My dear Major. I wrote to the Council yesterday morning wh I hope they have received since that yours of yesterday evening came to hand at three oClock this morning I immediately dispatched it to the Committee of Balt Town and Mr Purviance tells me he wrote you an answer, We got the ship Defence into the river this morning and she has retaken Mr [Jonathan] Hudsons ship and now lies in the river a little below her, under no great apprehension I fancy of the otter. We had intelligence this afternoon that [Matthew] Squires had run on ground on the Bodkin Point, I hope it may be true, if it should prove so we may perhaps add one more ship to our stock. We are getting a Tender ready but will mount 8 or 10 carriage guns 3 pounders she with the Defence will I think be a match for the otter and her Companions ー I am Positive Nicholson & his ships Company think so, a set of finer or more spirited fellows I really never saw, & if we can, as I hope we shall, get the tender ready by to morrow morng they will push for an engagement & I really am not in much doubt of success. I cannot conceive that the council of safety can be prejudiced in the opinions of the Gent of Baltimore by any insinuations against their conduct by Mr Ruben or any other person, I have not heard them say a single word against the Governmt sending Mr Eddis on board the otter (tho I confess I wish some other person had been pitched upon) on the Contrary I believe they think the delay occasioned by that step was advantageous to them, I am sure I think it was very much so, I really had myself extremely fatigued with this Constant Hurry of Business, Indeed I am almost ready to sink under it, however I will push for Annapolis if possible the [moment] things are settled here. I am sincerely [&c.]

Charles Carroll.

Mount Clare March 9th 1776.