Block Island S:W:

Dist^t. 3 or 4 Leagues
At 4 AM Calm with a thick fogg. at 8 Light winds and hazy. ½ past 8 The Admiral¹ made the Signal to Weigh, soon after to Cut or Slip and for the Fire Ships to Prime. Cut The Cable about 80 f^m. from the Anchors and came to Sail as did the rest of the Fleet, saw several Sail of French Ships of War coming out of Rhode Island, and our Batteries on the Shore Firing at them. Ran under the Admirals Stern p^r. Signal & received his Order to Keep on the Starb^d: Wing of the Fleet with the Frigates and Small Ships and to act as I saw Occasion Cut the Long Boat up and threw it overboard with some Staves and Iron Hoops. At Noon Twelve Sail of French Ships of the Line that came out from Rhode Island Harbour. Steering after us in a line abreast—

Block Island

N^o.13°W^t. Dist^t.

23 1/3 Leagues—
Light Breezes and hazy. at ½ past Noon set the Fore Sail & Top-gall^t. Sails. 40 minutes past Noon the Venus² made the Signal for Two Sail in SW at 55 the Admiral made the Private Day Signal to the Ship in the SW Qu^r. which we repeated. at 35’ past 1 the Carcass³ made the Signal for a Sail in SW at 52’ past 3 the Adm^l. made the Experiment’s⁴ and Pearls⁵ Signals with the Fire Ships they had in Tow,⁶ to Ware and Stand before the Wind; at 58 min^ts. for the Ships to keep in more open Order in line of Battle which Commodore Elliott repeated. At 4 Mod^e. Breezes and hazy. The French Fleet standing after us in a line abreast under an Easy Sail. At 24^m. past 4 The Adm^l. made the Renown’s⁷ Signal to Shorten Sail, and at 54 min for the Appollo⁸ to come within hale of him. at 5^m. past 6 he made the Signal to prepare to alter the Course. at 20m past 6 for the Richmond⁹ to take the Cornwallis Galley¹⁰ in Tow. at ½ past 6 took the Strombolo¹¹ in Tow as P^r. Signal from the Admiral. at 7 spoke the Cornwallis Galley bound to New York.