Sir
I have the pleasure to inform you that the Continental Fleet in this Port is increased by the arrival of the Andrew Doria Capt Isaiah Robi[n]son from St Eustatia which place she left the beginning of this Month & next day fell in with a British Sloop of War of 12 Guns 2 which she took after a very obstinate engagement in which the Andrew Doria had two men killed, some Wounded, the Main Mast shot through & some other damage, The Sloop had many Men Wounded, Three shot through her Mast, her sails shot to pieces & much damage done to her, this is one of the Sloops the Lds of the Admiralty ordered Admiral Gayton to fit out at Jamaica, & Mr [William] Jones who commanded her has the Kings Commission as Master & Commander, he defended her obstinately & is certainly a brave Man. I will desire the Council of Safety to take his Parole & send him to some safe Place, Capt Robi[n]son manned this Prize & ordered her in for this Port. he also took a Snow from Jama Loaden with Mahogany & Logwood and ordered her for this Port but it is next to an impossibility for them to get in. 3 Nothing but the fast Sailing of the Andrew Doria & the extream vigilance of the Captain brought her safe past the Enemies Ships, one of which lies in the Cape May Channelle.
The Cargo on bd this Brigt Consists of 208 Dozen pair of Woolen Stockings, 106 Dozn pair of Worsted Stockings 215 Sailors Jackets, 23 Great Coats, 50 ps Dutch plains — 30 ps 900 yds Flannell, 45 ps blue, Brown & white Cloth, 463 Blankets, 218 ps 7 /8 linens, Contg 6795 Dutch Ells, 496 Muskets 326 pair of Pistols 100 bbls Powder & 14101 lb of lead, for Acct of the Continent. I recd a letter last night from Genl Washington by Colo [Stephen] Moylan, requesting me to hurry Mr [James] Mease to have Soldiers Cloaths made up with all possible dilligence, he says Muskets are not wanted there but that comfortable Cloathing is exceedingly wanted. Colo Moylan advises by all means to send up the Stockings and great Coats now arrived, which I think to do, but shall tell the Genl they were intended for the New Levies and leave him to dispose of them as he may think most beneficial to the Service. The Linens, Plains & Cloths I will deliver to Mr Mease with orders to have them made up, but he will find much difficulty as all the Taylors or near all, are at the Camp & the Council of Safety dare not order them down for fear the rest will follow. The Blankets shall also go to the General to be disposed of as he may think proper The Pistols Muskets, Powder & Lead, I think had best be sent to Lancaster but wish to hear from the Board of War in answer to what I wrote before on this subject The Sailors Jackets must be put onboard the Fleet being much wanted there. I propose that Captn Robi[n]son shoud put all the Seamen Prisoners on board the Randolph Capt Biddle & that the latter shou'd Compell them to do duty whether they enter or not, only following the example set us by the British Act of Parliament
Mr Davis Bevan of this City was taken about five weeks ago coming into our Capes & carried to New York from thence brought round in the Roebuck and suffered to Land at Cape Henlopen under a promise to return. he told me that he heard Capt Hammond & other Officers say they are now determined to put a total Stop to our Trade. Six Frigates were sent to Cruize of[f] Georgia & Carolina, six of[f] the Capes of Virginia, & six of[f] our Capes. they have fixed signals & stations so as to keep a compleat line along the Coast and are determined to keep these Stations throughout the Winter if possible, he says only part of the Troops Sent to Rhode Island are to remain there, the remainder are going for Carolina, Bevan is an intelligent Man, & had an opportunity of hearing and learning these things from Lord Howes under Secretary or Clerk with whom he ingratiated himself & was employed in writing for him onbd the Eagle. I have sent Mr Bevan down with the letter mentioned in my last to Capt Morgan and the Prisoners on board that Fleet. The Schooner Wasp commanded by Lieutt [John] Baldwin has brought into Egg Harbour a Schooner loaded with Indian Corn & Oats, bound from the Lower Countys to New York, he has sent up the Master & five or six other prisoners here. they had been on board the Falcon Man of War Capt Linzie, & subscribed the oaths of allegiance Certificates of which were found on them, I sent these Papers to the Council of Safety who Committed the Men to Goal, as there is no Judge of the Admiralty in the Jerseys, & Judge Ross is at Lancaster, I think it advisable to send Waggons to Egg Harbour for the Corn & Oats to feed the Continental Horses in this City. these articles are very scarce here & will bear the Carriage, but I will consult Genl Putnam and the Waggon Master on this Subject as to the Vessell I am of opinion it