WILLIAM WATSON TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Plymouth, January 29, 1776.

SIR: I must ask your Excellency's pardon for omitting, in my last, some very material circumstances relative to the capture of Commodore Manly's last prizes. I had not, when I wrote, got an exact account of the matter, since which the Commodore tells me that he had taken the prizes, and had put his people on board them some time before the tender came to their assistance; that there were two other vessels from Nova-Scotia, with stock, in company with these ships, and that the whole fleet, with the tender, would have been taken, had it not been for the cowardice of one of our Continental armed vessels, who was very near them, but dared not engage, and who made the best of his way off.

Commodore Manly fought in very disadvantageous circumstances, not having more than sixteen of his own people on board; but then he received considerable assistance from his prisoners, more particularly from the Captains, who did as much as they dared do in such circumstances.

Your Excellency will please to direct me in what manner I shall conduct with these Captains, relative to what they brought with them on their own account, memorandum of which is enclosed. If these people are indulged to return to Plymouth to take care of their effects, (provided their private adventures are given them,) will it be any disadvantage to the publick? However, your Excellency will much oblige our people, particularly the people belonging to the armed vessels, if you will permit the baizes and checks to be stopped here, as they are greatly wanted to make them shirts.

Commodore Manly is now in our harbour; has been puzzled with the ice, with which we are now blocked up, but has received no damage.

The Harrison, Captain Dyar, is now in the ice, has lost an anchor and cable, but we hope to find them again; we are now cutting the ice, and hope to get him out without further damage.

I shall do every thing in my power to forward getting these vessels to sea, as a large number of ships, from England, are expected, with provisions, and but one of them is of any force.

Captain Morton, of the Artillery, the bearer of this, takes charge of the prisoners, Captains Hall and Grindall, who would have been sent forward before, had not the extreme cold weather prevented.

I am, most respectfully, your Excellency's most obedient, much obliged, very humble servant,

WILLIAM WATSON.

To His Excellency George Washington, Esq.

Tuesday morning, eight o'clock.—The Hancock, Manly, and the Yankee, Burnes, are now under sail, bound on a cruise.

Memorandum of Sundries, belonging to the Captains HALL and GRINDALL, viz:

Twelve pieces checked lining, cost 36l. 12s. 2d.; ten pieces red baize, cost 14l. Is. 6d.; four pieces coarse lining, cost 6l. Is. 4d.; two ullages Jamaica rum; one handgun; twenty barrels of beef; eight ditto pork.

The above on board the ships Norfolk and Happy-Re-turn, at Plymouth, January 30, 1776.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM A GENTLEMAN AT BOSTON TO HIS FRIEND IN EDINBURGH, DATED JANUARY 29, 1776.

I imagine, by being so long of hearing from me, you must think I had forgotten my promise of writing you from this place, as, at leaving Scotland, I expected to have been hi Jamaica long before this; but I had a very tedious passage out, having only got here the 23d of December, and, indeed, I thought myself very lucky I got in at all, as I lost the convoy upon the passage, and the Rebels have a good many vessels cruising about, that have taken several ships bound to this place; besides, there has been such blowing weather, that I believe there are a good many vessels drove off the coast, which will be obliged to winter in the West-Indies; however, there are so many got safe here, that both army and navy have plenty of salt provisions.They were a little short of firing when I arrived, which was attended with no other inconvenience than the trouble of pulling down some of the Rebels' houses to burn, which has thinned them a little; but now we have got a large supply of coals, which it is expected will serve the remainder of the Winter.

We are so close shut up here, that we know very little of what is doing any where. Fresh provisions are very scarce; but I hope it will not be the case long, as there are more troops and transports expected very soon.

The General has detained most of the ships that came with provisions for the army, and the Admiral those that came with provisions for the navy; so that we make up a large fleet, I believe the finest ever seen here. I imagine they will find employment for us all in the Spring, as it Is reported we are to have three different armies in the field. At present, we have nothing to do but keep ourselves as warm and merry as we can.

The Rebels have been very quiet ever since I arrived. They gave a small alarm about a fortnight ago, which occasioned a little confusion, but was soon over. The officers have fitted up a play-house, and some of them had wrote a farce, called The Blockade of Boston. The first night it was to be acted the house was very full. The play being over, the curtain was hauled up for the entertainment to begin, when a Sergeant came in and told the officers the alarm guns were fired at Charlestown, which made no small stir in the house, every one endeavouring to get out as fast as possible: and immediately we heard a pretty smart firing of small arms. It being dark, and the rascals making a great huzzaing, I did not know what to make of it at first, but it was soon over, so that I went quietly to sleep about eleven o'clock, and next morning found all the mischief had been done was three or four men taken, who had been among the old ruins of Charlestown, a mill burnt down, and the company disappointed of their entertainment.

CAROLINE COUNTY (VIRGINIA) COMMITTEE.

January 30, 1776.

The Committee of the County of Caroline, averse to rendering any person a publick spectacle of contempt, except for a flagrant breach of the General Association, and having once excused a certain Rodham Kenner, of the said County, for deviating from the rules prescribed by the Congress, now find themselves under the necessity of publishing to the world the infamous behaviour of the said Kenner, who, forgetting the former clemency of this Committee, has a second time violated the Association, by continuing to game unlawfully, and to entice others, first by making them drunk, to become partakers of his guilt. These circumstances being fully proved to the Committee, they would be forgetful of their duty, if they did not advise the people of their own County in particular, and of the Colony in general, to avoid all manner of dealings with the said Rodham Kenner, and to treat him in future as every enemy to American liberty deserves.

ANTHONY THORNTON, Chairman pro tern.

SAMUEL HAWES, JUN., Clerk.

CHARLOTTE COUNTY (VIRGINIA) COMMITTEE.

In Committee, held for Charlotte County, January 30, 1776:

The Reverend Thomas Johnston presented the following concessions to this Committee, expressing his contrition for his former behaviour; which were approved, and ordered to be published in the Virginia Gazette, viz:

"GENTLEMEN: My having drunk success to the British arms, in company with Mrs. Tankersly and Mr. Edmund Mead, as well as having continued to deal with Mr. Me-Connico, a then violator of the Association, which gave offence to the good people of this County in general, and to you in particular, gives me real concern. However, I solemnly declare it was done inadvertently. All my dependance, my nearest and dearest connexions, are in this country, and I expect to share with the Americans in the present unhappy contest, whether the event proves good or bad. If the most unfeigned sorrow for having made use