Charlestown, July 2, 1776.

SIR: I should have done myself the honour sooner of informing the Congress of the attack made by the enemy's squadron on Sullivan's Island, and their repulse, but conjectured that by waiting a day or two I might probably be furnished with the means of sending a more minute, full, and satisfactory account. My conjecture was right; for yesterday five seamen made their escape, one of whom is a more intelligent fellow than is commonly found amongst men of his level. Enclosed is a copy of their narrative: some parts of it are perhaps too whimsical and trivial to merit the attention of Congress; but I think it my duty to present it as it is, without adding or curtailing a circumstance. I think, sir, I may venture to congratulate the Congress on the event: not only the advantages must be considerable, but the affair reflects no small credit on the American arms.

On Friday, about eleven o'clock, the Commodore, with his whole squadron, consisting of two line-of-battle ships and six frigates, the rates of which are marked in the enclosed narrative, anchored at less than half musket-shot from the Fort, and commenced one of the most furious and incessant fires I ever saw or heard of. It was manifestly their plan to land at the same time their whole Regulars at the east end of the Island, and of course invest the Fort by land and sea. As the garrison was composed entirely of raw troops, both men and officers, as I knew their ammunition was short, and as the bridge by which we could reinforce or call off the troops from the Island was unfinished, you may easily conceive my anxiety. It was so great that 1 was in suspense whether I should evacuate it or not. Fortunately, whilst I was in this state of suspense, some ammunition arrived from the town, and my aid-decamp, Mr. Byrd, returning from the Island with a flattering report of the garrison's spirit, I determined to support it at all hazards. On this principle, I thought it my duty to cross over to the Island, to encourage the garrison by my presence; but I might have saved myself that trouble, for I found on my arrival they had no occasion for any sort of encouragement—I found them determined and cool to the last degree; their behaviour would in fact have done honour to the oldest troops. I beg leave, sir, therefore, to recommend, in the strongest terms, to the Congress, the commanding officer Colonel Moultrie, and his whole garrison, as brave soldiers and excellent citizens. Nor must I omit at the same time mentioning Colonel Thompson, who, with the South-Carolina Rangers and a detachment of the North-Carolina Regulars, repulsed the enemy in two several attempts to make a lodgment at the other extremity of the Island.

Our loss, considering the heat and duration of the fire, was inconsiderable. We had only ten men killed on the spot, and twenty-two wounded, seven of whom lost their limbs; but with their limbs they did not lose their spirits, for they enthusiastically encouraged their commander never to abandon the standard of liberty and their country. This I do assure you, sir, is not in the style of gasconading romance, usual after every successful action; but literally a fact. I with great pleasure mention the circumstance, as it augurs well to the cause of freedom. At eleven the fire ceased, having continued just twelve hours without the least intermission.

What the enemy's intentions are now, it is impossible to divine. I am inclined to think they will (if they can repass the bar) bend their course to Chesapeake or Hampton Bay. Perhaps shame and rage may prompt their land forces to some attempt before their departure. On my part, I shall spare no pains to discover their intentions and baffle their schemes.

As Georgia is a district of the command with which you have honoured me, I thought it prudent to request some of their Members to a conference with the President of this Province and myself; they accepted the invitation, and gave us great satisfaction, from their intelligence and good sense. Enclosed is their deliberation.

That Province is certainly of the last importance to the common cause, and the mode of protecting it pointed out by these gentlemen is, in my opinion, in all its parts, wise and necessary. They had conceived a notion that I had powers to augment their establishment. I assured them that I had no such powers; but both Mr. Rutledge and myself gave it as our opinion, that any expenses manifestly beyond their faculties, which they might incur in the common cause, would be repaid by the Congress; and in this persuasion we ventured to encourage them to augment their Cavalry without loss of time, and make the proposed present of cattle to the Indians. Indeed, sir, without a strong corps of Cavalry, I do not see how it is possible to protect these southern Colonies; and with one thousand good Cavalry I think I could insure their protection. From the want of this species of troops, Charleston and is dependencies had certainly been lost, if the enemy had acted with the vigour and expedition we had reason to expect; but a most unaccountable languor and inertness on their part saved us. If the scheme I proposed in Virginia had been approved and adopted, it would have been not only a security, but considerable economy; the forage was to have been the only expense. Now I am upon this subject, I cannot help mentioning that I have been informed that this project has been considered by some gentlemen as a sort of presumption in me arrogating such a power; but I fancy the affair was not properly understood: I saw the immediate necessity of such a corps; I knew they could be raised immediately by these means; and at the same time I was given to understand by several gentlemen of the Virginia Convention, that, should the Continental Congress disapprove of the expense, (trifling as it was,) there was little doubt of their Convention defraying it. But in fact, sir, the measure seemed necessary for the salvation of the Provinces, and not a day was to be lost, which I hope will fully justify my conduct. And I must beg leave to repeat my assertion, that without Cavalry these Provinces cannot be easily defended.

I wish some means could be devised of reducing East Florida to an American Province. Had I force sufficient, I should, with your permission, certainly attempt it. The advantages would be great and manifold. The augmentation of the Georgia Cavalry, I sincerely hope may be approved of by the Congress. Enclosed is the establishment and pay proposed for them. I think the terms not high.

I shall now, sir, conclude, with expressing the high satisfaction I have received from the zeal, activity, and publick spirit, of the gentlemen and inhabitants of this city and Province, from the President of Council down to the lowest order of the people; and assuring you that 1 have not in my military capacity met with the least obstruction or difficulty, but that we have all worked in concert and harmony for the common good.

I most earnestly request you will pay my respects to the Congress; and be persuaded, sir, that I am, most entirely and devotedly, your most obedient servant,

CHARLES LEE.

To the Honourable John Hancock, President of the Continental Congress.

P. S. As Georgia has been particularly unfortunate in their adventures for powder, and as my command is so extensive, I must conjure Congress to send an ample supply.

Circumstantial account of the proceedings of the British Fleet and Army, both before and after their defeat at SULLIVAN'S ISLAND, on the 28th of JUNE, 1776.

On the 1st of June, his Excellency the President received advices of a fleet of forty or fifty sail being at anchor about six leagues to the northward of Sullivan's Island. Accounts of the arrival of Sir Peter Parker's fleet in North-Carolina, and that it was destined either for Virginia or this Province, having been received, about three weeks before, put it beyond a doubt that this was his fleet. Next morning the alarm was fired, expresses having been sent, ordering the country Militia to town. The fortifications were all visited by his Excellency and General Armstrong, and preparations for the most vigorous defence ordered. In the evening a man-of-war, thought to be a twenty-gun ship, beat up to wind-ward, and anchored off the bar; next day she was joined by a frigate; and on the day following, (June 4,) by upward; of fifty sail of men-of-war, transports, tenders, &c. We have since learned that the men-of-war were the Bristol, of fifty guns, on board of which the Commodore had his flag; the Solebay, Captain Symonds, twenty-eight; Syren, Captain Furneaux, twenty-eight; Active, Captain Williams, twenty-eight; Actcon, Captain Atkins, twenty-eight; Sphinx, Captain Hunt, twenty; Ranger sloop of eight; Thunder (bomb) of six guns and two mortars, one of them thirteen inches, and the other eleven; an armed ship, called the Friendship,