COLONEL WILLIAM HARRISON TO THE MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY.

Charles County, July 19, 1776.

SIR: Under cover hereof you will please receive enrolments of two Militia Companies, viz: John Thomas's and Richard Bennett Mitchel's, the former in the Twelfth and the latter in the Twenth-Sixth Battalion. They have been properly examined; and as I am in momentary expectation that the whole or part of the Militia here may be called to the aid of St. Mary's, must request your Board to issue commissions thereon, and have them transmitted me by the earliest opportunity.

I am, very respectfully, sir, your obedient servant,

WILL. HARRISON.

GENERAL DENT TO MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY.

Charles River, Head-Quarters, July 19, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: On my arrival at this place on the 16th instant, I found there had been an engagement with the enemy, with no other loss but the misfortune of Captain Rezin Beall being badly wounded, though it is hoped not mortally.

By four deserters who came over to us yesterday, we are informed the mate or Midshipman of the Roebuck was killed in the action. By the best information, the enemy have not more than fifty regulars of the Fourteenth Regiment, about one hundred and fifty Tories, and one hundred negroes, that bear arms; all of whom are landed every morning and embarked in the evening, under cover of the fleet, which continues in the mouth of the St. Mary's river, opposite to the lower end of St. George's Island. Our strength at present is about four hundred Militia, exclusive of the Independent and Captain Forrest's company. I made bold, immediately on my arrival (the strength of the enemy being much magnified) to order to our assistance three full companies of Militia from Colonel Hawkins's battalion, to be selected from the interior part of the County, which I expect will arrive about to-morrow evening, when I shall discharge an equal number of the most necessitous of those now on duty. The fleet (which at first consisted of eighty sail) is now reduced to little more than half that number, many of the tenders and square-rigged vessels having gone to Virginia, opposite the mouth of Potomack, where a pretty constant cannonade has been kept up ever since I have been here.

We are told by the deserters (two more of which have come over since I began to write) that the fleet intend only to wood and water, on the Island, burn all or most of their small craft, and proceed to sea.

Had we a few great guns at a place called Cherry Fields Point, well planted and served, we might annoy the fleet so as to oblige them to quit their station. Captain Forrest's company has relieved an equal number of the Militia, who readily parted with their arms, such as they were.

I shall, as often as anything of consequence happens, communicate it to you with the utmost despatch; till when, I am your most obedient servant,

JNO. DENT.

To the Honourable the Council of Safety.

CUNNINGHAM'S EXAMINATION.

Q. In what occupation did you act in Virginia? A. I was a book-keeper there to Messrs. Jameson & Co.

Q. What became of Mr. Jameson? A. In the fleet..

Q. What vessel were you on board? A. The Dolphin brig.

Q. Did you continue in the same vessel, or did you land at Gwin's Island? A. No. I never landed.

Q. What time did you leave Gwin's Island, and what was the cause? A. We were obliged to leave it by batteries being erected on shore.

Q. Was any damage done to the shipping? A. To Dunmore's vessel: the boatswain was killed; a man lost his arm.

Q. None killed on the Island? A. None.

Q. What condition were the people in on board? A. Sickly—the small pox; the negroes had the jail fever.

Q. What number were there? A. Not above three hundred in arms.

Q. Who commands them? A. Col. Bird's son commands.

Q. How many died and were buried at G. Island? A. I think there must have been five hundred.

Q. How were you provided with provisions? A. Salt beef enough for troops.

Q. How many families on board the fleet? A. I suppose one thousand souls.

Q. How many did the ships bring from the Eastern Shore? A. One hundred and fifty; fifty belonging to the Fourteenth Regiment. They did not exceed three hundred in all.

Q. How many did land upon St. George's Island? A. I don't know. None but soldiers.

Q. How many marines on board? A. Roebuck 75, Fowey 25, Otter 15.

Q. Did you know where they were going? A. No.

Q. Did you come up, or did you drift ashore? A. I came up voluntarily.

Q. Whose property was that in the vessel? A. It was sold at vendue.

Q. Were the people inoculated on board? A. Yes.

Q. Whose property was the molasses? A. I bought part.

Q. Was Governour Eden on board the Fowey? A. Yes, I have seen him walking the deck.

Q. Did you know the Fowey was upon the Eastern Shore? A. Yes. The Governour was not on board.

Q. Did they consent you should come off? A. No.

Q. Was it in the night that you left the fleet? A. In the night; the fleet was after wood and water.

Q. Have you plenty of bread? A. Yes.

Q. Were there any troops armed at G. Island? A. No. No troops, but part of the Fourteenth Regiment.

Q. Do the tenders ply out in the bay? A. Yes. They were cruising.

Q. Do you know when Governour Eden goes home? A. Yes; he goes in a store-ship.

Q. How much stock was got upon Eastern Shore? A. The private families get no share of it. I saw cattle on decks.

Q. Do the tenders go out in the bay a cruising? A. Yes; I have seen them out in the bay.

Q. How long were they inoculated, and was it done to communicate it to the people on shore? A. By no means; every one in the fleet inoculated that had it not.

Q. How many men in the gondolas? A. Ten men on each side. As to the fleet, Captain Hammond and Lord Dunmore at variance. I don't think Governour Eden has anything to do with the fleet. The Lively frigate at the Capes. Molasses at a bit; good West-India ruin at 2s. 2d. Marines and sailors would desert, but no others. Not the 14th.

Q. What distance Fowey from the shore? A. Musket-shot.

Q. What number of vessels in the fleet? A. Sevenly-two. Many small boats.

Q. Did you not say that the fleet was going to sea? A. Yes; a signal given from Dunmore for masters of ships to come on board to receive orders, that they were going to Si. Augustine.

Q. Did you leave any vessels? A. Two tenders in the straits. Two four-pounders, two two-pounders. Dunmore three six-pounders fired, fee. Slipt her cables. The Otter upon careen with her guns out.

Q. How long was it after the cannonade commenced before you left it? A. Immediately upon the first discharge of cannon.

Q. Where did you get beef? A. From Antigua: a brig with five hundred barrels; a store-ship with five hundred barrels.

Q. What execution was done to your tenders on the Eastern Shore? A. One man killed, and eight or nine wounded.

Q. Money plenty? A. Yes. Commodore Hammond the best man in the Navy. Captain Hammond will convey them all out safe to sea.

Q. Has not Lord Dunmore sent people about to communicate the information? A. Not to my knowledge. Captain Hammond not to continue on the Eastern Shore—to go to New-York.

Q. How many guns has the Lively? A. Thirty or thirty-six. Eleven shot. The Dunmore, eighteen.