Headquarters on Rhode Island
Augt 13th 1778
Dear General,
In my last I had the Honor to Inform your Excellency of my being in possession of the Enemy’s works on the north part of Rhode Island, & of the arrival of the British Fleet the moment we had Landed, as also of the Sailing of Count D’estaing in quest of them—1 As this unfortunate Circumstance deprived us of the assistance we promised ourselves from the French Troops, I waited on the Ground till the 10th at night, when finding my own troops numbers had increased sufficiently to warrant my advancing to the Town without waiting the return of the Fleet; I issued orders for the Army to march the 11th at six in the morning. But Fortune still determined to sport longer with us, brought on a storm so violent, that it last night blew down tore, and almost ruined all the tents I have. The arms of course were rendered useless, and almost the whole of our ammunition ruined. The much greater part of the army have no kind of covering; nor wou’d tents if they had them prove a sufficient security against the severity of the storm. My men are mostly lying under the fences half covered with water, without ammunition and with arms rendered uselss. The Communication between us and the main cut off by the violence of the wind which will scarcely permit a whale boat to pass. Should the Enemy come out to attack us our dependance must be upon the superiority of our numbers, and the point of the bayonet. How o[u]r Militia may behave on such an occasion, I am unable to determine—to retreat is impossible, therefore we must conquer or perish. Perhaps under these circumstances an attack upon us might be of great advantage. Several men have perished with the severity of the weather, and I expect more will; as I see no probability of the storm’s Ceasing—all our hopes of assistance from the French Fleet are at an end, as this storm must have driven them far [off from] this post and I am very apprehensive quite off the coast—to combat all these misfortunes & to surmount all those difficulties requires a degree of temper & persevering fortitude which I could never boast of, and which few possess in so ample a manner as your excellency. I will however endeavour by imitating the example, to rise superior to the malevolence of fortune & My present lamentable situation as quick as possible; and if heaven will cease to frown endeavor to gratify your excellency’s desires—I am sorry your excellency’s letter respecting the Enemy’s burning their shipping did not arrive till they had burned and sunk the whole of their vessels of war, and sunk almost all the other vessels to block up the channel—2 The Letter of your Excellency, inclosing that to the Count D’Estaing, did not arrive till after he had sailed.3 The intelligence from the Councill of Massachusetts informing that admiral Byron, with thirteen large ships of the Line, was spoke with off the western Islands allso arrived the day after he sailed.4 This Account Says that Byron was spoke with the 24th of June—The Fleet which arrived here, and the count was in pursuit of, was Lord Howe’s fleet among which was only five sail of the Line, the rest smaller vessels of war, and Transports. They landed no men here—I was apprehensive that some such event as this might happen, to deprive me of the Count’s assistance. This induced me to call for more men than I should otherwise have done. The number of the Enemy are nearly thus—
|
2 Hessian Regts 600 Each5 |
12,00 |
|
|
2 Anspachs do 500 each6 |
1000 |
|
|
Brown & Fanning 6007 |
600 |
|
|
22d, 38th, 43d, & 54th British regts 400 each8 |
1600 |
|
|
2 Hessian Regts 500 each |
1000 |
|
|
Whitmans Regiment9 |
100 |
|
|
|
5500 |
|
To these we may add a Thousand Seamen10 |
1000 |
|
|
|
6500 |
11 |
My Numbers on the Island are about nine thousand rank & file. Deserters come out in great numbers. I have the Honor to be [&c.]