Dear Sir,

I most heartily congratulate the colony on the drubbing you gave those fellows the other day, and only wish you had had powder enough, that it might have been complete. lnclosed I send you a copy of a letter I sent Gen. Lee this morning, containing the information I received from five honest fellows, Americans, that got away last night.

If they come up again they are determined to come as close to the forts as possible, in order I suppose to command us more easily from their tops, two of these men were on board the Commodore in the action, they say, your first fire killed a man in the tops, upon which the Commodore ordered them all out of the tops, when whence, they assured us there was not a gun fired. The Sphinx lost her bowsprit by running foul of the Acteon, and they wer obliged either to cut away their bowsprit or the Acteon's mainmast. These men all belonged to the Acteon, and two of them were drafted on board the Commodore just before the action. I fired three cannon at the Syren, merely to please several of my officers ー which fell far short as I expected. We admired your behaviour, but could do no more. My compliments to all your corps. We drink their healths every day...If you will send this account to Gen. [John] Armstrong I shall be obliged to you. Yours, sincerely,

P.S. As soon as the action began, the Commodore ordered to be put into a place of safety, negro Sampson, a black pilot.

C. G.