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Sir, I received your Dispatches of the Sixth Instant, by Captain [Hugh] Bromedge of His Majesty's Sloop Savage; Your Letter of the Twentieth of March is truely distressing and am afraid the unhappy cause that Obliged His Majestys Troops to go to Halifax will in a great Measure interrupt the Success upon this Province; there being now in the City of New York, upon Long Island, the Jerseys and Straten Island, Ten or Fifteen Thousand of the Provincial Army, which have, ever since the Embarkation of the King's Troops from Boston, been pouring in from the Camp at Cambridge and Pensylvania, these are now indefatigable in Fortifying every Height; The Fortifications about the Town you have an Account of in the Papers Marked Numbers One and Two; Ground is Marked out upon each side of the Narrows for Batteries

You will see Sir, by the Printed Advertisement of General Putnam's that all communication with us is cut off,
² and Hostilities commenced by them upon the Seventh; Suspecting that it would soon happen, I was desirous of having the Ships Water compleated, for which purpose I Ordered Captain Bromedge to the Watering place upon Straten Island (a place we had always Watered at without interruption) Captain Bromedge's Orders were not to Fire, until our People were fired upon; these Orders were punctually executed; for, at half past Nine in the Morning, about Five hundred of the Rebels came down a hollow way, and were not discovered, until they were so near the People placed to look out, that their retreat to the Boats was effectually cut off. The Rebels without any sort of Warning fired immediately upon the People employed filling the Water, upon which Captain Bromedge began, and not until then, he very soon dispersed the Body to about Fifty, which Sheltered themselves behind Rocks, and in little Hollows, laying upon their Bellies and keeping up a very galling Fire, so much so, that he dare not venture a Boat to bring off his Cutter, which his Petty Officer very imprudently had allowed to Ground, finding he was not able to dislodge those Rebels, I made his Signal to come off.

The Situation of the Two Ships at the Arrival of the Savage was the same Sir, as when I had the Honor of writing you by Mr. Clark. But having received information that the Rebels had an intention, of making an attempt to set the Asia on Fire, by means of a Number Vessels chained together, to be sent down upon an Ebb Tide, which runs very Strong. I was apprehensive this might be attended with disagreeable consequences, if not fatal, as her own Boats would be of very little effect upon such a Weight as a Number of Vessels chained together, in so strong a Title's way. Besides the great probability there was that the Rebels would erect Batteries upon Red Hook, from whence they might have Annoyed her very much. These reasons induced me to Order her down, nor should I have risqued that Ship so long, had I not been in daily expectation of the Fleet and Army. For while we were Able to keep those Stations; a clear passage was kept open up the North River. Since the Asia has drop'd down, the Rebels have taken possession of Governor's Island where they have thrown up some Works, and also upon Red Hook.

As any attempt of ours to interrupt their Fortifying the Narrows must in the end prove ineffectual from the great Height of the Lands upon each side, I judged it would be most conducive to His Majesty's Service, to preserve this place as a Port, and effectually Block it up, for which purpose, I have now placed the Asia, just above what is called the upper Middle Ground, a pass that the Rebels might in a great Measure, by sinking of Vessels, interrupt the passage of the Channel for the present. The Phoenix is at the Hook, which is the only place we can get Water, and this is of so Brackish a Nature, that I dread the Effects of it upon the Men's health's.

Upon the Twenty Seventh of March having information, that the ship Lady Gage was moving from the Kilns (a place she had lain Aground from the time of her Arrival in the Winter) in order to go to Elizabeth Town, from whence it was proposed to push for Philadelphia, to fit her out as a Privateer, I immediately Ordered the Boats of the Two Ships under the direction of Lieutenant Robertson, to go and if he found it practicable, to cut the said Ship out, if not to set her on Fire; At the same time to send a Boat to Elizabeth Town Point, where the Blue Mountain Valley Transport laid (the Ship taken during the Winter) and if the Officer found her unguarded, he was to board her and set the Ship on Fire, both these Orders were Executed with punctuality and without loss. The Lady Gage is a fine New Ship, and a remarkable fast sailing One.

