On Ldsdy Morng. 26 ult. the Regt at Castle William of 240 Men emba,rked on board a Transport on a secret Expedition; and at III P.M. landed (while the Congregation were at Pub. Worship) at Marblehead, & march 5 miles around to Salem to seize some Ordnance &c. Instant notice being sent the pple at Salem removed the Cannon over a Bridge. The Troops under Col. [Alexander] Leslie arrived at the Bridge, which [was] a Draw Bridge not far from the No of young Mr [Thomas] Barnards Meetinghouse. The provincial Col. [Timothy] Pickering mustered between 30 & 40 under Arms on the other side of the Bridge & drew up the Bridge. A vast Multitude was convened, and Alarm Guns fired continually. Col. Leslie findg the Bridge drawn, ordered his Men to face, seeming to intend to fire on those on the other side. The Men did not face, At length he ordered his men to put off two Gundalos ー but the Salemites instantly skuttled them. The Soldiers prickt them with Bayonets &c. At this Inst the Rev Mr Barnard jun. stept up to Col. Leslie; complained that his soldiers abused our ppl., told him they wer the Aggressors, & beged him not to fire, for that if he did they would all be cut off. Leslie kept his Troops at the Bridge an hour & half: ー At length Col. Leslie pledged his honor that if they would let down the Bridge he would march but thirty rods over it & return without doing any Thing further. The Line was markt; and Col. Pickering with his 40 brave heroes (like Leonidas at Thermopylae) faced the Kings Troops, risked Col. Leslies Honor; the Bridge was let down, Leslie marched over, & while some men were on the Bridge & others on this side, he halted, ordered them to face about, & so they marched back, returned to Marblehead, & embarked that night for Castle William, without the Cannon which they went after. The Country was alarmed, the News flew like Lightening, they marched from Haveril &c and one compa arrived in Arms from Danvers just as the Troops left the Town. Thus inglorious was the Excursion and Retreat of the Kings Troops.