Sir

I sail'd from thence the Day following with the Hope, leaving His Majesty's Ship Blonde at Machias to intercept some Vessels with Stores & Provisions that were ex­pected there from Boston; I cruized along the Coasts of New England & New Hamp­shire, going sometimes into the Enemys Harbors, & keeping the Militia & Troops in continual Alarm; which I hope had the good Effect of preventing many of them from joining the Rebel Army collecting against Gen^l. Burgoyne,—at Townsend,² & near it I took & destroyed at different Times three Brigs, eleven Sloops & Fifteen Schooners;—two of the Brigs & three of the small Vessels were Captures the Rebels had made, the rest were principally loaden with Wood &c for their Western Ports, which will distress them very much & the more as they always return back with Flour & Provisions for the Eastern Settlements.

Having authentic Intelligence that a Ship loaden with large Masts for France³ was ready to Sail from Sheepscut River, I thought it highly necessary to attempt at any Hazard to take or destroy her; unluckily  the Hope had seperated from me in Chace, & not appearing in three Days at the Rendezvous I had given Cap^t. Dawson,⁴ I took the Resolution (as our  Sick who amounted to 72 were every Day encreasing,) to  go up the River with the Rainbow alone: the Pilot consenting to carry the Ship in, in the Night, I entered the Mouth of it about Eleven o'Clock of the 9^th. of Septem^r., but a heavy Gale of Wind coming on about Midnight at SE with Rain, occasioned the Pilot from the thickness of the Weather to mistake the Channel, & run us into another. Branch call'd the Oven's Mouth, where however we anchor'd about two in the Morning, without any ill consequence, tho' there was hardly room for the Ship to swing.

The Ovens Mouth is about Ten Miles from the entrance of the River, & the Mast Ship was 18 or 20 Miles higher than where we lay: the Success of the Enterprize de­ pended upon boarding Her before she knew of our being in the River, I therefore instantly sent away a Flat bottom Boat which I had previously barricaded, & the Cut­ter both mann'd & arm'd, under the Command of Lieu^t. Haynes,⁵ assisted by Lieu^t. Dalton,⁶ & the Marines commanded by Lieu^t. Welsh:⁷—having three Hours Flood still, & a very fresh Wind up the River, I had no doubt of their getting Possession of the Ship before Daylight.

So soon as the Tide slackened we warp'd the Ship out of her dangerous Birth, & then proceeded up the River to a Town called Witchcastle [Wiscasset] about 24 Miles from the entrance, & as high as the Rainbow could safely be carried.

I sent a Flag of Truce ashore to demand the Delivery of two Pieces of Cannon which I understood were in the Town, together with the Rigging & Sails of the Mast Ship, signifying to the Inhabitants that upon their ready Compliance, & their not committing any Act of Hostility, I would spare the Town & their private Property.

I receiv'd a Letter from a Judge of one of their Courts in Answer acquainting me, that the Mast Ship was near four Miles higher up the River, & in possession of my Men, together with one of the Pieces of Cannon I required, that the other was carried off, where, He could not learn; that the Rigging & Sails were not in the Town, being taken away some Time before.

As soon as 'twas Dark I sent another Boat with an Anchor & Hawser to assist in bringing the Ship down, but She return'd some Time after not being able to get higher than the Narrows (two Miles) without Danger of losing many of the Boats Crew by the Musketry of the Rebels, who had taken Post there: about 11 PM we heard a brisk Fir­ing which continued half an Hour & then ceased, & about Midnight the Flat Boat & Cutter return'd on board.—Lieu^t. Haynes gave me an Account that He had proceeded up the River & got Possession of the Ship without the least Opposition soon after Day light in the midst of a heavy Rain, that observing a Cannon mounted on the Shore near Her, He had landed & brought it off; that He found the Ship in a very intricate Channel, & so near the Shore that She had two fasts to it;—the Rebels assembled & gall'd our People considerably from the adjacent Heights, they built up a Barricado Ten Feet high in the Ship, which sheltered them 'till about Noon, when the Rebels brought down a Piece of Cannon, which obliged 'em to retire into the Hold; that find­ing from the amazing intricacy of the Channel there was not any likelyhood of get­ ting the Ship down, He had in pursuance of my Orders destroy'd Her about Ten at Night, & came away with the Boats as soon as 'twas Dark amidst a brisk Firing of Mus­ketry on both sides the River & the Piece of Cannon;—that when they came to the Narrows the Cutter (who was ahead of the Flat Boat) found herself stopp'd by a Rope (which they directly cut) with which the Rebels were then hawling a Boom across;­—That the Boats soon after got aground on a Shoal where they were for some Minutes expos'd to a heavy Fire of Musketry, but the Flat Boat was so well barricaded all round with Hammocks that the Shot had no Effect, & they had the good Fortune to return without the Loss of a Man, & only one wounded: the Lieutenant brought down the Master of the Mast Ship & his Crew Prisoners.

