Gentn On my arival at this Place, of the 16th Instant I found there had been an Engagement with the Enemy with no other loss to us but the Misfortune of Captn Page Beall being badly wounded, tho' its hoped not mortal ー By four Deserters wh[ich] came over to us yesterd[ay] we are inform'd the Mate or Mid-Ship man of the Roe Buck was killed in the Action. By the best Information the Enemy have not more than 50 Regulars of the 14th Regiment, about 150 Tories and 100 Negroes that have Arms; all of wch are landed every Morning, and embarked in the Evening under Cover of the Fleet, wh[ich] continues in the Mouth of St Marys River opposite the lower End of St Georges Island. Our Strength at present is about 400 Militia exclusive of the Independant, and Captn Forrest's Company. I made bold immediately on my Arival here (the Strength of the Enemy being much magnified) to order to our Assistance three full Companies of Militia from Coll [Josias] Hawkin's Battallion, to be selected from the Interior part of the County, wh[ich] I expect will arive about tomorrow Evening, when, I shall discharge an equal Number of the most necessitous of those now on Duty. The Fleet (wh[ich] at first consisted of Eighty Sail) is now reduced to little more than half that Number, many of the Tenders & square rigged Vessels having gone to Virginia opposite the Mouth of Potomack where a pretty constant Canonade has be[en] kept up ever since I have been here. We are told by the Deserters (two more of which have come over since I began to write) that the Fleet Intend only to wood & Water on the Island, burn all, or most of their small Craft and proceed to Sea. Had we a few great Guns at a Place called Cherry Fields Point: well planted & served we might anoy the Fleet so as to oblige them to quit their Station  Captn Forest's Company has relieved an equal Number of the Militia who readily parted with their Arms such as they were. ー I shallas often as any thing of Consequence happens communicate it to you with the Utmost Dispatch 'til when I am [&c.]