[Extract]

You will receive by this Conveyance what to me & to all who love me has & will be a most pleasing piece of Intelligence ー I mean an Account of a very complete Defeat of the British Navy in So. Carolina. ー On the 28th of June the Experiment of 50 the Bristol of 50, the Sol[e]bay, Syria, Actoon & Action² of 28 each, the Friendship of 26, the Sphynx of 20 & the Thunder Bomb drew up in Line of Battle before our Fort at Sullivan's Island about 5 miles from & in full sight of the Town ー to divert the attention of the People the Bomb began to throw her shells until the Ships could be brought to bear upon the Fort, at the same time they attempted to land a Body of about 2000 men from 35 Flat Bottom Boats on a distant part of the Island judging that we had so many out of the Fort ー but in that they were wrong, as indeed in almost every thing else, for we had abt. 3000 men posted there with 2 Field pieces & an 18 poundr under the Command of Col. [William) Thompson of the Rangers who twice repulsed their whole Force with Loss on their Side, but none on his own.

"The Fleet during the whole of this time indeed from 11 o'clock A.M. until 10 at Night kept up a most furious Fire on the Fort but were at last gallantly repulsed, with a mere handful of Men, a force which to one so little skill'd in war as I am, would have appear'd totally inadequate for the purpose. We had but 800 Men in the Fort & could bring but 12 Guns to bear upon the Fleet. The Loss as to Men on our part was inconsiderable as to No. & Character (other than being as brave as they could be [)] ー there were but 12 kill'd & 24 wounded, not an officer beyond a Serg; the least part, ー Genies [Charles] Lee and [Robert] Howe says they behaved to a share with as much coolness & courage as they ever saw ー & what makes it more singular is, that but one of the whole Number had ever been in Action the Bristol lost her Mizen Mast the 1st shot, her main and fore mast her Hall Yard etc vastly damaged ー the Capt. of the Commodore lost his Arm, the Commodore was wounded in the thigh & knee and had his Breeches torn off 44 Men kill'd 30 wounded 20 of whom are since dead ー the Experiment's Capt. kill'd tog[ethe]r with 57, others & 30 wounded ー the Ship vastly hurt, several of her Parts brok into one or it is the general opinion that neither of the above Vessels will ever get to Sea again ー Uncertain what the others lost The Actoon got aground & was set on fire by her own people but did not blow up before a Mr. Milligan a Marine officer had boarded her brought off her Colours her ships Bell, Sails, Stores, etc. The Thunder Bomb shatter'd her Bed in the Firing so much that she must be got into Dock to refit before she will be able to [get] cut ー this my dear Friend is as much as I can relate of a Defense which must redound to the Honour of our valiant Countrymen ー I think it will have most happy Consequences, not to that Colony alone, but to all America, it will fill her with a Spirit of Emulation & go far I hope towards overthrowing opposition...."