Portsmouth, Rhode Island Augt 10 1778,
Dear Sir
I have only time to inform your Excellency & the Congress1 that the Count De Estaing & myself had fixed upon This morning Day Break to make our Landing upon the Island preparatory to which the Fleet came through Newport Harbor on Saturday night & Silenced two of their Batteries The Enemy Supposing that we should Land in the night & cut off the Communication between the out posts & the Town Evacuated all their works on the North of the Island & Retired to Newport Early Saturday Eveng I was informed of this Early in the morning of yesterday & to prevent their Reoccupying the works I immediately threw the whole Army Across & Sent word to the Count to Land his Men & Join us.2 but before the word Message could reach him & before our Army was Compleatly over a British Fleet of twenty Nine Sail appeared Standing for Newport Close in with Seconnet Point. This prevented the Count from Sending me any troops he took them all on Board & this morning went out to Engage the Fleet but on the Appearance of the French Squadron they fled I saw the Count in Chase of them but at Eleven of Clock This must Retard my movements Some Respects & Render our operations more tedious if nothing worse The Circumstance was Exceeding unfortunate Even if it does not Delay the Count a Day I am very fearful it may work a Delay till a British Fleet of Sufficient force may arrive to put an End to the Enterprize Congress may Rest assured that I Shall Endeavour to Surmount Every Difficulty & Effect the Design of the Enterprize with as much Expedition as possible I have the Honor to be [&c.]
Jno Sullivan
PS I have the pleasure to Inform Congress that great numbers of volunteers have Joined me General Hancock3 is with me on the Island with a number of Gentlemen of the first Character.−
L, DNA, PCC, Item 160, pp. 139–40 (M247, reel 178). Addressed below close: “His Excy Henry Laurens.”
1. This letter was read before Congress on 16 Aug. JCC XI: 801.
2. See Sullivan to d’Estaing, 9 Aug., above.
3. Maj. Gen. John Hancock, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and general in the Massachusetts Militia, who had been ordered to Tiverton with the Massachusetts militia on 6 Aug. M-Ar, Mass. Archives Coll., vol. 22, (Council Records 1778), p. 382.