Thursday the 7th [November] Captain Baron prevailed on me to let the Command Boat go off at day light this Morning with Letters for the General, intrusting the Packett with a Corp! of the Regiment, well acquainted with the road to Halifax about 7 OClock in the Morning the thick Fog & Baize clear'd away, I discovered several Boats full of Men coming along Shore from Westcock, & the Merchant Schooner under way, just a head of them, Ordered to beat to Arms; detached Capt Grant & 50 Men to cover the Provision Sloop, which lay at the mouth of the Cumberland Creek; hauled one of the Cannon on the Parapet, there being no Embrasure cut, fired about twenty Shot, which fell rather short of the Enemys boats & the Schooner, which they had now possession of. Capt Grant returned, & confirmed our Suspicion that they had also taken the Provision Sloop, which they soon got under Sail, and out of reach of his Musquetry — this provision Sloop had a Serjeant & twelve Men on board at Night, as Guard, & had orders occasionally to help to unload, when the Tide at those times served —

Capt Barron the acting Engineer, the Revd Mr Eggleston, with a Corporal & six Men of the Command Boat, also some of the Working party, which had got on board this Morning were taken, as the Sloop was undoubtedly surprized, & got possession of by the Enemy during the Night Season. I Ordered a Nine pounder drawn down to the Dyke to fire on the Vessel, & the Boats, the Enemy then stood for the River Leplaneke, & run in that Creek -brought the Gun up again to the Fort, there being little or no Water in the Fort Well, got 13 Hoghds filled for extra Use & purchased a number of Cattle, to serve the Garrison, there being no Pork got from the Sloop, & only about 4 Months flour, & pease, the Rebels taking every thing also sent in the Sloop -but few Friends of Government, or Militia came in; one of the Regiment deserted to them last Evening & by the Intelligence from some of the Inhabitants, who have been with them, they say most of the Inhabitants of Westcock; Amherst & Joly Cour [Jolicoeur] &c, have joined the Rebels, who are between 4 or 5 hundred; two hundred took the provision Sloop, that they expect a number more from St John's & Machias &c, with Frigates & Cannon. — Sent off Lt Sharman, & Mr Sheller, & Farrell from Halifax & Cornwallis in a Birch Gannoe for Windsor, but it turning out Leaky they came back