Dear Sir:

I did not know until I had finished the Inclosed that the Bearer did not intend to call on Mr. [Charles] Carroll as that Letter represents our present Situation I thout it as well it should go forwd to you. I hope in God by tomorrow Night to furnish you a good accot of the Tenders & Hudsons Ship, & that the issue of this affair will reflect some little Honour on the Spirit of Maryland

At 3 oclock yestd our Militia Companies in Town were paraded at the Commee Room when at the very Inst a false allarm came from the Point that the Ship of War's Boats were standing up to cut of[f] some empty Vesls we had collected & got ready to sink across the River at Whetstone in case the Ship should come up before we could get our Breast Works & the Ship Defence compleated. A deputn of the Comee were appointed to sit & give all orders before the Allarm spread, but such was the Ardor of the Militia that not a Man wd stay in Commee Room with me but Mr. [Thomas] Harrison; The Ardor & Spirit of our Inhabitants has convinced Me They will behave bravely. I never was better pleased than at their Conduct on the Allarm,

I am convinced we shall in a very short time have our Town in a very respectable State of Defence, & that will be convinced tht care of us will not be thrown away in our [case]. I never saw the Barrister
² in better Spirits than yesterday, He was immediately at the Point on the Allarm being spread ー Capt Saml Smiths whole Company as I believe are gone Volunteers on board [Captain James] Nicholson
³ & many others wd have gone had he Room or Service for them ー By a Proposal wh our Commee offered betwn 3 & 4 oClock yestd of giving 8 Dolrs p week for Two Weeks to any brave Sailors who wd Instantly go on board we in less than half an hour got near a Dozen brave Fellows & several Masters of Ships to go on board & in half an hour after had the Ship under way. ー And several others offer to go in the Schr. I found this bold Stroke absolutely necessary as the Ship was really poorly off for Sailors & the Capt seemed to have no great dependce on his Marines ー Your Letter with the Thousd Pounds by Capt Hyde I recd before Sunset. ー I hope you will be perfectly easy abt yr Safety at Annapolis. Im certain Nicholson will at least give the Otter a, Convoy past yr port. ー For Gods sake let not the Contts of My Letter to the Barrister be made too public, lest any Intelligce should be conveyed to Capt. Squire
⁴ to apprize him of our designs.

I am Dr Sir [&c.]