On the Thirteenth the Nautilus Arrived with your Circular Letter; the other Dispatches you sent by the Glasgow, having been thrown Overboard in their Engagement with the Rebel Privateers.

The Situation His Majesty's Ships were in at this Port for want of Water, induced me to detain the Nautilus until the Twenty fourth, in Order to cover the Boats upon that service, until we had put the Light house in a State of defence, in doing of which I was reduced to the Necessity of burning the Dwelling house Annexed to it. The Lanthorn of it was totally destroyed by the Rebels on the Tenth of March, which has rendered the Light wholly useless as to Navigation.

I think it is my Duty Sir, from the confidence you have been pleased to place in me by communicating the Situation of His Majesty's Troops, to tell you, that I do not imagine any Quantity of Provisions is to be expected in this Province, until the Continental Army has received a severe Blow, and the King's Troops get possession of the Country, for however well inclined the greatest part of the Inhabitants of this Province are to give every Assistance, it is not in their power; As the Rebel Committee are in possession of all the Landing Places, which totally prevents the Shipping of Provisions &ca unless by their Permission.

The Rebels have sent large Detachments of Troops towards Quebec, and a strong report prevails, that they have lately received another severe Check in that Quarter, but it is impossible in our present Situation to get at the Truth. They are exceedingly Assiduous both here and at Philadelphia in fitting out small Privateers, which I am apprehensive will in a very short time Infest this Coast so, that no Vessel unless well Armed will be able to approach this Port. Considerable Exportations of Flour are also carried out by the East end of Long Island.

The News Papers say that the Privateers which fell in with the Glasgow, have lost a good Many Men and are considerably Shattered. These Ships by the same Channel are said to have been at [New] Providence, taken the Governor Prisoner and brought off all the Military Stores to a considerable Amount. The Continental Congress Publickly publish in their News Papers Orders for making reprisals of all British Property, as also Copies of Commissions and Instructions for their Privateers.

From the Contractor of this Port, not being able to furnish the Ships with Rum, Pease, Butter and Cheese, the Asia begins to feel a great want in the three last Articles, to remedy this Evil as much as possible, I have Ordered her to be Supplied with Flour and Melasses from the Prizes in lieu of those Articles, and have also compleated the Spirits on board both Ships to three Months, from Rum of the Cargo of the Brig Mary. It having been represented to me, that the Limes on board the Brig Diligence were perishing; I have with Advice of the Surgeons; Divided what remained between the two Ships with Orders for a Quantity of the Juice to be Mixed with the Grog.

His Majesty's Pacquet Boat the Swallow Arrived at this place, March the Tenth and has been detained by the Governor, for Government Dispatches until the Nineteenth of this Month; Since which it has not been in my power to give her Convoy, being under the Necessity of keeping the Savage constantly in Store to Cover the people employed Watering.

Lieutenant Oldfield of the Marines having died since my last Letters, has induced me to defer the complying with your Order, for the Discharge of Lieutenant Sterling, until you shall be pleased to Order another Lieutenant to the Command of the Party.

You will see Sir, by the report of Vessels taken that a Number of them have been Sunk, and Destroyed, these were such that were by no means fit to be sent to Halifax and the putting Men into them would have Weakened our Ships considerably, I therefore saw no other Method of disposing of them, but destroying of them.

Having received intelligence of a Schooner with Arms from Providence being to sail soon after the Vessel in which those Letters for Admiral Graves came; I judged that those Letters might have contained some Intelligence respecting the Schooner, I therefore took upon me to open them.

Enclosed Sir, I have the Honor of transmitting the State and Condition of His Majesty's Ships under my Command, as also the different reports &ca. respecting them since my last Letters.
³ I have the Honor to be, Sir [&c.]

Phoenix, Sandy Hook New York 29th April 1776