St Inigoes. 13th July 1776
Gentn
I recd information on Friday the 12th July that there was a considerable number of Ships and Small Vessells between Smiths Point & Point Lookout, on which I ordered five Companys of Militia to repare there as fast as possible, and Imediately set out to the Point myself in order to git further information, on my arrival there I found about forty Sail of Vessells, they were then about twenty five miles off the Point in the Bay, where they continued till in the Night, in the Morning about fifty eight Sail were discovered opposite Smiths Creek in Potomack, & eight in the Bay, on which I gave orders to call the Companys of my Battalion imediately to march to Potomack in order to prevent their landing in the District of the 21st Battn. We have had two small Vessells drove on shore from the Fleet, on board of one of them was three Whites & two Negroes, three of which now have the small Pox on them, on[e] of the White Men informed us the Fleet was Dunmores, and that Govr Eden was on board the Fo[w]ey, & that he heard it surmised that they intended to take possession of St Georges Island, since which the Foey and her Tender have come to in St Marys River, and I don't doubt but the greatest part if not all of the Fleet will be there in the morning, we have between two and three hundred of our Militia stationed in different places, and I have just sent off an express to Colo [Jeremiah] Jordan to supply me with one or two hundred Men of his Battalion if Possible, 2 from the above affair I think it would be proper Captn [Rezin] Bealls company from Drum Point should be ordered here and their place there supplyed with the Militia of the Co[un]ty. I should b glad of your advice and assistance. I should have wrote you more particularly but have been Marching from place to place from the morning till now, which is twelve Oclock in the Night, and am much Tired. Mr Hugh Hopewell has promised me to hire an express in Calvert to carry this to you, should therefore be glad you would pay him. I remain Gentn [&c.]