[Extract]

The Brig Defence is so well known in this part of the Sound that I apprehend it would have been in vain to have sent her out on the present affairs² accordingly with the advice of the Committee took the Sloop Discovery into service, gave the command of her to Captn Smedley. ー subalterns were appointed from among respectable gentlemen of this town, ー Manned her with forty of my own people ー hope your Honour will excuse the liberty on this pressing emergency ー should imagine it would be of consequence by some small Cruisers to cut off entirely the communication between the Main and the Island, unless sufficient certificates for a Passport were first obtained from Magistrates or the Committee ー however submit the whole to your Honour's judgment. In the meantime as your Honr in Council was pleased to vote that I should have orders to cruise on the High Seas for a while ー hope I may not be disappointed ー I await your Honrs further commands & shall cheerfully fulfill them with my best abilities³ As my own desire was I joined Commodore Hopkins at New London after the enemy had left the coast ー I obtained leave to pursue your Honour's first orders ー have touched at several places and have now near an hundred men. should have been now ready to have proceeded on a cruise to Sea had not these new affairs turned up ー Notwithstanding I mentioned my desires of going to sea, am however all submission to future orders.