[Extract]

Sir  Yesterday I did myself the honor of writing to the President of the Council of Safety by Captain [Clement] Lempriere who commanded the Schooner which has the Gun Powder on board, and in that Letter I would have been more full, had not the Wind and tide suited for Captain Lempriere to sail immediately; but soon after they got under Sail a thunder Squal came up the River by which means the tide was lost; which has given me an opportunity of writing again by Captain Lempriere, in my last I mentiond that I should keep a sufficient number of men in this Town, untill the Powder was safely out of this River, which would have been in a few hours, had not the Squal happend; as soon as the Vessels were under Sail I discharged a detachment from two Companies of Prince William Parish, where there are the fewest Whites in proportion to the Domestics, with orders to proceed to their own homes or districts; but as soon as I found that Captain Lempriere had lost the tide and could not proceed, I detain'd a number of other Men so as to have one hundred & Sixty of my Regiment, which added to the detachment of Provincials under Captain Cattles [either Benjamin or William Cattell] command, with the detachment of Grenadiers and Artillery from Charles Town amounting in all to two Hundred and fifty, a force which I thought would be sufficient for the intended Service ー these Men I shall detain untill the Vessell with the Powder is out of this River, which I expect will be by one O'clock, when I will discharge the Men until farther Ordersー

In your favor of the 3rd Instt, you are pleased to say, that the Report of My being censured by the Council of Safety, was groundless ー give me leave to say, I do think 'twas sufficient to make any man of feeling uneasy, and I was not singular in my opinion, as people here in general think me ill used, which I make no doubt proceeded from misrepresentation, and although I would not condescend to tax Captain [John] Joyner, (the Person who was suspected) before I had related to you the manner of the Powder being left here, and requesting the favo[ur] of you to acquaint me, who the ungenerous Person was that presumed to make so free with my Conduct, but as Captain Joyner has declared to one of my Officers who spoke to him on the Subject that he was innocent of the matter ー gives me occasion once more to repeat my requisition, and I shall take it as a singular favor if you will let me know as much as you conveniently can, being fully convinced I have been unfairly dealt with in some representation, if not with regard to the Powder, or I flatter myself the Council of Safety would not have encouraged Joyner or [Tunes] Teabout [Tibout] to raise an Artillery Company on this Island which must be taken from the Militia, and their view or expectation is to have that Company under their Command entirely exclusive of meー

As the Council of Safety is so far distant from this County, cannot know its circumstances and Scituation so well as I do, immagine they would not take a Step of that Sort without knowing my opinion as they must be fully convinced that I am actuated by no other motive than the good of my Country, and hope they will not be misled by two Men who are of no influence or consequence in this County or even in this Town where they are best known this is not only my opinion but that of the princ[ipal] Gentlemen of this place to who I have communicated my Sentiments on the Subject of an Artillery Companyー

As a proof of Mr Joyners influence and Conduct on the expedition he was sent to take the Powder from [Richard] Maitland, you may form some Idea, when I tell you that some days after my return from Charles Town I accidentall[y] fell in here, where I heard that a Canoe had come up from the Camp at Bloody point bringing an Account that Joyner, had but fifteen Men, six of which were the provincial Recruits left at the Camp by Captain [John] Barnwell, and I judgeing it expedient did send Captain John Bull with upwards of twenty Volunteers, who staid with Joyner and assisted in taking the Powder, and had he applied as he should have done to me I Could with the same ease have sent him two Hundred Men or more if necessary.

I do not mean to claim any merit in my part or depreciate Mr Joyner in your esteem but to shew you that he is a Man of no influence, and that a command of the sort he expects, will be takeing him entirely out of his Element ー In his own Sphere I would give him the preference of a Command to any Man in this Countyー

You may perhaps be a little surprised to find 400 1b of Powder being again left here, which was mentioned to me, tho' I approved of the Scheme, knowing the necessities of the People, to avoid Censure, I declined haveing anything to do with it ー I have the honor to be [&c.]