[Extract]
Sir,
I have received your Dispatches from No 20 to 32, one marked Private No 3 & one dated 24th Deer without any Number, & have laid them before The King.
The Abandonment of the Enterprize formed by the Rebels against St Augustine renders it unnecessary for me now to make any particular Observations upon the very proper Measures you took to repel their intended Attack, & of which your Dispatches give so full a detail; but I must not withold from you the Satisfaction of knowing that your Conduct in that difficult & emharassing Situation is approved by His Majesty, & I am also commanded to desire you will signify to the Inhabitants, that their loyal & spirited Resolution to join the King's Troops & assist in the defence of the Province, has met with the Royal Approbation.
It was unfortunate that the Rebel Vessels which entered St Mary's River were not opposed by the whole Force Stationed for the Protection of that Inlet. From the Accounts given by you of that Affair & those contained in the Papers you transmitted, it should seem that Great Faults have been committed by the Officer commanding the armed Vessels as well as by Capt Graham who commanded the Detachment; but as I must suppose if there was any just ground to suspect both or either have been guilty of actual Misbehaviour proper Inquiry will have been made into their Conduct; I suspend forming any Judgement of that Transaction untill I know the result of that Inquiry.
If the Rebels in Georgia not only endeavoured to prevent your drawing Provisions from thence but attempted to deprive you of the Supplies provided within the Province, I do not see how you could avoid making Reprisals upon their Stores, & obliging them to experience something of the Distress which they meant to bring upon the Garrison and Inhabitants of East Florida, but as such a predatary War can only serve to destroy the Settlements in both Provinces & is not likely to be attended with any consequences favourable to the Re-establishment of His Majesty's Government I shall be glad to hear that some expedient has been found for obtaining Supplies without continuing this ruinous practise.
Drat to Governor Tonyn
2d April 1777. (No 4)
