[Extract]

Sir: I have the honour to inform you that I landed the 12th of last month at 11 o'Clock at night about three miles from hence with Lieut Lawrie, two Serjeants, & forty rank and file of the 14th Regiment, and after marching three miles into the country in search of Artillery we found in a wood nineteen pieces of cannon, some of them twelve, others nine, six & three pounders; seventeen of which we destroyed, & brought off two, and then returning to our boats we reimbarked without the least opposition. ー Lord Dunmore accompanied us upon this expedition: ー

On the 17th of October his Lordship was informed, that there was a great quantity of Artillery, small arms and all sorts of ammunition, concealed in different stores at a place called Kemp's landing, in consequence of which, I, with Capt Cooper, Lieuts Batut, Lawrie, & Leslie, Ensigns Wools, Boys, Ogle, & Lindsay, three Serjeants & seventy rank & file of the 14th Regiment, Lieut Allen, one Serjeant and twenty marines, some young gentlemen of the Navy & ten or twelve seamen, embarked at 2 o'Clock in the Afternoon in boats & a Schooner in which some Guns were mounted to cover our landing, and proceeded seven or eight miles up the eastern branch of Elizabeth river to Newtown, where we landed without opposition notwithstanding above two hundred of the rebels were at exercise near that place the same evening, and marching three or four miles through the Country we arrived at Kemp's landing a little after it was dark, where we searched several stores and could discover nothing but a good many small arms, musquet locks, a little powder & ball, two Drums, & a quantity of Buck shot, all which we either brought off or destroyed; and returning pretty near the same road we went we reimbarked about 2' oClock the next morning without interruption. We likewise took several prisoners one of whom was a Captain of Minute, men and another a Delegate of the Convention at Richmond.²

I have also the pleasure to acquaint your Excellency that Lieut Batut with two Serjeants and Thirty six rank & file landed at Norfolk the 19th of October at 12 'oClock at noon and marching into the Country two miles from thence, took twenty pieces of cannon (from six to three pounders) concealed in a wood, thirteen of which he destroyed & brought away seven; and returned about 4 'oClock in the Afternoon unmolested.

Many great guns, small arms, & other implements of war have been taken since by small parties, so that there has been in all at least seventy seven pieces of ordinance taken & destroyed since my Detachment arrived here without the smallest opposition, which is a proof that it would not require a very large force to subdue this Colony. There are about eight hundred of the rebels now at Williamsburg & four hundred at Hampton. We are in possession of a large store on the banks of the Southern branch of Elizabeth river, under cover of the Otter sloop of war, so that we are not very apprehensive of an attack tho' the Rebels often threaten to pay us a visit. As our situation is so extremely critical I flatter myself that you will be so good as to send us a reinforcement as soon as possible, particularly the two Companies of our Regiment at Boston or Castle William. The rest of the Regiment we expect from St Augustine as soon as it is relieved by three Companies of the 16th from Pensacola. There are thirty men of my Detachment on board Lord Dunmores ship & another one that his Lordship has taken up for a transport.

I have been favoured with your Excellency's letter of the 12th of September wherein you inform me that my Detachment must be supplied with provisions by the Contractors of St Augustine, & that the King must pay the transportation of them from thence, which mode of supply I am well assured will be impracticable at this time, for we never could be sure of being furnished with them regularly as vessels cannot be procured for that purpose, & even if they could they would be in constant danger of being taken by the Rebels, and besides, fresh provisions is much cheaper & better for the men than salt, and the expence of the transportation of the latter from St Augustine would be by all accounts almost as much as the former will cost here. However, Lord Dunmore says that he will take upon him self to have whatever troops may arrive here properly supplied in the meantime, and his Lordship thinks that there ought to be a particular Contractor appointed for this Colony exclusive of any other.

Capt Fordyce, with Lieuts Napier & Wallace, three Serjeants, three Corporals, two Drummers, and fifty five private men arrived here from St Augustine the 20th of last month, from whence he brought some ammunition, bedding, & provisions; and was prevented from bringing a greater quantity of the two last articles by Governor [Patrick] Tonyn's giving positive orders to the Agent of the Contractors and the Barrack Master not to issue more on their peril. I do myself the honour to enclose your Excellency two Monthly returns by one of which you will see that Capt Blackett died here the 14th of last month, in consequence of which I flatter myself that Capt James Urquhart will succeed to the Company, Lieut William Brown to the Capt Lieutenancy, and Ensign Thos Appleford Wools to the Lieutenancy, as they are all very worthy men & good officers.³