George's Island is about 2½ miles long, has an excellent Harbour on the East side of it, and a small Haven on the North, sufficiently open at one end for small Vessels to turn in to it, but at the other is not above 100 yards wide nor has above 3 or 4 feet water. Lord Dunmore Landed his Troops upon it the day after our Arrival, and we searched every where for fresh water, but on Account of the dryness of the season, very little prospect appeared of being able to supply the Fleet with a sufficient quantity for their Voyage from thence.

I therefore ordered the different Vessels to send their empty Casks onboard two of the Transports carrying the detachment of the 14th Regt & a part of the Queens; and with them, accompanied by Lord Dunmore in his own Ship, we sailed up the Potomack in order to fill the empty Casks with fresh water; and at the same time harass & annoy the Enemy by landing at different places. The Fowey remained with the rest of the Fleet and the Otter was sent to cruize in the Bay.
While the Fleet lay at Gwin's Island the Carpenters had been employed in fitting up one of the Flats, which we found there, to carry a Cannon, and to Row with 14 Oars: I put a Six pounder into it, and kept it constantly employed in the little creeks & Bays about George's Id by being in a great measure covered over, the People were quite sheltered, could go close to the shore with safety, and by that means did great mischief among the Enemy.

On our Expedition up the River we kept the shores on both sides in continual alarms, but we saw no considerable body of the Enemys Troops untill we arrived into Fresh water, when a large Number assembled at the House of a Mr Brent on the Virginia side, and seemed to bid us defiance; However we landed about 100 Men at Noon day, under cover of a Tender & the Row Galley, beat the Enemy off (which were double that Number, and very advantageously posted) and set fire to the House and all the buildings: when we returned to our Ships without the loss of a single Man and only one officer & 5 Men wounded

The water being filled, and the wind coming favorable we moved the Ships a Eew leagues down the River, with an intention of landing in the Morning at day break at a Mr Mercer's House on the Virginia shore, which is a guard House for the Rebels, but as it came to blow hard, and the wind down the River we rather chose to pursue our way to the Fleet. After that time the Ships got so often a ground that the People were too much fatigued to attempt any opperation[s] on shore, and we joind the Fleet at St George's Island on the 29th July.

The Defence a Rebel Privatier of 20 Guns belonging to Maryland, hearing of the Fleet's being left at George's Island under the Protection of the Fowey only, came with 2 Tenders up the River to attack them, and a Battery from St Mary's was to be opend as soon as she appeared in Sight. The Roebuck's return frustrated their schemes, and the Rebel Vessels returned to their rendezvous at Baltimore.
In about three days the Fleet had taken onboard their water from the Transports, when after destroying about 20 Sail of Vessels that could not be navigated we got under way, pro- ceeded down the Chesepeak Bay, and arrived at the Capes the 4th Augst
The next day the Otter sailed and convoyed about 50 Sail of Vessels to St Augustine & Bermudas.

The Fowey Sailed with about 7 Sail of Vessels bound to England, onboard one of which was Govr Eden, when after seeing them 20 leags from the Coast, she was ordered to return & cruize off the Capes of Virginia.
A violent bilious intermitting fever, together with a most inveterate scurvy had for these two months past raged with g[reat] violence both in the men of war & Transports, and was so mortal that the Roebuck had lost 30 of her best seamen, and had 76 on the Surgeons sick list. The Fowey had 35 Men sick, and Lord Dunmore's Army was reduced to about 150 Rank & File, one third of which was incapable of duty. I therefore thought it necessary to consult with his Lordship on the measure the most proper to pursue in our weak situation, the result of which was that we should make the best of our way to New York for the folowing reasons.
1st The total impracticability of rendering his Majesty any services by remaining, with the very few Men we had left capable of doing duty.
2d The impossibility of landing even to water the ships, (The springs on the Islands being all dried up[)].
3d The necessity of the Admiral & General's being acquainted with our situation as soon as possible, to prevent the disgrace His Majestys Troops might suffer when their extream weakness became known to the Enemy.

Accordingly we set sail from the Capes the 5 day Augt with the Dunmore, 5 Sail of Transports, two Vessels laden with Rum sugars & dry goods, and 5 Small Tenders & Pilot boats, and arrived off of Sandy Hook the 13th Augt where we joind Sir Peter Parker from the So ward, and saild up to New York in Compy

In our way we saw several Rebel Privatiers; two of which we chaced, but to prevent losing Company with the Convoy was obligd to leave them.
Thus ended my Command to the Southward.