No 43.

Gentn At 8 o'Clock on Tuesday Night [March 5] our two Pilot Boats returned to this Place with Intelligence that a Man of War and two Tenders were pushing up the Bay; that in the Mouth of Patuxent River they made Prize of a New-England Vessel, and that we might hourly expect them off our Harbours. We immediately dispatched Expresses to Baltimore Town, and other Parts of the Province with Orders for the Militia to hold themselves in Readiness to march. ー The high Wind all Day on Wednesday prevented these armed Vessels proceeding up the Bay. ー Yesterday half past three post Merediem they hove in Sight and pushed fast up the Bay, having taken several small Vessels on their Way. - The Ship, which we imagine to be the Liverpool, came to an Anchor last night of[f] the Mouth of Patapsco River, the Tenders kept under Sail. ー early this Morning the Ship weighed and we presume, proceeded up Patapsco to take or destroy our Ship Defence and a large ship loaded with wheat & Flour by Permission of the Congress ー Whether the Ship Defence with a Battery hastily thrown up, will be sufficient to defeat this hostile Attempt, we cannot say, but we are confident if a Landing is attempted either at Baltimore Town or this Place, that the Enemy will be defeated. We are &c.

P.S. 9 o'Clock P:M: we have this Moment received certain Intelligence that the Man of War is the Otter Sloop with two Tenders, one of six Carriage-Guns and the other, Swivels only. ー that they have taken the Ship loaded with Wheat and Flour, which unluckily happened to be aground at the Mouth of Patapsco & that they are proceeding up the River to take or destroy the Ship Defence. ー fresh Provisions also we beleive is their Object.

We are &c:

[Annapolis] 9th March 1776.