My Lord,

A few days after I had dispatched my letter to your Lordship of the 3d of May, informing You of the arrival of the Fleet in Cape Fear river, (a duplicate of which is herewith annexed) The Nautilus Sloop of war arrived from the Northward, and brought me a letter from Major General Howe dated at Hallifax, from whom I had not heard for four months before, his dispatches by the Glasgow man of war having been thrown overboard in an engagement with the Rebel Fleet.

From the general purport of Genl Howe's letter, it did not appear that he expected or called upon me for any immediate assistance at the opening of the Campaign, nor did he name either the time or place of joining him, but rather seemed on the contrary to intimate his wishes that some operations might take place in some of the Southern Colonies, and pointed out Charles Town in the Province of South Carolina as an object of importance to his Majtys. Service.

Previous to the receipt of this letter my intentions were, as your Lordship will have observ'd, to have proceeded to Cheasapeak bay, but having received some intelligence at that time that the works erected by the Rebels on Sulivan's Island (the Key to Charles Town harbour) were in an imperfect and Unfinished state, I was induced to acquiesce in a proposal made to me by the Commodore ² to attempt the reduction of that Fortress by a Coup de main; I thought it possible at the same time that it might be followed by such immediate Consequences as would prove of great advantage to His Majesty's service. I say immediate My Lord! for it never was my intention at this season of the year to have proceeded further than Sulivan's Island, without a Moral certainty of rapid Success.

With this object in View we sailed from Cape Fear on the 31st of May and within a few leagues of Charles Town were joined by the Ranger Sloop of war with the remainder of the Transports from England belonging to this Fleet; by which Conveyance I received your Lordships dispatches of the 3d of March signifying to me his Majesty's Pleasure "that if upon the arrival of the armament at Cape Fear I should be of opinion upon a mature Consideration of all circumstances, that nothing could be soon effected that would be of real and substantial Service and Advantage, or that the making any attempt would expose the troops to great loss from the season being too far advanced, and that there would be a hazard of disappointing the service to the Northward, that I do in that case proceed immediately to join Majr General Howe with my whole Force, leaving however a Regt or two if the purpose therein referred to could be effected," and being of opinion that the object before e came within your Lordships description, and might be soon accomplished, I came to a determination to proceed.

Unfortunately, delays of various kinds have intervened, some occasioned by Contrary Winds and Storms, and other Circumstances, so as to protract the Movements of the Fleet, to a much more distant period than was at first expected, and to forebode that the operations of the army would be Converted from a Coup de main, to something too much like a formal seige.

By these delays difficulties were daily increasing upon me, however upon weighing every Circumstance, Lord Cornwallis agreed with me in opinion that he could not more effectually Co-operate with the intended movements of the Fleet than by taking possession of Long Island which was represented to Communicate with Sulivan's Island by a ford passable at low water, and with the main by creeks navigable for boats of draft; this was accordingly done and our whole force assembled there on the 18th of June excepting a few recruits, who were left on board the transports by way of deception.

It became Naturally our first business to ascertain the ford and its situation, but to our Unspeakable Mortification the channel which for some time before was reported to have been only 18 inches deep at low water, was now found to be 7 feet, a circumstance we are told Not Uncommon on this sandy Coast; by this discovery your Lordship will perceive that our operations from Long Island were rendered limitted and Confined, and altho' my situation gave Jealousy to two different objects, the Main and Sulivan's Island, as I had not boats for above 6 or 700 men I was reduced to one attack, without being able to favour that by any diversion on the other.

Thus circumstanced I took the first opportunity of acquainting the Commodore, that from this discovery I was apprehensive that it would not be possible for the troops to take the share in the attack I once flattered myself they would have been able to have done, still however assuring him that whenever he should think proper to begin his attack I would make every possible diversion in his favour or send him two Battallions to act on his side in Case he and the Genl Officer appointed to Command them, should be of opinion they could be protected in their Landing and employed to advantage; in answer to which it seemed to be Understood that I should give the best support I could and we waited only for a Wind to begin the attack.

At this time tho' the Rebels had an entrenchment and battery on that point of the Island on which I intended a landing I thought such a disposition might be made with the light ordnance I had on shore as would dislodge them and cover the landing of the troops, but Unfavorable Winds, preventing the attack of the Fleet for four days, they removed from this Station and took up some strong ground 500 yards back in a much more extended Front, than the narrow Spit of sand on which they, had first placed themselves, having a battery on their right a Morass on their left, razing their former work and making it a Glacis or esplanade to that more retired;this my Lord defended and sustained by 3 to 4000 men had a formidable appearance, and such a one as a small army in boats advancing singly through a narrow channel Uncovered, Unprotected Could not attempt without a manifest Sacrifice; my attentions were therefore drawn towards the Main, to make an attempt on Hedrall's point ³ by landing within 3 miles of it, laccordingly made my request to the Commodore that some frigates might be directed to cooperate with me in that attempt to which he assented, but as my Movements depended in great measure upon those of the Fleet it was impossible to decide possitively upon any plan.

It was about eleven o'Clock in the Morning on the 28th of last month, when we discovered the Fleet going upon the attack of the Fort on Sulivan's Island, but as when they brought up they did not appear to be within such a distance, as to avail themselves of the fire from their tops, grape Shot, or Musquetry, I was apprehensive No impression would be made upon the Battery; I likewise saw that the 3 Frigates supposed to have been destined to cut off the Rebel communication with Hedralls point, and favour my attack on it were aground immediately after the 4 leading Ships had taken their Stations.

I made every demonstration every diversion by Cannonade, while the Sands were Uncovered, I ordered small armed Vessels to proceed towards the point of Sulivan's Island, but they all got aground; The troops were disposed of in such a manner as to be apartée to attempt a landing either on Sulivan's Island or the Main as circumstances during the attack should appear to make necessary;

The Cannonade of the Fleet continued without any favorable appearance till night; expecting however that it would be renewed in the morning, I made the best disposition I could of the small ordnance we could Collect to enable me if necessary whilst the tide suited to have made one effort on Sulivan's Island; an attempt Contrary I must Confess to every Military principle, and Justifiable only in Cases of the success of the Fleet or its distress, to support the one or relieve the other; But at day brake to our great Concern we found the fleet had retired, leaving a Frigate aground, which was afterwards burned;

In this situation any feeble effort of ours would answer no good purpose, and finding that the Fleet had suffered a good deal, and that the Commodore had no intention of renewing the attack, I proposed to him that as soon as possible I might proceed with the troops Under my Command to the Northward, they are Now in great health, but I fear would not remain long so in this Climate. we shall sail in a few days for N. York where Ihope they will arrive in good time to do that service which from a Variety of difficulties they were prevented from rendering here. I have the honour to be with great respect My Lord [&c.]

[Endorsed] R[eceive]d 21st Augt 1776 By Mr Reeves ー Ent[ere]d