with the Cabot, and give such directions to Lieutenant Hinman, her commander, as may be necessary for the publick good.

If you take any prizes, you are to send them in here, or in case of necessity, any other place you can with most safety. You are to send in for trial all British property, and all vessels bound to Great Britain, or to any of the British Plantations which are now under the British Ministry. In case you should want any supplies you may draw on me for the same, or on the Continental Treasurers.

Yours, &c.,

ESECK HOPKINS, Commander-in-Chief.

To Nicholas Biddle, Esquire, Commander of the Brigantine Andrew Doria.

ADMIRAL HOPKINS TO LIEUTENANT HINMAN.

Providence, May 12, 1776.

SIR: You are to take command of the Brigantine Cabot, and take as many men out of the Alfred or Fly as will make your complement ninety, and go to sea on a cruise three or four weeks, if you do not take as many prizes as you can well man in less time; and you are likewise to take such directions from time to time as you may receive from Captain Biddle. In case of a separation with him, and you should want supplies, you may draw on me for so much as is necessary.

ESECK HOPKINS, Commander-in-Chief.

To Lieutenant Elisha Hinman, Commander of the Brigantine Cabot.

GENERAL HOWE TO LORD GEORGE GERMAINE.

Halifax, May 12, 1776.

MY LORD: By detaining for a few hours the Glasgow* ship-of-war, returning to England, I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship’s despatches bearing date the 28th March, with two duplicates of the 1st and 7th of February, several enclosures, treaties, &c., which were taken out of the packet by a cruiser, and brought in here last night; but as they seem upon the first reading to require nothing more than my steady obedience, I defer answering them particularly until the next opportunity, which I expect to be in a few days.

It is with much concern I find that, by the promotion of Brigadier Robertson to the command of a battalion of the Sixtieth Regiment, he is taken from the staff of this Army. His spirited conduct during the course of last winter, particularly upon the intended attack of the enemy’s works at Dorchester, does him great honour; and in consequence of his earnest request to serve here this campaign, I have presumed to put his name in orders to act as Major-General, to which, by his particular desire, there will not be any pay annexed, lest the King should be pleased to require his services in some other quarter, or to disapprove of my appointing the Brigadier to this local rank, by his Majesty’s commission being withheld. I am, &c.,

W. HOWE.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER DATED SAVANNAH RIVER, MAY 13, 1776.

All the Creek Chiefs that were expected are down, and seem well disposed. I hope we shall be able to keep them quiet. I have seen letters from the Cherokees as late as the 7th instant. The middle and lower Towns seem to remember the good talks at Fort Charlotte, and say that if the Overhills are for mischief with the white people, the great ridge of mountains shall divide them, for they will have no hand in it. Henry Stewart, Captains Colbert and Gist are in the Overhills; they came up the Mississippi from the Chickasaw Landing, with a large supply of ammunition, were attacked in the way by the Northward Indians, who killed three or four of the Indians, and took or destroyed a part of the powder.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER DATED WILMINGTON, NORTH-CAROLINA, MAY 13, 1776.

The enemy having landed at General Robert Howe’s plantation on Sunday morning, between two and three o’clock, about nine hundred troops, under the command of Generals Clinton and Cornwallis, the sentry posted on the river bank immediately gave the alarm to the guards, who had only time to collect their horses and throw down the fences to let a few cattle out, which they drove off before the enemy surrounded the house. On their march up the causeway from the river, part of the guard kept up a fire on them, which the enemy returned. A few women who lived in the house were treated with great barbarity, one of whom was shot through the hips, another stabbed with a bayonet, and a third knocked down with the but of a musket. The enemy had two men killed, several wounded, and a Sergeant of the Thirty-Third Regiment taken prisoner. They proceeded on their march to Orton Mill, with a design to surprise Major Davis, who commanded a detachment of about ninety men stationed at that place. In this they failed, as the Major had received the alarm from the guard, and had retired, with his baggage and two small swivels, in very good order, unpursued by the enemy. They have burned the Mill, and retreated to the vessels at the Fort. Upon the whole the Generals have very little to boast of, they having got by this descent three horses and three cows. We had not a man killed or wounded.

SAMUEL PURVIANCE, JR., TO MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY.

Baltimore, May 13, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: On my return from Annapolis on Saturday I met Captain John Sterrett, to whom I delivered a packet for you, brought by an express, who was going to Philadelphia. I was directed to request that if you have any commands to Williamsburgh, intended to be sent by the return of the express, you may be pleased to lodge them here, as he will call on me, and expects to be here against Thursday, and does not intend to go by Annapolis.

I am, gentlemen, your humble servant,

SAMUEL PURVIANCE, JUN.

To the Honourable Council of Safety of Maryland.

BALTIMORE COMMITTEE TO MARYLAND CONVENTION.

In Committee, Baltimore, May 13, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: We recommend the Companies as below, to be formed into a Battalion, and request your honourable body to appoint Field-Officers for them:

* Sunday last the Glasgow, Captain Howe, with four vessels under her convoy, sailed for England. In this fleet went passengers many gentlemen of distinction, viz: Francis Legge, Esquire, Governour, and James Monk, Esquire, Solicitor-General of this Province; Governour Wright, of Georgia; Thomas Oliver, Esquire, Lieutenant-Governour of Massachusetts-Bay, and President of the Council; Honourable Peter Oliver, Harrison Gray, John Murray, Richard Lechmere, John Erving, Nathaniel Hatch, and George Erving, Esquires, Counsellors; Brigadier-General Royal, Colonel Vassal, John Gore, Esq., Adino Paddock, Esquire, Captain Joye, Mr. Laughton, Mr. Brindley, Mr. Bowes, Mr. Inman, Mr. De Blois, Thomas Danforth, Esquire, Benjamin Gridley, Esquire, Mr. Pitman and Mr. Pelham, all of them of Boston, and most of them with families; Charles Dudley and George Rome, Esquires, of Newport. Saturday night arrived a packet from England for their Excellencies Admiral Shuldham and General Howe.