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Sir, On the fifth of this Month Mr [Charles] Lee the Rebel General came into this City, with a large Body of Men said to Amount to Three Thousand, on the Eleventh they removed. all the Guns upon the lower Batteries up to what is called the Liberty Pole near the Barracks, this it was impossible for His Majesty's Ships to prevent, the Battery being so situated, that I Should have been Obliged to place one Ship in the North River, which at that time was Absolutely impossible; from there being a Strong Wind at WNWt and a Flood Tide, which effectually prevented our moving out of the East River; besides very large fields of floating Ice that would have Subjected the Ships to the most extreme danger of being carried Adrift. Firing upon the Town was judged by the Governor, General Clinton and myself, too Severe a Measure, being Confident that the Majority of the Citizens, particularly those of Property are faithful to the King; neither was this Act of Violence, an Act of the City's, but of the Rebels who have invaded it, as appears by the Minute of the Committee for removing the Records. I must Sir, beg leave to remark, that I feel myself in a very difficult Situation to know how to Act, Convinced as I am of the Attachment to His Majesty of many Men of great Property in this Town, at the same time knowing that it is Garrisoned by Rebels. And they have even had the Audacity to place Centinels immediately before Me, which I could never Submit to, was I not persuaded that my firing upon them would involve the City in ruins, which I must confess I cautiously Avoid, being determined if possible to make the Act of committing Hostilities theirs and not Mine, I should hope I am doing right, and that this lenity on my side, may not be Misconstrued, as a want of Zeal in carrying on the King's Service.

We have had a most severe Winter during which it has been with the greatest difficulty we have maintained our Stations, this has not been done without the Ships Sustaining some damage, the Asia making Sixteen or Twenty Inches of Water in Twelve Hours, the Phoenix does not make Water but her Bottom is a good deal cut with Ice. On the Eleventh we hauled off from the Wharfs to which we had been fast ever since the Twenty Ninth of December. Our fasts to the Shore were watched by the Citizens, to prevent their being Cut by Ill disposed persons, until the Arrival of Lee. We did not haul off without great apprehensions of Ice, but after the taking away the Guns, I thought it prudent to have the Ships in a Situation to Act; Until the thirteenth our Minds were much Agitated for fear of the Ice, having had many large Fields come in upon us, but fortunately of no Substance.

On the Sixteenth Mr Clark the Officer Commanding the Armed Tender came and reported he had seen a great number of Armed Rebels upon the Bluff Point of Staten Island and that he imagined they were Fortifying; Upon this information I thought it my Duty to throw every Obstruction in the way of such an Undertaking; I therefore sailed with His Majesty's Ship under my Command to the Narrows, and Anchored close off the Point of Staten Island, lay there four or five Hours, but could not, either from the Mast Head, or from the Deck, discover any ground to be broke, or that there was any appearance of such an Intention. A great number of Armed Rebels paraded about, but as I could not fire upon them with any certainty, I did not choose to accustom them to Cannon Shot, where there was so little probability of having any good effect,

At the same time I moved down with the Phoenix, I ordered Captain Vandeput to move into the North River, and place himself in such a Situation as to prevent the Rebels taking Post, upon either Governor's or Hangman's Island. I am now laying in the Phoenix off of the Narrows, where nothing can pass but must come within reach of my Guns, nor can any thing move upon the Heights but must be seen from the Mast Heads. Should any attempt be made to Fortify, I shall endeavour to retard it as much as possible, but cannot flatter myself with a Hope of being able to Stop such Proceedings effectually the Land being above the height of my Tops. In this Situation I also Command the View of the Hook, and can see a great way to Sea; am therefore ready to dispatch the Armed Tender with Pilots to any Ship or Vessel that may be coming in. The Asia Commands the most Material passage up to the Town, and I am persuaded the Rebels never will dare to take possession of either of those Islands while she is able to keep her Station, which nothing but Ice can drive her from.