In the Morning we observed the Rebels appeared on the surrounding Shores in pretty large Numbers;—seeing a Raft of Masts floating down I sent a Boat to tow them on board, they consisted of three large Masts & a Mizen Mast for the Mast Ship, which we took in between Decks & brought to Halifax, knowing the great want of them in the Dock Yard there.

All this Day the Weather would not allow of our  moving down, as the Channel is extremely narrow & requires a leading Wind;—I was the more concern'd at the Delay from the encreasing Number of the arm'd Rebels, who might be very trou­blesome in our Passage down, particularly in the Narrows where the Channel is close to the Shore, & the Heights [&] Woods considerably above the Mast heads.

M^r. Rice⁸ coming off with a Flag of Truce, I mentioned to Him my Inclination to spare the Town, provided no Interruption was given us in going down the River;­—in Consequence of this one of their Colonels sent off a Message to me by a Lieu­tenant, that if l would give up the Masts I had taken, release the Prisoners, & restore a small Schooner made a Prize there, He would order in, all his out Partys, & promise no Hostility should be committed against the Ship;—I sent his Messenger ashore with a peremptory Refusal, acquainting Him that I should proceed to Cannonade & destroy the Town in an Hour if they did not agree to the Terms I offered, & advising an immediate Removal of the Women & Children.

A little before the Time expired, I sent Lieu^t. Haynes ashore with a Flag of Truce offering them once more a Neutrality; & a Colonel M^c.Cobb⁹ with whom I had be­ fore treated at Townsend being arrived, & becoming commanding Officer, I found Him more reasonable, & on my consenting to spare the Town He promis'd that no Interruption whatever should be given to us.

The next Morning (12^th. September) we weigh'd at Daylight, & proceeded down the River without the least Molestation, making the best of our Way to Halifax where we arriv'd on the 2^d. of October with 116 Sick Men on board.

I sent the enclosed  Declaration  to the  Inhabitants of Machias, & the Neighboring Towns,¹⁰  & I have just now had the Satisfaction to be inform'd  [in]  a Letter from Cap^t. Milligen of the Blonde, that the arm'd Rebels who were at & near Machias are withdrawn, & that they have entirely laid aside the intended Invasion of the Province of Nova Scotia.

The Letter N^o. 2 I had the Honor to receive on my Arrival here a Week ago; I take the Liberty to send [it] for their Lordships Perusal; which with the Resolution of the House of Assembly, signifyed to me by a Committee on the 18th of June last, (which I likewise enclos'd to You)¹¹ may enable their Lordships to form some Judgment of the Opinion the People of the Province have of my Conduct, since I have had the Honor to direct the Opperations of the Kings Ships on this Station. I am [&c.]

The Bienfaisant arrivd here on the 2^d. Instant; She bro^t. me a Letter from Vice Admiral Montagu desiring I woud let the Fox (lately retaken) proceed to New­foundland under the care of Cap^t. Macbride;¹² I have acquainted the Admiral, (Sir,) that I woud comply immediately with his Request, had it been possible; but Com­miss^r. Arbuthnot informd me (by Letter) there was no Rope in Store, to fit her out; & her former Rigging is entirely unserviceable.

G.C.