21st July 1777
(Copy) Capt James Smith 2 Sir
On board the Brig Northampton taken this day you are to proceed to Bilboa in Spain and there address yourself to Messrs Gardoquie agreeable to the Letters hereinclosed which you are carefully to deliver.3
Be particularly careful to avoid every Vessel whatever least you should be retaken and if taken produce your true Commission only on the last Extremity. should you find it past your power to avoid recapture have every paper herewith delivered you ready to sink, your Commissions excepted, which Commissions are to be kept seperate and your true Commission carefully concealed, at Bilboa pass as a Prize of the Pegasus Captain Allen of North Carolina.4 We wish you safe in and are Yours &ca
G: C:
1. PRO, State Papers 42/51, 62-63.
2. Alias of Bailey.
3. Short letter to Messrs. Gardoqui of same date introducing "Captain Smith" of brig Northampton is in PRO, State Papers 42/51, 76.
4. Bailey was given copies of the two commissions by Captain Gustavus Conyngham. One, referred to as the "true Commission," was Conyngham's commission to command cutter Revenge. The other, made out to Captain Richard Allen for armed sloop or cutter Pegasus, was intended as a deception to cover the real identity of Conyngham and Revenge. After Northampton was retaken, Bailey certified that both commissions had been delivered to him on July 21 while on board Revenge, PRO, State Papers 42/51, 58-59, 60-61. See Conyngham to Silas Deane, August 24.