Mr Lee much against the Inclination of the City, has cut off all supplies of Fresh Provisions; in return I have given Orders to Stop every necessary from going to it. It is reported and I have it from good Authority, that Lee means to Fortify the back part of the Town by Intrenchments, and to erect some Batteries upon the Heights to Obstruct the Passage of both Rivers; as yet nothing of that sort is begun, nor do I apprehend any Batteries he can erect will be of any great consequence while we are able to prevent his doing of it at the Two passes where the Ships now lye.

I was much hurt at the Rebels taking the Ship Blue Mountain Valley, One of those loaded with Coals, Porter &ca for the Troops, but in that case was particularly unfortunate, having the day before she was taken, dispatched a Lieutenant and fifteen Men in a Pilot Boat to the Hook, upon the report of a Ship being off; The Master on that day had stood off to Sea, the Lieutenant therefore returned and reported that there was not any Vessel in sight; The day after the Ship stood in and was taken not without some Suspicions of Treachery on the Master's side. The Sloop that brings you these Dispatches was the Vessel Seized upon as the Owners say for the above purpose, but I thought it a proper step to Seize upon her, leaving it to you to determine how far they can justify such an Act of Piracy.

Governor Tryon's Letter of the 19th of January was of such an Alarming Nature, that I thought it my Duty to guard against the consequences if possible; I therfore Ordered the Cargo to be taken out of the James Schooner lately Seized, and Armed the said Schooner (having no small Vessel of the King's upon this Station) to enable her to be so placed as to give me the earliest Intelligence, should the Enemy attempt to Asserrible the Vessels mentioned in the Letter; since the Hauling off the Ships from the Wharfs she has been of infinite Service as a Cruizer.

I am Sir, to Acknowledge the Receipt of your Orders by the Mercury, she Arrived here the third of this Month and Sailed the Eleventh, I compleated her Provisions for three Months, during her stay the three Transports also Arrived and sailed with her.

On the Twentieth arrived the Harriot Transport from England bound to the Army with Coals, Porter &ca she left England the Ninth of December; I propose as soon as she is refitted, pushing her, the Ship with Salt and the Sloop loaded with Naval Stores,
² on to Rhode Island, in hopes of their getting from thence a Convoy to Boston.

I have received a Letter from the Mayor of New York, dated the Twenty first Acquainting me that His Majesty's Ships are to be supplied as usual with Provisions; In consequence of which I have given orders to allow the Market Boats to pass to the City.

I am just now informed that the Rebels are pushing large Supplies of Flour &ca from New York up Long Island Sound, this it is impossible for me to prevent; there is a Battery erected upon Long Island to defend the passage through Hell Gate, Another is began upon the Island of New York at a place called Benson's Bay, which will annoy any Vessels that may be coming hither through the Sound; as it is meant to defend the passage between Blackwell's Island and New York; It is also said Mr Lee's plan is to Fortify the Wharfs by raising Platforms in the Cellars, where he means to place Guns so as to be upon a height with the level of the River at high Water; but this win never Answer his purpose, as Ships of any size may come within Twenty Yards of the Wharfs.

On the 24th January, Died Mr George Clephan, Purser of His Majesty's Ship Asia; I appointed Mr John Saunders to be Acting in the Station until your Appointment shall take place.

In future I find by the Agent's Letter there is little probability of his being Able to Supply His Majesty's Ships with Rum, Pease, Beef or Pork; the first from it's not being allowed to be imported; the latter Articles from the Country People being terrified at the thoughts of being detected bringing them in.

I must Sir, beg leave to request you will be pleased i:.o Order, by the first Man of War or Vessel that may come here, the stores for both Ships, according to the enclosed demands, the Asia being distressed for want of them, and the Phoenix in great want of many Articles,

We are much distressed for want of small Vessels, I should therefore hope Sir, you would be pleased to dispatch this Vessel to me Again; with such Orders as you may have for me. I have the Honor. t<;> be, Sir [&c.]

Phoenix off the Narrows of Graves End Bay, New York 25th February 1776