[Extract]

Gentlemen  On the 9th Instant upon the Arrival of an Express that the Reg ulators and highlanders were in Arms with an intention to join Govr [Josiah] Martin. I had Notice from the Committee of Wilmington to have my regiment in readiness, and soon after, Orders from Col. [James] Moore to prepare for marching against the insurgents ー My Zeal for the [illegible] common Cause in some measure surmounted every difficulty ー I dispatched part of the [regiment] and Captain Youngs rangers, by Order of the Committee to [?] Horses Carts Boats &c for the service of the military, and during upwards of eighty hours of severe Service Night & day with the Ass[is]tance of the Regulars & minute men whilst they were here, happily effected everything necessary

The Two companies of minute men in this County, and somewhat above eighty others under the command of John Ashe, Esqr, and stiling themselves Volunteers, together with a considerable number of disaffected Persons, reduced the Number of fighting Men in my County so much, that it was thought necessary with the small Number that remained, that I should stay behind, to protect the Town & adjacent County from any insults that might be offered in the Absence of the Troops by the Ships of War. unequal as I know myself, and as indeed I must necessarily be, to any military command, I chearfully exerted myself to fill a department which of Course fell upon me and which there was not any other to undertake . . .

On Wednesday the 14th instant in the evening the committee rec'ed repeated expresses from Brunswick that the Cruizer Sloop of War with a Tender had passed that Town, and was on her way up. We had then, in the general Confusion, no doubt but that the intention was to destroy Wilmington, unless we Should submit to ignominio[us] terms. This opinion had such an instantaneous effect upon the Inhabitants, who had a number of enemies among them, that they, as if by concert, immediately began to remove their Effects. The Town is now almost cleared of all kinds of Goods, and of the women & Children. Since that time I have been reinforced by Captain Clintons Company of minute Men from Duplin, a minute company from Onslow, and part of the Militia of this last County under the Command of Col. [William] Cray. I have also had between 50 & 60 Men under Major [Parker] Quince from Brunswick county, and with all those forces I have been almost constantly employed, in throwing up Breastworks on the principal Streets & Wharfs and the hills above & below the Town. these I shall soon have Compleated, so as to prevent the landing of any men from the Ships ー I am making the necessary preparations for fire rafts and shall be able to make use of what swivels are mounted, and of a number of blunderbusses. But I am now assured the Ships never will venture to Wilmington. They too much dread the rifle men to approach us. The Cruizer and her tender attempted to go up the North West River, on the West side of the great Island, opposite to Town, but found there was not sufficient Water all the Way, and th[ere]fore returned. It is thought the intention was to favor the [Re]gulators & the highland banditti, whom they expected in Triumph, and to protect the Provision Boats which would Consequently come from Cross Creek for their Army and Ships. after the Cruizer Had fallen down below the Island, her people went several times on Shore at Mr [John] Ancrums Plantation, Carried off his live Stock and vegetables, and attempted to seize his Negroes, who fled to the woods. They have even taken away a parcel of printed Books, Old Cloths &c & threatened to burn the house. I therefore thought it necessary to dispatch Major Quince with his detachment to [pro]tect the inhabitants on the West Side of the River, & I found that the more necessary, as Col. Davis of Brunswick County informed me yesterday, that there were 50 men from the Ships at the fort, pillaging the Inhabitants. Captn Dupre with only 15 Men arrived at Mr Ancrums plantation just as the Cruizer Boat was coming ashore the third time ー fired up on them, which was returned, and kept up about a minute, when the Sailors pushed off with precipitation. we certainly did some execution, tho' they carried off their Men. The Cruizer fired three Guns without effect. Since this the ship is gone down below the flats

On Wednesday last, I reced intelligence that a boats crew from [the] Scorpion, which is also below the flats, went ashore on the East [side] of the River, and killed some hogs steer &c ー Captain Clinton's minute men are gone down & I make no doubt but with prud[ence] they will be able to seize the next party that presumes to come on Shore, as they are to remain there three days. I have got in confinement several tories and suspected Tories. Many of those still here had inrolled themselves with Col. Ashe, in order, as is believed, to skreen themselves from duty; but when the day of trial came they shrunk back ー That Gentlemen went so far as to inlist an Open Enemy who had been disarmed by the Committee and even presumed to require his Arms ー It was not however thot proper to comply with this preposterous requisition. on the Contrary the Committee disarmed every man who would not take the Test of the Congress in form of an Oath ー The Neutrals as they call themselves, have been forced greatly against their inclinations to work at the breastworks

24th February

The Ships of War, which threatened us for sometime, are all fallen down to Brunswick. Their people have been so much harrassed on both Sides of the River by the Riflemen, that I immagin their station became uneasy; but I am inclined to believe they lost all hopes of the arrival of their friends, and probably might receive intelligence (notwithstanding all the precaution that was used) [tha]t their friends were so situated that it was scarcely possible for them [to come.] I have upwards of twenty tories in Custody & expect a considerable number more to morrow. I have the honour to be [&c.]