Sr

We expect this will find the Ship Under Your Command in Readiness for Service, and therefore you are hereby directed to proceed to Sea with all possible dispatch, and in A Cruize of six Weeks or two Months to intercept as many of the store Ships and Supply Vessels going to the Enemy at New York as you May fall in With — you will in this Cruize do as much in jury to the Enemy and Service to the United States as it may be in Your power to accompl[ish]

When this Cruize is finished you will return to the most convenient Port in the United States, and if no further Orders are there lodged for You from this Board, you will proceed on A New Cruize for the purpose above Mentioned. We are persuaded it is not necessary to recommend to you the practise of humanity to those whom the fortune of War May Make Your prisoners. ,ve expect to hear from you by every Opportunity and Wishing you Success. We are sir [&c.]