“I have the pleasure to acquaint you of our taking the Rebel frigate Virginia (Congress ship) of 30 guns, and 159 men;¹ she had a number more men belonging to her, but many were sick and left on shore. We have been a faithful watch upon her for 14 months, and almost despaired of having an opportunity of taking her, as she generally was under the protection of batteries. On the 20^th of Jan. she had got down the bay, within a few miles of the Capes, when we gave chace; the wind came from the sea, and we had a fair chace after her for 21 hours, when she got up to Baltimore. She sails extremely well, was clean, and we were 26 months foul, or think then we should have taken her. On the 30^th of March she took the opportunity of a strong northerly wind, and made another attempt to get to sea; but in the night, in order to avoid us as we lay at anchor within and between the Capes, she got entangled with a shoal or bank of land, struck upon it, and was obliged to anchor, when we took her without opposition. 

“The only merit in taking of her is, that it will save the merchants some thousands of pounds, but more particularly those that insure for though her reign might not have been long, yet long enough to do much mischief. I send you a list of prizes made here from December, by which you will perceive we have been attentive to the Frenchmen: Monsieurs share part of the losses of this war, and we get something. Upon my word the fatigue is great here, lying at anchor almost in the open sea, and that during the winter months; from the 28^th of last month in the evening, to the taking the Virginia the 31^st in the morning, was one constant storm, and the sea sometimes went over us, but spirit and good ships will do anything. This ship has taken since February 1777, 43 sail, great and small.” 

The following is a list of French vessels, and others, taken by the Virginia squadron, from December 28, 1777, to the 31^st of March, 1778:—Arc-en-Ciel, with bale goods and sundries, taken by the St. Albans, and destroyed,² Le Courier de Miquilon, with molasses and rum, taken by the Emerald.³ Alexandrine, with tobacco, by the Emerald.⁴ Dragon, with tobacco, by the Emerald.⁵ L'Elegante, with tobacco, by the Richmond and Emerald.⁶ A brig, name not known, with bale goods, wine, and sugar, by the St. Albans, and destroyed.⁷ Marianne, with bale goods and cordage, by the Otter's tender.⁸ Le Hardy, by the Otter's tender.⁹ Fortune, with rum and sugar, by the St. Albans and Otter.¹⁰ Viscomte de Veaux, of 26 guns, with bale goods and sundries, by the Solebay, St. Alban's, and Senegal, she had another name when she left France.¹¹ Le Tonnerre, of 20 guns, with bale goods and cordage, taken by the Senegal, and destroyed.¹² Le Hector, of 16 guns, with bale goods and salt, by the Richmond and Senegal,¹³ Jean Andria, of 12 guns, with bale goods and cordage, by the St. Albans.¹⁴ Three Frenchmen, taken by the Phœnix, and sent into New York, their names not yet known.¹⁵ Good Hope, a Dane, with salt by the Richmond.¹⁶ Louisa Udrique, a Swede, with brass cannon, by the Senegal.¹⁷ Virginian frigate, of 30 guns and 159 men, belonging to the Congress, by the Emerald; besides one tobacco ship belonging to the Congress,¹⁸ and 20 small American vessels. In the Viscomte de Veaux was a French Viscount, an Officer in the French service, coming to America, to have the rank of Major-general.¹⁹