[Extract]
[Newport, Rhode Island]
4th August [1778].
Thick fog all last night. Wind S. S.E. wind from 10 this morning, with thick weather. About 11 it came round to the S.W. and blew fresh. We just then got a sight of the French fleet, in the same position as before.
Everything quiet during the night....
At 3 this afternoon Six small Schooners & Sloops came out from behind Connon icut & Prudence, and Stood down as far as Halfway rock.1 The Cerberus2 fired two shot at the headmost, which fell short. She, in return fired a Swivel at the Cerberus and then stood up towards Gold-Island,3 followed by the others.
A two Decker came about half way up the Narraganset passage this afternoon, and anchored there.
Mackenzie, Diary 2: 328–29. Six paragraphs, mostly discussing troop movements and the inhabitants of Conanicut Island, have been omitted.
1. That is, Conanicut and Prudence Islands. The Halfway Rock is in the Narragansett (or West) Passage, and roughly half way down Aquidneck I.
2. H.M. frigate Cerberus, Capt. John Symons.
3. Gould Island.
