Eagle off of Halifax
23d June 1776.
Copy/
Sir
By a Merchant Ship that I find now under sail for England I take the opportunity of writing to acquaint you for their Lordships information, that having had the Wind from the Eastward three days after I left St Helens on the Morning of the 11th past, I was enabled to advance upon my passage to this Coast about four hundred Leagues to the Westward, by the twenty third The Wind then changed to the South West and West; and blowing hard with a considerable degree of Swell, the Ship was necessarily kept under her Courses or lying to, until the twenty ninth.
On the morning of the 31st I spoke with the Malaga Transport with Hessian Troops, that had been separated from Commodore [William] Hotham on the 27th in the Evening. The Master informed methat he saw ten Sail of the Convoy the next day in the North East; But from his distance and the Haziness of the Weather, he was unable to judge whether those Ships were then separated or not, from the Body of the Fleet. The Gale having ceased entirely on the 29th and the Weather being very moderate for several succeeding days, I trust the Commodore had opportunity to collect his scattered Ships, and prosecute his Voyage according to his Destination.
I thought it advisable to direct the Master of the Transport to Halifax, in case he did not join the Commodore in the mean time: and gave him a Letter for Commissioner Arbuthnot, in which I desired an adequate Convoy may be provided as occasion offers, for that Transport (and such others under the same circumstances as might happen to arrive within the next ten Days) to the Rendezvous left by General Howe; If the General should be gone from Halifax before the Transport gets there.
I had the Wind mostly between the West South West and West North West, with an almost constant Western swell for the greatest part of the time until I arrived on the Banks of Newfoundland on the 12th instant. I past the same day, the Speke Hospital Ship and Boreas Transport which had parted from the Tartar in the Foggy Weather that prevailed the preceeding Day and the next Day I spoke with the Tartar, having the rest of her Convoy in Company.
The Boreas joined the Tartar that Evening But the Hospital ship having probably kept on a different Tack the preceding Night, was still separated from the Tartar when I left them the next Morning.
I took the opportunity of writing by the Tartar, to inform General Carleton of my arrival on this Coast, and of the Orders I had received to cooperate with the Commanders of the Land Forces respectively for the Advancement of the Military Services under their Direction. And besides the usual Orders to the several Captains of the Ships stationed in the River and Gulph of St Lawrence, in consequence of my appointment to the Command with which I have the honor to be entrusted; I sent a Letter of Instructions for Captain [Charles] Douglas, or the Senior Captain for the time being, regarding the Information I had need of with respect to the different Naval Services to be provided for within those Limits.
Since that time I had the Winds Southerly, with almost constant Fogs and on the 21st being arrived within a few Leagues of this Port, I met Captain [Francis] Banks with several Transports part of the Flora's Convoy, that he had brought from Nantasket Road From his Information I had reason to think I should have found General Howe with Vice Admiral Shuldham here; But I learn on my arrival off of the Port to Day, that the Fleet and Army under the Conduct of Vice Admiral Shuldham, left this Port the [10th] instant. I am therefore proceeding immediately for Rhode Island, or Sandy Hook; expecting to join the Fleet at the last, as I am told here, that the Entrance into the Harbour of Rhode Island is fortified by the Rebels, and rendered inaccessible, except by a regular attack on their Works and Defences. I am &c