Col^o: Williamson arrived in the Governors Camp this Morning which was announced to his Camp by the discharge of Seven Pieces of Artillery:¹ it was mistaken in our encampment for an alarm, no information having been sent to Us that such a Salute was intended. We were however agreably disappointed.—

Col^o: W^msons men are crossing S^t- Illas.²— 

A Message having been rec^d by the General inviting him to a Conference with Governor Houston & Col^o: Williamson, the General, having previously consulted his principal Field Officers, Resolved that He would not sacrifice Service to Etiquette, but Condescend to accept their invitation: the General was sensible no good could arise from such a Consultation, as the Governor strenuously asserted his Right to Command, Col^o: W^mson also Claiming an independent & Separate authority, & the General having been in a peculiar Manner instructed by Congress not only to Direct the operations of all troops, but making him accountable for the Consequences, altho' no prospect of success, either that a Coalition of Parties would take place so as to Vest the command Ultimately in One Person, or even should this point be happily got over, that the Sentiments of the Chiefs would Unite in pursuing One Object, Governor Houston pressing to cross S^t- Johns River, Col^o: Williamson advising to march as far as S^t- Johns & the General & his officers being of Opinion that we should retreat from this post, well convinced that the Enemy intend no opposition to Us on this side of S^t- Johns & being equally well assured that it is impossible for us to cross S^t- Johns River with safety to the Troops unless the Commodore³ can take possession of that River & maintain it. The Commodore however when called upon declared it as his opinion that the Galleys⁴ should not by any means be trusted out to Sea, the risk they ran in such Operations being much too great for the advantages they will gain thereby, as the Galleys were never intended to go to Sea & consequently they could only engage in smooth Water, but at Sea they would easily fall a Sacrifice to a Ship of much less force & weight of metal than the Galleys; & that this would be the Event at present can never be doubted, as the best information & latest intelligence acquaint us with a 20 Gun Ship fitted & manned, now laying in the Chops of S^t- Johns River,⁵ for this especial purpose: that the cutting a passage for the Fleet thro’ Amelia Narrows was the only Rational & feasible method that could be pursued, but that the Pioneers we had were so few in number & the task to be performed so long & laborious that the Season would be too far advanced before we could effect any Object in view & that should we retreat after having opened this communication without having succeeded in the proposed object and destroying their fleet that it is only showing them a new & more expeditious way into the State of Georgia attended with less fatigue, danger & Expence & most probably that these Incursions being in the lower settlements of that State they will be enabled to effect more Material & important Mischief, & derive much greater advantages & carry off prizes of more Value than what they gain in the back Country of the different States. but that even supposing the Galleys already passed the Narrows & at liberty to enter into St Johns River, the strength of the Enemy we are well assured is greater than Ours; that they have a Brig which carrys four 42 Pound: and Six 4 Pound:, besides two flats each mounted with heavy metal & besides this naval power, which alone is superior to our fleet, they have two 42 Pound: & 4 Six Pound: at Hesters bluff, and within point-blank shot of which the fleet must pass & from whence they probably would be much Annoyed; what success therefore can we promise ourselves in engaging an enemy so superior in force, & at such a distance from any place of Security that the defeat of the fleet must Actually include the Conquest of the Troops, who it is certain must surrender Prisoners of War or starve whilst the connection with the fleet is cut off, that should the land forces advance with the fleet to Support them by batteries etc & any accident should befal the Shipping that their Situation would be far more distressing in having a longer Retreat to Make & in being pursued by an Enemy just at their backs & that should the fleet be defeated and no batteries erected by the land forces to cover their retreat they must inevitably be sacrificed; on the Contrary should the Galleys be successful the Enemys fleet would retire under Cover of the battery at Hester's bluff & the advantages they would reap would be very insufficient to compleat any important Enterprize unless the men lost in an Action which it is natural to suppose would be bloody could be so immediately replaced as to pursue the advantage just gained without giving the Enemy either time to reinforce their troops, repair their losses, or carry off their Vessels without farther injury. That in an Enterprize of this nature it was but Reasonable to Suppose that He should be fully manned; He declared that He was not half manned at present, neither did he know where he could Obtain them from: He had hitherto been supplied with Troops from the Continental Battalions, that he was extremely indebted to the Army for this assistance, but could not reasonably hope for a farther Supply as those troops were now diminished to less than half the Number they set out with by continual Sickness & that the Disorders were not only encreasing daily, but were more fatal & Violent in their Nature. These Reasons urged the Commodore to favour the Retreat. 

Several Men in the first Batt: of the Sec^d: Brigade⁶ have claimed their Respective Discharges. 

Ten or Twelve Men have deserted from Us lately, supposed to have gone over to the enemy as the Chiefly belonged to the fourth Georgia Continental Battalion.⁷

The Private who was wounded by the wad of one of the Carolina Galley Guns died of a Mortification.⁸