would be best to sell her without waiting for Condemnation as the Proofs of her Guilt are clear & incontestable and she lies in too much danger to wait patiently for the usual forms. however Congress or the Marine Committee will please to give a positive order what must be done in this respect. Baldwin had retaken a French Schooner that had been taken going out of our Capes by one of the Men of War cruizing there, he was bringing her into Egg Harbour when a Fleet of 15 Sail hove in sight, two of which were two Deckers, one or two Frigates, and an Armed brige pursued him so close that he was obliged to abandon his Prize & get into the inlet fast as he cou'd. this happened last Wednesday being short of Provisions he intends coming in here and I wish he may escape the Enemy
You will perceive Sir, that our Fleet will be pretty Numerous here, altho their Force but small compared to the Dangers that surround them, I have conversed with several of the Captains & formed a plan for their getting safe out to Sea & taking such Merchantmen with them as may be ready, they approve the plan and I hope will execute it but, we must have time to get ready & they must act with great Vigilance & Spirit to effect it Upon this occasion I cannot help saying that I am very uneasy, as I am neither instructed what to do nor vested with proper Powers to act as may appear best, I must therefore request that Congress or the Marine Committee will either instruct me pointedly what to do, or give me proper Authority to Act for the best for the object is important and if misfortunes happen which is very probable it would be hard that I should hereafter be blamed when the event is known, for measures that appear previously to be well Calculated for the Publick Good — The Vessels to be got out, are the Randolph, Delaware, Andrew Doria, Independence, Hornet, Fly & Musquito With many Valuable Merchantmen. the Lexington, Sachem, & Wasp may be hourly expected in if they escape the Enemy. Sailors are Scarce, tradesmen at the Camp, and a kind of stupor seems to have seized every body that ought to give us assistance, so that it is inconceivable how slowly all work goes on & with how much difficulty we can get any thing done. I have applied to the Council of Safety to order down some Tradesmen to finish the Delaware, if possible, they wish but fear to Comply and if they do not she must after all remain here. Gen! Washington desires me to remain here as long as possible & promises to give me notice if any immediate danger he thinks the Enemy are only waiting two events & when they happen, they will prosecute their designs against this City. that is, for ice to cross the River, & for the 1st Jany, when most of his Army will disband & he says you might as well attempt to stop the Winds from blowing or the Sun in its diurnal as to stop them from going when their time is up. General Sullivan brought him about 2000 Men, Genl Gates about 600 & his whole Force now Consists of about 5000 Men beside the City Militia, its true the Country Militia are coming in, but I suppose as many will leave him the 1st Jany as will join before that time, & if so it will not be possible for him to save this City out of the hands of the Enemy after they cross the Delaware. on this view of things, I think we ought to hazard every thing to get the Ships out & I shall advise Mr Mease, Mr Tod & all others that have Continental Stores to be prepared for removing them —
It is very mortifying to me, when I am obliged to tell you disagreeable things, but I am compelled to inform Congress that the Continental Currency keeps loosing its Credit, many People refuse openly & avowedly to receive it, and several Citizens that retired into the Country must have starved if their own private Credit had not procured them the common necessarys of life, when nothing cou'd be got for Your Money, some effectual remedy should be speedily applyed to this evil or the Game will be up. Mr Commissary Wharton has told the General that the Mills refuse to Grind for him either from disaffection or dislike to the Money, be that as it may the consequences are terrible, for I do suppose the Army will not consent to starve. At present I dont recollect any thing to add to this letter but as other occurrences happen I shall give you the trouble of more letters. I think it is time that Mr Pluckrose the Express I sent down with letters to you last Tuesday shou'd return, unless detained for some purpose of Congress. by him I sent a number of French letters &c I am with Great respect Sir
PS I am informed by Mr Moylan that Colo Guyon (I think that is the name) was taken prisoner with General Lee. he is the Colo that came over in the Hancock & Adams Capt Smith from Nantes —
To The Honble John Hancock Esqr President of Congress Baltimore 4