[The troops] were attacked . . . at Lexington by the Provincials. The instant this was known, and that the latter returning to Charles Town, the Admiral ordered all the Marines on Board to be ready to land at a Moments Warning upon a Signal for that purpose, and by desire of General [Thomas] Gage, they were landed in the afternoon at Charles Town under the command of Captain Lieut. James Johnson to cover the retreat of our harrassed Soldiers. But it was the Somerset alone that preserved the detachment from Ruin. The vicinity of that formidable Ship to Charles Town so intimidated its Inhabitants that they (tho' reluctantly) suffered the Kings Troops to come in and pass over to Boston, who would otherwise have been undoubtedly attacked, and in their defenceless conditions such a proceeding must have been fatal to all the Land Forces on that side, exhausted as they were with Fatigue and without Ammunition; & the consequence of their destruction might have been that of the rest of the army in Boston, for, had the Charles town people massacred those poor harrassed Soldiers just returned from Lexington, there can be no doubt but they would have immediately crossed to Boston, where they were certain to find 19 out of 20 willing and ready to assist them in finishing their work.

At an interview this Evening with General Gage the Admiral advised the burning of Charles town and Roxbury, and the seizing of the Heights of Roxbury and Bunkers Hill, (indeed the latter had been begun to be fortified, but that work was discontinued for some reasons with which the Admiral was unacquainted); to this Proposal the General objecting the weakness of his Army, the Admiral replied that he would strengthen it to the utmost of his power by landing what few Marines remained aboard his Fleet, and, if the General would withdraw the 64th Regiment from Castle William, he would garrison it with his Seamen and be answerable for its safety. Such a plan pursued, at the same time that the three Line of Battle Ships lay opposite to the town full of Rebels and their Goods, would probably have chequed the most daring and have given such an Appearance of activity to our Operations that things might have continued a long time quiet. It was indeed the Admirals opinion that we ought to act hostiley from this time forward by burning & laying waste the whole country, & his inclination and intentions were to strain every nerve for the public Service.