Duplicata
Monseigneur

J'ai L'honneur de Vous rendre compte que m^r. de Jassaud¹ En venant prendre a S^t. pierre le Convoy qui y Est m'a Ecrit que le Samedy Sept de ce mois Voiant une B^t. qui alloit Se perdre parcequ'il Estoit chassé par une fregatte angloise. a asseuré Son pavillon d'un coup de canon, ce qui a rassuré le B^t.. il a Esté Ensuite a la fregatte angloise qui Si est Trouvée la mouche² cap^te. garner. il lui a parlé avec fermeté & politesse. & L'a conduit au large Toutte La nuit.

le B^t. chassé Estoit une prize faitte par un corsaire americain & chargé de comestible. les colons qui Estoient furieux de ce qu'il y avoit Eu un corsaire americain pris Sous une Baterie³ chantent aujourd huy la palinodie. ils Sont bien difficile a contenter Je Suis avec le plus profond respect Monseigneur [&c.]

Le ch^lr. De Dampierre

[Translation]
Duplicate
My Lord

at Fort Royal Martinique 10th March 1778

I have the honor of sending you an account that Mr. de Jassaud,¹ while coming to St. Pierre to take the Convoy assembled there, wrote to me that on Saturday the Seventh of this month, Seeing a Ship, which was going to be lost because she was being chased by an English frigate, he confirmed his colors with a cannon shot which reassured the Ship. He Then Made for the English frigate which Proved to be the Fly, Captain Garner.² He spoke to him with firmness & politeness & escorted her to sea All through the night.

The Ship being chased was a prize captured by an American privateer & laden with foodstuffs. The colonists, who were furious that an American privateer was taken under a Battery,³ are today recanting. They are quite difficult to satisfy. I am with the most profound respect My Lord [&c.]