr. Axtel to declare in Confidence that Nothing would tempt the Ships to fire at that Season upon the Town. Vandeput at the same time with Tears in his Eyes besought the Refugees contending with the Ice in passing the River to Return to the City assuring them that the Ships would not begin the Assault but all was in Vain while the Leaders on Shore perswaded to the Flight, and were silent as to the Message from the Governor who was at the same [time] openly maligned as one of the worst of Mankind & unfortunately the Wind prevented General Clinton from sailing for several Days during which Time Reports were propogated of Mr. [William] Howe's actual Embarkation at Boston destined to this Place as well as of other Troops being on their Way from Great Britain and General Lee at the same Time declared that his Works might be delayed for a Month....