Porto Bello [Md.] 2 oClock 10 Feby. 1778
Dear Sir,
I recd your favour ⅌ James and am glad to find you think the Answer I gave was Consistant with my duty, the Ships last Night changed there Station round to back part of St. George Island, near off pinepint,1 so here they now Lye and am sorry to inform you that Capt. Fenwick2 fell in there hands last Night, I have ordered down Smoot3 & Watts,4 which I think will be men enough but shoud be glad to have 20 or 30 Gun's down as what armes we have is very bad, and I fully expect they will make some tryell to get Smith Brig out, you may depend that no Communication shall be permitted to the Enemy, and I am [&c.]
Vernon Hebb
L, MdAA, Maryland State Papers (Red Books), S 989, 4587-14.
1. Piney Point.
2. Capt. Ignatius Fenwick, commanding Maryland State trading ship Lydia.
3. Probably Capt. John Smoot, Maryland Militia.
4. Possibly Capt. George Watts, Severn Battalion, Maryland Militia.
