[Great Bridge, December 10, 1775]
[Extract]
A servant belonging to major Marshal, who deserted the other night from col. [Charles] Scott's party, has completely taken his lordship in. Lieutenant Batut, who is wounded, and at present my prisoner, informs, that this fellow told them not more than 300 shirtmen were here; and that imprudent man catched at the bait, despatching capt. Leslie with all the regulars (about 200) who arrived at the bridge about 3 o'clock in the morning, joined about 300 black and white slaves, laid planks upon the bridge, and crossed just after our reveille had beat; a lucky time for us, and you'll say rather an improper season for them to make their push, when, of course, all our men must be under arms. The above lieutenant commanded the advanced party, and capt. Fordyce of the grenadiers led the van with his company, who, for coolness and bravery, deserved a better fate, as well as the brave fellows who fell with him, who behaved like heroes. They marched up to our breastwork with fixed bayonets, and perhaps a hotter fire never happened, or a greater carnage, for the number of troops. None of the blacks, &c. in the rear, with capt. Leslie, advanced farther than the bridge.
I have the pleasure to inform you, that the victory was complete; and that most of their dead and wounded, with two pieces of cannon, were carried off under cover of their guns from the fort. We buried 12, besides the captain (him with all the military honours due to his rank) and have prisoners lieutenant Batut, and 16 privates; all wounded; 35 stands of arms and accoutrements, 3 officers [fusils], powder, ball, and cartridges, with sundry other things, have likewise fallen into our hands. This was a second Bunker's Hill affair, in miniature; with this difference, that we kept our post, and had only one man wounded in the hand.