[January 6 to February 12, 1776]
Defensive Situations are at all times unpleasant. But ours in Boston & on the Heights of Charles Town was accompanied with some mortifying Circumstances, which heightened the Satisfaction I felt at finding myself released from it by an order from Sir Wm Howe to take upon me the Command in the Southern District, and to proceed to Cape Fear River to meet an Armament coming from Ireland, in order to support the Loyalists & restore the authority of the Kings Government in the four Southern Provinces. For it seems the Governors of those Provinces had sent home such sanguine and favorable Accounts of the loyal Disposition of Numbers of their Inhabitants (especially in the back Country) that Administration was induced to believe "that nothing was wanting but the appearance of a respectable Force there to encourage the Kings Friends to shew themselves, When it was expected they would soon be able to prevail over those, who having contrived to get the Sword into their hands had hitherto kept them in awe & effected their rebellious purposes without Controul."
This Force the Commander in Chief was told would be sent from Corke by the first of december, so as to arrive on the Carolina Coast sufficiently early for operations in that Climate; and to finish the Services expected from it in Time for its joining the northern army before the Campaign opened. He was accordingly directed to instruct the General officer, who should be sent thither, "to leave each Colony, as it should be reduced to Obedience, to the Support & Protection of the well affected Provincials, that might take up Arms in the Kings Cause, and to join him with the whole of the regular Troops as soon as the Navigation of the Northern Coasts of North America became practicable."
Instructions conformable to these Commands were delivered to me by Sir Wm Howe on the 6th day of January; and as soon as the Ships could be got ready I embarked in the Mercury Frigate, and sailed from Boston on the 20th in company with two Transports and a Store Ship having on board the light Companies of the 4th and 44th Regiments, and a few officers for a Corps intended to be raised among the Highland Emigrants in North Carolina. It had been Part of my Instructions to call at the different Ports in my way to the Southward, that I might have an opportunity of picking up Pilots, consulting Governors & other officers of Government, and Collecting Intelligence. We consequently put in to Sandy Hook, where we arrived on the 4th of february and immediately ran up to N York through the Ice. Here we found the Asia & Phoenix Men of War, lying in the East River, and the Governor (Tryon) residing on board Ship; none of them very pleasantly situated. For tho' they had been hitherto regularly supplied with fresh Provisions from the Shore, the Tumult of the Times rendered it rather dangerous for any Person to venture from them into the Town; the Inhabitants of Long & Staten Islands having been disarmed a little before our Arrival by a Detachment of Jersey Militia under Lord Stirling ー and New York being kept in awe by a Body of those from Connecticut, who were also just joined by General [Charles] Lee from the Rebel army before Boston.
Having been detained by contrary Winds, it was the 12th of February before we could sail from Sandy Hook;