July 1777 Monday 14th
Moor'd in the North River of[f] New York at 2 PM made the Prestons St Albans & Richmonds Sigls for Lieutts and the general Sigl for the fleet to prepare for Sailing,
Thursday 15th
At 9 AM made the Scarboroughs Sigl for the Capt at Noon Punish'd Heny Luke for Drunkenness: The first part fresh breezes & Clear, middle Modte & fair, latter Cloudy ½ past 1 PM unmoor'd Ship & hove in too ½ a Cable on the Small Br
Wednesday 16th
at 9 AM made the Sigl for the Fleet to remain in the same Situation, at 11 weigh'd & made Sail at Noon Anch'd with the small Bower in 7 fathom read the Articles of War to the Ships Compy The first & Middle parts Modte & Cloudy, with thunder lightning & Rain, latter fresh Breezes. At Single Anchor off New York
Thursday 17th
at 9 AM made the Sigl for the first division to weigh, at 10 weigh'd & made Sail, at 11 made the Sigl & Anchd with Bt Br of[f] Staten Island, in 12 fatm water, & veer'd to ½ a Cable, Robins reef N½ W I & ½ Miles, and the West ernmost point of Staten Island WNW The first part Modte & Cloudy, Middle light airs & Clear, latter Modte breezes & fair, At Single Anchor off Staten Island at 2 PM steadied the Ship with the stream Anchor, at 5 made the Sigl for all Captns Anchd here the Senegal Sloop,
Friday 18th
at 9 AM made the Sigl to prepare for sailing, at 10 made the Nonsuch, Augusta, Somerset, Isis & Raisonables Sigls to unmoor, at Noon sail'd hence the Otter Sloop: The first & latter parts light breezes & Clear, Middle Modte & Cloudy, ½ past 12 made the Vigilants Sigl to join the Fleet, at ½ past 1 PM made the Sigl for all Lieutts Anchd here the Vigilant & Cornwallis Galley, at 7 made Liverpooles Sigl for a Lieutnt, made the Cornwallis, Strombolo & Yorks Sigls for Lieutts
Saturday 19th
½ past 10 AM made the Sigl for all Lieutts at 11 the Sigl for the Commissary General The first part Modte breezes & Clear, Middle light airs & fair, latter Modte & Cloudy at 2 PM made the Nonsuch, Somerset, Raisonable, Augusta & Isis's Sigls for Lieutts at 5 Anchd here H.M. Ships Apollo, Solebay, Tartar & Milford, at 6 made the Sigl for all Lieutts
Sunday 20th
at 8 AM hove Short at ½ past Anchd here the Richmond The first part Modte & Cloudy, Middle Do latter fresh breezes & fair, at 1 PM made the Sigl for the Capt of the Apollo, at 3 arrived here the Sphynx
Monday 21st
At 1 AM Departed this Life John Davis Seaman, at 4 made the Signal Weighd & came to Sail, ½ past 7 Anchd in ¼ of 8 fm Gravesend Church NEBE 3 Miles, the Buoy of the Wr Bank SW½W 1 Mile at Noon made the Somerset & Augusta's Sigls for Lieutts: The first part Modte Breezes & Cloudy, Middle fresh breezes with Rain, latter light breezes & Cloudy, at 1 PM made the Liverpooles Sigl to remain with the Convoy & the dispatchs Sigl to join the Fleet,
Tuesday 22nd
At 10 AM hove short on the Bt Br Cable The first part light breezes with Squalls of Rain, Middle fresh gales with Rain, latter light breezes & Cloudy, at 2 PM made the Sigl for the Adjutant General of the Army, at 3 the Raisonables Sigl to Examine a Brig passing thro' the Fleet,
Wednesday 23d
at 5 AM made the Sigl weigh'd & made Sail to the Hook in Company the Fleet, at 8 the light House SWBW the Narrows NNW, at 9 made the Vigilant Sigl to come under our Stern, sent 10 Sick Men on Board a Sloop to be Carried to New York Hospital, at 11 made the Haerlams [signal] to Come within hail, the Fleet & Convoy in Company:2 Passing of[f] Sandy Hook the Light house NW½ W 5 or 6 Miles
1. NMM, Admiralty L/E/11.
2. From the general signal to prepare for sailing on July 14 it took Vice Admiral Howe's fleet until July 23 to clear Sandy Hook and take the sea.