[July 1776] Thursday 11
Anchor'd in St Mary's River. (A M) Empd about the Rigging, At Noon unmoor'd, weighed & Shifted our birth further in and moor'd with a Cable each way. Sent the Pilot boat with an Officer & 6 men Armed to speak a Sloop of[f] the Barr. Do [Fresh Breezes & Cloudy with Thunder Lightning & Rain] the Pilot Boat in Chase of a Sloop at 3 a very hard Gale of Wind & rain, Veered to a Cable on the Bt Br at 4 heard 2 Guns fired, from Mr Wrights Fort & Landing as a signl for his being attacked which we answd with 1 Gun Sent the Cutter Manned & Armed with Mr. [Peter] Beachop Master & 6 Men with Orders to gain intelligence & to bring off the Sick men if possible but by no means to suffer the Boat to go on Shore on that side; at ½ past the Cutter and a Canoe with Soldiers sett off at 6 the signall was repeated which we Answd with another Gun at ½ past 6 heard several Vollies of small Arms at 9 fired a Gun at the Brigg's boat who brought on board the Owner of her, Mr Egan Collector of his Majesties Customs and the Inhabitants of this river: At 10 The Soldier's Canoe wt the Corpral return'd on board wt an information that they Saw the Cutter fired upon from the Marshes below the Landing place & that he believed the Cutter & some of the People were taken some killed & the other's made prisoners which was confirmed in the Morning 2
1. PRO, Admiralty 51/4330.
2. "We hear, that about 3 Weeks ago, two armed Vessels from St. Augustine cut a Sloop and Schooner, loaded with Rice, out of Ogeeche River in Georgia. A Party from the same Place had been employed in building a Fort at St. Mary's; a Boat belonging to them, with Capt. Peter Bachop and seven others on board, was taken about a Fortnight since, after some shots being exchanged; 3 of them were killed, and Capt. Bachop, with the other 4 brought Prisoners to Savannah, " South-Carolina and American General Gazette, May 31 to August 2, 1776.