May 1776 Tuesday 7th
Isle Coudre WbS, 3 Leagues at ½ past 3 A M, weigh'd & came to Sail ー at Kamarouska Islands SSW. Dist, 3 Miles ー 2 Sail in Sight, run up against the Ebb all the Forenoon with a fresh Breeze ー Light Airs & Cloudy ー Latr. Light Breezes & Clear at 4 P M a Boat come on Bd from Coudre with 2 Pilots from Captn [Thomas] Pringle, inform'd me he had gone up to Quebec, as the Town was beseiged, I found from the Pilots that the Isis, Surprise & Martin were also gone up & the Niger ー I order'd the Pilots to look out for the Ships coming up & gave them Letters for the Commanders of the Bute & Brittish Queen ー at ½ past 7 anchord between Isle au Coudre & the No Shore with the B.Br in 8 fms & veer'd to 2/3 of a Cable Isle au Coudrew SSE, 1 Mile ー Agnes & Beaver in Company
Wednesday 8th
at ½ past 12, an arm'd Sloop came down the River from Quebec with Pilots and the Captain of her brought me a Letter from Captain [John] Hamilton of the Lizard informing me & any other Ships that might arrive at Coudre "that the Town was besieged & they were apprehensive of being stormed again as there was a Number of scaling Ladders in Sight, desiring me to get up to the Town as soon as possible but not in the Night, without sending a Boat on Shore, & in Case of being hail'd from the Batteries to answer Sandwich" ー Captn Rouchette inform'd me the Rebels were encamp'd on [St.] Charles River & had also a few Guns on Point Levi opposite Cul de Sac ー the Isis Surprise, and Martin at anchor before the Town ー at 4 A M weigh'd & came to sail with the Beaver & Agnes, saw a great many Fires on the So Shore, which the Pilots said were Houses, set on Fire by the Rebels belonging to the Canadians who refused Joining them ー at 11 Anchord with B.Br in 7 fms veer'd to 1/3 of a Cable ー Read the Articles of War to the Ship's Company 1st part fresh Breezes & Cloudy mid & latr mod with rain ー at 5 P M weigh'd & came to Sail with the Flood & at 8 anchor'd with the B.Br in 7 fms opposite the Point of St. Francis on the Island of Orleans ½ a Mile from the Shores ー
Thursday 9th
at 5 A M weigh'd again & at 11 anchord with B.Br in 10 fms veer'd to ½ a Cable ー a Boat came on Bd at Noon with Pilots who inform'd that the Siege was rais'd on the 6th Inst the Isis, Surprize & Martin came before Quebec & landed their Marines, the Garrison sallied out at Noon when the Rebels fled and rais'd the Siege, leaving behind them all their Baggage, Artillery &c Fresh Breezes with rain ー Mid light Airs with Thunder, Lightning and heavy rain ー at 7 P.M, weigh'd & dropp'd up the River with the Flood ー ½ past 10, anchor'd with B.Br in 14 fms, St Patrick's Hole ー
Friday 10th
at 7 A M weigh'd again & at Noon anchor'd a little Below Quebec with B.Br in 22 fms the Flood Tide being done got [sic could] not get up into a good Birth ー found here his Majesty's Ships, Isis, Niger & Lord Howe armed Ship ー the Beaver & Agnes anchor'd with me.
1. PRO, Admiralty 51/1013.