Honoured Sir/

I would Inform you that on y^e. 28^th of august Last I aRived heare from London I had att that time Just obtained my Discharge from the Belile,¹ man of war of Seventy four Guns. I was Impressed on board of her at Sea and without asking my Leave they made mee midshipman on board a few Days after faling in with I Reland I Toke the opertunity by a fishing boat to write to London to a marchant whome I was none who aplyed to the Lords of the admaralty and obtained my Discharge, and Got me a Protection. with this Protection I made my Escape from London and a Rived heare y^e. 28^th of august 1777 I went Emedeately to Newport² and Communicated to m^r. Nisbett³ my Intensions which was to Go to Parris and Indeavour to obtain a Commision to Go to the Brazels and Take and Distroy all the London fleete, which I Could Easely have Done

M^r. Nisbett Recommended me to M^r. Coffin⁴ who Desired me to write to you. which I Did and Gave all my Papers to M^r. Coffin with a Letter of Recommendation from a marchant in Rhodeisland.

after waiting two months and heareing Nothing from you m^r. Coffin Toald me that he Belived nothing would be Done for mee. and Beged that I would Take the Command of a Vessel to the Braizels in the whaleing Buisness which I was obliged to accept. and accordingly wrote to London and Got from thence about ten of my Countrymen, four of them went the Voige to the Braizels with mee the Rest was Sent by M^r. Coffin to Nants.

M^r. Coffin wants me to Go a Nother Voige from hence to the Braizels in his Imploy but I will not Ingage untill I heare from Cap^t Amy⁵ the Barer of this.— as I Should be Glad to Do Something for my Country— I have been at a Grate Expence heare at M^r. Fitsgarald M^r. Coffin Toald me Before I went from heare he would Pay My account. But I have Setteled my Voige with him and he has Charged me with Every farthing of M^r. Fitsgaralds account and I have paid him. I am Desired by M^r. Nisbett to write a Gain to London and Git over as many of the amaracans as I Can the way I Shall point out to them now is to Come heare by the way of holland I make no Dout but a Number will Come over if they Can Possibely make their Escape which I think they will Do. This Day I heard that my Brother William Grinnell who was first Leftanant of the Columbus when She Ingaged the Glasko man of war is now at Breast and Commands a frigate from Boston—⁶ I no not wheather this is true or not I have Laid Before your honour my Present Surcumstances and Should be Glad of your honours Commands how I am to Proceede. I have Given my word to Cap^t. Amy not to Ingage untill I heare from him.⁷ I am with much Respect [&c.]

P^s. M^r. Dean who was heare a bout Nine months passt toald me hee was a Prisoner on board the Columbus at the time She had the Ingagement with the Glasko and new my Brother William Grinnell