Pallas, Portsmouth harbor 24th Novr 1776.
Sir
I beg you will be pleased to acquaint their Lordships that I have heard Clamours have been raised against my Conduct in bringing the Convoy from Jamaica, and that it hath been said I parted Company from them and bore away for the Coast of America the 18th of Septr; I beg leave to observe that a light breeze springing up on the Night of the 17th to my great surprise in the morning I observed above half the Ships that had been in Company the day before steering away to the Eastward, upon which I made the Signal for them to come into my wake, which they paid no attention to, as it will I believe appear upon my Journal which I transmitted for their Lordships Inspection. if that Wind had continued I certainly shpuld not have gone to any Port, but I thought in the situation that we were in, it would be proper to keep pretty well to the North. ward, and as there were a great Number of Men of War employed in America I thought keeping along the Coast would be much safer for the Convoy as the Privateers would naturally keep at a distance to be out of the way of Men of War; the other Ships parted at different times, some of which hailed us, but none of them enquired whether we were going into Port.
I beg you will also be pleased to acquaint their Lordships that as I am not conscious of having failed in any point of duty, if there remains any doubt of my conduct, I beg they will be pleased to order it to be enquired into I am [&c.]
W. Cornwallis
1. PRO, Admiralty 1/1611, 3, 28.