Dear Sir/

I beg Leave to inform Congress That on the night of the 24^th Instant. about Six or Seven hundred of the British & Hessian Troops at Rhode Island Embarked on Board two Ships of War Two Tenders & about Thirty Flat Bottom^d Boats¹ & pass^d up the River & Landed before Day between Warren & Poppasquash Point² at the appearance of Day Light they marched in Two Bodies one for Warren & the other for The Head of Kickemuet River³ where were about Seventy Flat Bottomed Boats & one of The State Galley⁴ They Burned all the Boats but Twelve & Set fire to the Galley which was afterward Extinguished without having Done Much Injury They Then Set fire to the Meeting House at Warren & to Seven Dwelling Houses and Retreated Toward Bristol where their Ships had Fallen Down with the Flat Bottom^d Boats to Receive them They Burnt in Bristol Twenty Two Houses among which was is Governor Bradfords⁵ in their Tour Every Species of Cruelty was Displayed twenty of The Inhabitants were taken & Carried off: almost Every House was Plundered They made no Distinction between their Friends & Foes Some women who had been Long noted as their faithful friends were Compelled by the Bayonet to Stand while Their Bucckels were taken from their Shoes their Rings from their Fingers Their Handkerchiefs from their Necks and I received Intelligence of the Enemys Landing about Eight of Clock The Country was immediately notified The Troops from this place put in motion & Lest an attempt might be intended upon This place or upon the Western Shore Some part of the Militia was called in to guard the Western Shore & this Place the Residue were ordered to march on Toward the Enemy. all Those from the Massachusetts were ordered there to meet & oppose them. They assembled with great alacrity & marched with much Expedition. Col^o Barton⁶ was Sent on to muster what force he Could on the Road to assist Col^o Crareys Regiment⁷ which was Stationed at Bristol & had got into the Enemies Rear Col^o Barton with what Crareys Reg^t & what force he had Collected amounting to near Two hundred attack^d. them in their Retreat & I believe did them Considerable injury. The Gallant Col^o was Dangerously wounded in the Action.⁸ I arrived on the ground about half past Eleven of Clock The Troops from This Place & a Large Body of Militia were about two Miles in the Rear coming on, many of which had marched near twenty Miles in Less than four hours. when I came upon the ground Their Rear had Embarked & had been off near an hour. I know nothing of their Loss we had two or Three Killed Several wounded & five taken. I am Sorry to Inform Congress that Notwithstanding my Repeated Solicitations There is not a hundred men Sent here from Mass^a. but Eighty from New Hampshire & not a man from Connecticut. The whole force here is Less than five hundred to Defend a Shore of near a hundred Miles in Extent. While we Remain in this weak Situation They Enemy will have it in their power to Destroy the Towns upon the Shore one after another & Retreat before any force can be Collected to oppose them Successfully. I have Repeatedly urged this to the States but without Success I am Informed that the Continental Bounty being So high for Soldiers to Join the Grand Army There priviledge of Drawing Cloathing at a Reasonable Rate & Those in this Department having So Small a Bounty Compared to the other & having no Certainty that they can Draw Cloathing but at an Extravagant Price They prefer going into the grand Army.— I have again wrote by Express to the Several New England States informing them of our Situation & of the advantage the Enemy have taken of it. hope it may have a good Effect.—

I cannot help observing that The place for Laying up the Boats was very injudiciously Chosen. I was about to move them when I first Came to this Port but upon Examination found not one of them would Swim: I Employed a Number of Carpenters to Repair them with a view of moving them up Taunton River where they would have been Safe but before this could be Effected they were destroyed one of the State Galleys⁹ manned with Thirteen Men was taken yesterday morning at Gardners Neck by one of the Enemies Galleys¹⁰ which Rowed up to her in the Night. Sir I have the Honor to be [&c.]