[Extract]

Gentlemen ー The day before Yesterday in the Evening the Roebuck and other Ships Returned down the River and came too about 5 Miles from this Place at two oClock Yesterday Morning I Recd a line from Captn Nicholson Acquainting me that he intended to Attack the fleet at Day break I immeaditly dispatched an officer with orders if Possible to speak to Captn Nicholson and let him Know the Ships had Returned down the River and where then within Nine or Ten Miles of the fleet and that I did not think it Prudent to Attack them Colo [Richard] Barnes had dispatched an officer some time before The one I sent Got over to his Camp but neither of them could Come up with Captn Nicholson I Immeaditly on recet of the Letter Ordered the Troops under Arms and Dispatched Captn [John Allen] Thomas with about forty on the Island to Alarm the Enemy in that Quarter Major [James] Eden with about the same Number on the Point with a four Pounder and I took the Remainder 25 in Number on board of two Boats and Cannoes & went down St Georges River as near the Enemy as we Could with Safety where I left them under Command of Lieut: [Daniel Jenifer] Addams with Orders [i]f there should be any Confusion in the fleet to Push up with their Boats to Cherry field Point here I would be I then went a Cross to the Point where our People from the Lower Camp had been at Work all Night and by the ti}Jle the sun was rising Mounted the two Largest Cannon about an Hour after we Espied the Defence making up for the fleet The Fowey which lay at a Mile from the Battery did not see her or seemed to take no Notice of her for more than an Hour when we Noticed boats goeing a Head of her as we suppose to Carry out her Anker in Order to whey her out and in a Short time we Observed her hailing out when I Immeaditly Ordered the Cannon to be fired at her we fired four times from the Nine Pounders & twice from the. four one of which the Nine we think huld her the other struck a boat laying at her Stern with I Beleave Men in her I Saw them a Very little before, the Fowey all the time hailing out By this time Observed the Defence Put about and stand down the River I Beleave she must have seen the Roebuck who was seen some time after standing down after her the Fowey giveing Chase a very little while before upon the whole the Enemy Appears to be a Good Deal Alarmed and I am in hopes will leave this in a Short time ー Captn [John Thomas] Boucher came to Camp last Night he left two Roe Gallys about 15 Miles above this Place I furnished him with a Boat and some Hands to go Back by Water he Expects to be down with the Gally this Evening I am Collecting all the Boats and Cannoes to give him all the Assistance in my Power The remainder of the Militia here must be Discharged tomorrow Night I Expected to have had a fresh Recrute of them by this time shall be very Week not less then Twenty of the Regulars down with fever at this time There wiJI be great Difficul[t]y in getting the Cannon back by Land should think it best to have them Carried by Water if Vessels Can be had as soon as the Enemy goes of[f]...