May it Please your Honor. ー Yesterday about Ten o'Clock in the forenoon the Ship Savage & the James pilate Boat came up the sound under cover of a thick fogg to the Watering place o[n] this Island, ー each Sent a Boat with Eleven men to take in Water of which I Receiv'd Intelligence & prepar'd to attack them, ー they recd Information of our approach & a signal Gun was fired for their retreat which they endeavoured to effect under cover of a Brisk and almost constant fire from the savage, but being Closely persued were Oblig'd to leave behind them one standard, one Musket, one Boat, Twenty seven Iron bound Barrels, one Cable, Anchor and Buoy, one speaking Trumpet one Iron pot & two watch Coats-Ten men were taken prisoners.in the Boat, & in the Water Attempting to make their escape (one of whom is wounded) One man being shot fell into the Water and two others fell on Board of which we are Confident; many were Wounded but as I cannot inform you with certainty You'll please refer to four deserters who came ashore last night from the Ph[o]enix for better Information. Two Boys belonging to New-York who went on board the black-Joke Saturday & were tow'd in their Canoe by the James to the Watering place, Yesterday morning & Landed are suspectd to be the persons who gave the ships Crew notice that the Rifle Men were approaching and are therefore made prisoners, they inform that Messrs: Weatherhead & Wallace of New-York frequently go on Board the Ph[o]enix from Long Island, ー I have undertaken to send Dar bey Doyl as a prisoner for Selling provisions to and holding Correspondence with the Enemy. ー I have the pleasure to Inform Yr Honor that the Officers and Soldiers under my Command behav'd (in the late little Skirmish) with a spirit and Conduct becoming Advocates for Liberty. I am to Acknowledge myself Oblig'd to Capt [Moses] Ra~lings his Officers and men for the Assistance they prepar'd to lend us, by Crossing the river in the most expeditious Manner. a list of the prisoners will be delivered by Lieut [Samuel] Finley "to whom" I beg leave to refer Your Honor for farther particulars,

I have the pleasure to Subscribe myself [&c.]

Hugh Stephenson