Head Quarters, West Point, November 2, 1779.
Gentlemen:
Since mine of yesterday, I have received another letter from my
confidential correspondent in New-York, dated the twenty-ninth ultimo.
He informs me, that the fifty-seventh regiment, Rawdon’s corps, and the
artillery mentioned in his last, were to sail on that day for Halifax;
and with them, all the heavy ships of war, except the Europa. The
Daphne frigate, with Sir George Collier and Colonel Stewart on board,
was to sail for England the same day. He says the pilots reported, that
it was now difficult to bring a vessel into the Hook, on account of
the hulks sunk there. (By this it would seem that some of them still
remained upon the shoals.) He says the transports mentioned in his
last, as taking in water and ballast, only carried it down to the ships
at the Hook. The Rainbow, of forty guns, had arrived from Halifax. He
informs me of no other circumstances that materially relate to affairs
in New-York. He says a packet arrived from England on the twenty-third
October. The accounts brought by her seemed to alarm the tories very
much. It was reported that the Ardent, of sixty-four guns, had been
taken, and the English fleet chased into Portsmouth by the combined
fleet, which remained off that place several days. He mentions these
matters as current reports, and adds, that a fleet of victuallers were
to sail from Cork the latter end of September, and another of store
ships and merchantmen, from Spithead, about the same time.
I am, with great regard, Gentlemen,
Your most obedient servant,
G. Washington.
The capture of the Ardent is confirmed by a New-York paper of the
twentieth ultimo.
General Du Portail and Colonel Hamilton.