My Dear Brother

It is with the greatest Pleasure imaginable I Received letters from home as it convinces me that I am not intirely forgot: which I had some Reason to suspect, as I have not before Received any except the single line you were pleased to favoir me with, since I left Reedy Island, Altho every other Officer in the Fleet got letters by every post and I seldom let an opportunity pass without writing to one or other of the Family. Not a sylable has ever passd between the Admiral and Myself about either the Action or letter you speak of.³ For the Action he deserved the severest censure And the injustice and Partiality of the letter were so very glaring that it needed no comment, tis not from him that I can expect justice. It must depend on Fortunes throwing an opportunity in My way. At Present She seems to sport with me. I have just Returnd from a short Cruise two days after I wentout I took a sloop⁴ a week after early in the Morning I see two Ships close together I took them with the Speaking trumpet.⁵ they were two transports with High landers on board who came out with thirty three sail on board of which were three thousand troops bound for Boston. It Blue fresh and there was a very heavy Sea so that it was night before I got every[thing] to Rights. I put all the Soldiers on Board one of the Ships. In the other two of the Officers had their Wives⁶ Them with two other Officers who were sick I left on Board with the Ladies Four of the land Officers the Captains Mates and all the Crews I took on Board the doria And Mannd the Ships with my own People. For thirteen days we kept together On the 14th in the Morning we see five sail of Vessels to windward (wind at North) and soon after they gave us chase. I orderd the Best sailer the one the Soldiers were on Board to steer South the other SSE and I went under an easy sail steering a little wide of them. This I did for two Reasons. that they might think we were Vessels of war that wanted to hem them in, or that we might stand a better Chance of escaping should they come up with us. about Eigh[t] oclock a squall came on and the Ship that steerd south hauld on a wind to the Westward. And when the Squall blew over She was nearly out of sight to windward. The Vessels who chased us then hauld on a wind to the East ward and when we had Run them out of sight we did the same About four Oclock we saw them again in the N W and at Six I saw a large Vessel bearing east steering to the West ward. I wore round and order'd the Ship to steer SW At Eight Oclock The Vessel to the Et was about 3 Leags off those to the NNW about the same distance when I haul'd up West The Prize then about a mile and half from me in half an hour we lost sight of her and about 9 oclock we heard several Guns to N E. But I was in no condition to know the Occasion. I had forty Prisoners who did duty on Board and when I cleard Ship for Action they were put below under guard and I had but fifty three Men and boys sick and well to fight. I see no Vessel from that time (Ecept a Sloop outward bound that I brought too one night.) till I arrived which was the night before last. I landed my Prisoners and Yesterday Morning some guns being heard in the offing I told the Admiral if he Pleased I would go out and see who it was, he Assented, and I went out and met two of our Sloops and a Brig from the west Indies with 13 tons of Powder and other Valuable Articles on Board the Brig had 12 Guns and being Chased in by a Frigate our Sloops thought her to be her tender and had fird the Guns we heard at her. The Columbus and Sloops followd me out and we chased the Frigate till four Oclock.⁷ I had got so near as to see the Men in her tops but being Obliged to Make several tacks to weather point Judith After She had passd it, She got considerably the [a line cut from the bottom of the pageJ of me. Had She behaved well She could have taken or drove us back into port again.

I have almost given over hopes of seeing my Prizes any more. I am Glad however that I have got all their Arms and amunition. I lost one of the Ships and one of my own Boats in carrying the People and things from one Vessel to the other but happily no lives were lost. It was in Latt: 42 and Long: 55 that I took them. If the Admiral does not send me to that out of the way Place, Providence I may be Ready for another Cruise in a few days as I have only to wood and water and get a New bowsprit. I had pitchd away my bowsprit and sprit sail Yard in a Calm and Reeft him near three foot the day before I was Chased ー Give my Love to the Family tell them they Shall hear more from me When I am More at Leisure. give my compliments to [Hugh] Montgomery [John] Rice [Alexander] Henderson [Thomas] Houston [Nathaniel] Boyce &c And believe me to be most Affectionately

P S I fear Nothing but what I ought to fear. I am much more Afraid of doing a foolish Action than of loosing My Life, I aim for a Character of Conduct as well as courage And hope never to throw away the Vessel and Crew merely to Convince the world I have Courage No one has dard to impeach it yet. If any should I will not leave them a Moment to doubt