Philadelphia, 15th April, 1776.
Dear Sir,
I have but a moment to acknowledge your last favor
1 which gave me the pleasure of knowing you were well arrived at Williamsburg. would seem as if Gen. Howe was yet floating on the Ocean incertum quo fata ferant
, because the greatest part of his fleet sailed southward from Boston, and because a sloop of war came into N. York and carried Tryon out to sea, to consult we suppose. The riflemen have had a fair engagement with a small man of war for the watering place at N. York, when the former drove the latter off, and have since fortified the spring, so that they must go some where else for water. If it be true as reported here that Sr Peter Parker is arrived in Virginia with Troops we must look to you for news in future, and I make no doubt but we shall have good news.
Our old Commodore Hopkins has actually beaten the Glasgow in a fair fight, and Wallace with his Squadron have fled from the Rhode Island station.
2 Capt. Barry in an armed Brig from hence has taken off the Capes of Virga and sent her in here, a cutter,3 with 8 carriage Guns belonging to the Liverpool, with one of that ships Lieutenants commanding her. He fought his tender well, not submitting until he was near sinking.
Farewell my dear friend. May you be healthy, happy, and successful.
Richard Henry Lee
Gen. Ward has resign’d his command in the Continental Army.4 General Lee, at Head Quarters in Williamsburg, Virga.
Reprinted from New England Historic Genealogical Society Collections, The Lee Papers, 4 (1871): 421. Printed in James Curtis Ballagh, The Letters of Richard Henry Lee, Volume 1, 1762 - 1778, pp. 175 - 76.
1 Probably General Lee’s letter of April 5, which is in WrHs Collections 4 (1871): 378 - 80.
2 For variant accounts of the April 6 engagement between the Continental fleet and the Glasgow, as well as of the departure of Capt. James Wallace’s squadron from Newport harbor, see Clark, Naval Documents, 4:679 82, 697, 708-10.
3 The sloop Edward was captured April 7. See Marine Committee to John Barry April 11, 1776.
4 See John Hancock to Artemas Ward, April 24, 1776, note 1.