Sir

I wrote your Excell^y. the Second day the Enemy open'd their Batteries.¹ they have Since continued a fire from their two Bomb Batteries & Red Hot Balls from their work at the Pest Houses., as yet without much Damage. yesterday an unlucky Shell fell in a Barrack where the Soldiers had gone Contrary to Orders which kill'd One & wounded 3 others, two of them very Slightly, they have last Night thrown up an­ other Bomb Battery between their two first.² it is not yet open'd. they have been kind in permitting Us to Sleep at Night. We are making every preparation against a Storm for which purpose we are entrenching within the fort. to annoy them even Should they get Possession of the out works.—

I wrote your Excell^y. that the Commodore³ had remov'd his fleet under Red Bank, Since which he has Sent us no Guard but four pound Boats, which we think insufficient to guard the Defenceless part of the Island.⁴ your Excell^y. knows that the Side of the fort⁵ next Red Bank has nothing but a Wall & Narrow Ditch for its De­fence & that it would be easily defended in Case of Storm by a few Gallies who would rake with Grape Shot all that Bank & Sink any Boats that might attempt to land on that Side. which if left defenceless will be the most probable place of their Landing, the Landing in front & Rear of our Mud or Grand Battery is also very good & the very probable place for Boats which may come up from their fleet & whose Landing will most likely be coverd by their Gondolas and Tenders, against which the four pound Boats cannot lay, this was the Opinion of all the Gentlemen in Garrison, which I wrote to the Commodore, his answer is—"I rec^d. yours this morning & have pro­vided Such a Guard as is thought consistent with the Opinion of a full Council of War held Oct^r. the 16^t. & carried by the whole of them that all the Gallies could do for you Should be done & that they Should not be Sent to be Sacrific'd when they would have no Chance of annoying the Enemy, but lay & look at your Garrison & be of no Use to you nor the Country, but fall a Sacrifice to your pleasure"—

The Commodore has promisd that as soon as we are attackd he will come over with all his fleet to our Assistance. my Opinion that his Assistance will be too late & I can't help thinking that the fleet will run as great a Risk coming over to us as if a Guard from it was to lay in the Night out of the Rake of their Shot & Bombs & where they might be of the utmost Service to us. I have Stated our Situation to your Excell^y who will I presume determine whether the Commodores Support is as much as he can give Consistent with the good of the fleet. I am Still of Opinion the Enemy have not more than 500 if So many on Province Island. I Have the Honor to be [&c.]

P.S. Two Gallies could lay quite Safe from both Bombs & Shot under the piers. I mean entirely Cover'd. Certain it is that the enemy have a Communication with their fleet from Phil^a. along the banks of Province Island as large numbers of Wagons are heard to Pass and Repass every night.