December 1776 Sunday 1
Anchored with B. Br in 7 fm off Sandy hook 10 AM weighed & came to Sail in Co wt H.M.S. Asia, Renown, Preston, Experiment, Emerald, Cerberus, Sphynx & One Transport Mod. & Clear sounded occasionally — in Co wt the fleet
Monday 2
½ past 9 AM saw a Sail in the S.W Quarter made the Cerberus Sgl to give Chace tack'd occasionally first & middle parts fresh Gales & Clear latter mod. & hazey in Co. wt. the fleet ½ past 4 P .M came to an anchor off Block Island in 17 fm fir' d the evg Gun
Tuesday 3
at 6 AM weighed & came to Sail as did the fleet ½ past 10 fir'd a Gun & made Sgl for the fleet to bear away Do Wear 1 PM made Sgl for the fleet to anchor at 2 Anchored in 23 fm off Plumb Island
Wednesday 4
fresh Gales & Cloudy 10 PM fired a Gun & made Sgl to strike Yards & Topmts
Thursday 5
at 7 AM got up do at 8 Commodore Hotham saluted wt 13 Guns retd 13 at 10 fir'd a Gun & made Sgl to weigh fresh breezes & Clear 1 P.M weighed & came to Sail at 4 came to in Black Point Bay found riding here Comdre Hotham wt 51 Sail of Transports fir'd the morng & evg Guns.
Friday 6
8 AM weighed & came to Sail in Co Wt 64 Sail, Tack'd occasionally Mod. & Cloudy 3 PM fir'd a Gun & made the Sgl to anchor 4 do repeated the Sigl & came to in 18 f m Water fir'd several Guns occasionally
Saturday 7
5 AM weighed & came to Sail 65 sail in Co made the Signal to prepare for Battle — the Preston repeated do Do Wear wt Rain 2 PM fir'd a Gun & made the Sigl for the fleet to anchor at 2 fired 2 Six pdrs & brat too a brig from Newport bound to Providence [sic to North Carolina] at ½ past 3 came too wt the B. Br & moored a Cable each way flatt boats empd landing the Troops — fired the morng & Evg Guns
1. PRO, Admiralty 51/192.