Worthy Sir ー

After my due respects to you and your Honourable House, I am to inform you what has brought me to this place. You must in the first place know, my business here is to draw on you for some cash, which Mr. John of Murr[a]y has supplied me with, sixteen pounds sixteen shillings, on account your schooner General Putnam, for which I have given a bill payable at three days' sight, which I hope will meet with honour. I should not have come thus far, but understand at Squam Inlet, where I left my vessel this morning, that there was a letter here for me from you, I thought proper to come myself, but cannot find any; here was a letter for me, but it has been intercepted.

Sir, on the fifth of this instant being about 9 miles distance to the SE. of Egg Harbour, I saw two sail standing to the northward; I then gave them chase; the wind being light, I got out my oars, and rowed until three o'clock in the afternoon, when the wind came to the SW.; after eleven hours' chase, I drew near them; I then shortened sail and got all clear for action; at 4 in the afternoon I got within 170 yards of the sternmost ship in order to board her, but she putting her helm hard a starboard, hauled up her ports, gave me her whole of ten guns: she proved to be a ministerial pirate of 20 guns. I hauled my ー wind in for the shore, she did the same, and continued firing without intermission. When I was within 400 yards of the shore, I made a small tack, but she being very near me I received her whole broadside, at which I hove about and ran ashore, about 40 yards from Squam Inlet. I then got all my arms and ammunition on the beach, and the ship came to anchor about a quarter of a mile from us, and began a heavy firing upon us; at last, she hoisted out two barges and manned them with about 50 men; but as they approached the shore, we handled them so roughly that they were obliged to make a scandalous retreat. She continued her fire until dark, when she weighed, expending upwards of 400 weight of powder. I had 17 large holes in my mainsail, and some shot in my hull. When the tide made, I got my vessel into this inlet, where I will repair as soon as possible, and hope to pay the pirates for their usage. I am [&c.]

Thomas Randle, Esqr. Member of the Provincial Congress, or in his absence, Jacobus VanZandt, Esqr. Member as aforesaid, in New-York