Daylight discovers to us a floating battery of the Enemy, placed a little above their grand battery,¹ and near the Shore; it seems to be a Bomb-battery Fort Miflin is certainly capable of defence if the means be furnished.—if they supply us from Red-bank with Tools, Fascines, Palisades &ca all which they may do in abundance—the Fire of the Enemy will never take the Fort, it may kill us men but this is the fortune of War, And all their bullets will never render them masters of the Island, if we have courage enough to remain on it—but they are removing our Cannon from the grand battery under pretext that it is necessary to raise a battery on the Jersey Side² to keep the Enemey's Shipping at a distance—but what signifies it, whether their Fleet be at the point of Hog-Island or a quarter of a mile lower—will they not by taking this Fort have the Channel of province Island open, for their small Sloops and other light Vessels—will they not drive the Gallies from the River—Fort Miflin is the important Object, it must be maintained, and furnish'd with means of defence, Men—Earth—and Fascines to cover them—Our new Garrison consists of 450 Men—what can they do in a circumference of works so extensive as ours—being weak every where, they could make a defence no where and the Fort would be carried—The apparent Project of the Enemy is to debark on the Island, either to risque a Storm, or to establish a battery on the old ferry wharf, or nearer if they can—what means have we of hindering them—with a Garrison so feeble can I make any advantageous Sallies—can I dislodge the Enemy—if I raise a battery against them will it not serve against ourselves in case of attack—for without a sufficient number to defend it, it must be given up—our grand Battery has 19 Embrasures and 8 Cannons, two of which are dismounted—we must have Artificers to make Wheels—Fascines and Palisades for breaches—Gen^l. Varnum supplies us scantily, We must have men to defend the Ruins of the Fort, our Ruins will serve us as breast-works, we will defend the Ground inch by inch, and the Enemy shall pay dearly for every Step—but we want a Commanding Officer, ours is absent and forms projects for our defence at a distance—³ P.S. As the Light becomes clearer, I perceive the Enemys floating battery, not to be a Mortar-battery but that it contains two 32 Pounders—we are going to raise a Counter battery of two eighteen Pounders taken out of our River battery—which will now have no more than 7 Guns, the Wheels of two of which have been disabled by the Enemys Cannon we are so much neglected that we have been 7 days without wood, and at present have only Cartridges of eighteen pounders for a Piece of 32 which does considerable mischief to the Enemy.

14^th.

at 7 OClock—The Enemy keep up a great Fire from their Floating battery and the Shore—

I repeat it our Commanding Officer issues orders from Woodberry—if he were nearer he would be a better Judge of our Situation—

Our blockhouses are in a pitiful Condition but with fascines I hope to cover two pieces in each lower Story which will be sufficient to flank us—I say again the Enemys fire will not take our fort, if they attempt a Storm we shall still have a little parapet to oppose to them, but we must have men to defend it—Novem 14^th. At Noon—

We have silenced the Enemys floating Battery, I know not whether we have dismounted her Cannon, or whether her present Station exposes her too much, but the firing from her has ceased—I suspect that she is destined to land men on this Island—

Their grand battery is in little better condition than our block-houses—we have open'd an embrasure at the Corner of the Battery, and two pieces here joined to two others on the left which we have reinstated, throw the Enemy into disorder—

I repeat it—their fire will kill us men, because we have no cover, but it will never take the Fort, if we have sufficient courage to keep our ground—but a Stronger Garrison is indispensibly necessary we are not secured against Storm, if the Enemy attempt it—I fear they will succeed—in penetrating a Circumference of 1200 Paces defended only by 450 men and half ruined Palisades—A boat which this day deserted from the Fleet, will have given the Enemy sufficient intimation of our weakness—they will probably attack us or attempt a Lodgement on the Island which we cannot prevent with our present Strength

To night an Attempt is to be made on the floating battery of the Enemy.