Marine Committee to Benjamin Dunn

We gave you orders yesterday respecting the service you are required to perform in Delaware Bay, after that is performed you are to have recourse to these Orders which you are to obey and execute soon as possible. You are to proceed with the Sloop Surprize and Cargo on board direct for St. Nicholas Mole in Hispaniola and on your arrival there wait on the Governor to ask the liberty and protection. In this visit you will be attended by Mr. John Dupuy, Merchant at that place to whom you will deliver the letter given you herewith¹ and the Cargo being consigned to this Gentleman you are to deliver the same to him immediately and if this Gentleman has on hand any goods or Stores belonging to the Public, say the united states he will put the whole or as many as you can conveniently take in on board the Surprize for which you must grant bills of Lading and then proceed back to the first safe port you can get into in these united states preferring this part of the Coast if equally safe. You are to land the stores and goods wherever you arrive giving us notice thereof and employing proper Persons to take charge of them until we can direct how they are to be disposed of. We think there is sufficient water for the Surprize in Egg Harbour, several of the Inlets southern of Cape Henlopen, and in several inlets of North Carolina & probably this may be safer than the great Bays. You will be careful to keep your men on board wherever you go and take in three or four Months Provisions. We hope this business will be finished before the first day of July. Should there be no public Stores at the Mole, you may then proceed from thence on a Cruize against our enemies, get as many men as you can to enter the service on board the Surprize and exert your utmost endeavours to take, burn, Sink, and destroy as many of the enemies Ships as possible. You many send your prizes into the French Ports. Mr. John Dupuy will transact your business faithfully at the Mole as will Mr. Stephen Ceronio at the Cape Francois and these Gentlemen will also supply you with every thing wanting for the Service of the Sloop. You may order them to sell all perishable Prize Goods or those particularly suited to the West India Markets taking care they are actually prize agreeable to resolves of Congress, but the Vessels and other parts of the Cargoes must come to some American Port for Condemnation. In this manner you may continue Cruizing until the first day of July and should you return from the Mole and land a Cargo on the Continent as already mentioned before the first day of July, you may proceed on a Cruize for West India Ships or others in these Seas until that day. On the first day of July you are to open the sealed orders enclosed herein² and exert yourself to the utmost in the execution of them taking care that the Surprize is clean, well manned, victualled and every way in good Order for Service at that time.³