espatches for Sir Henry Clinton. After he had handed me his
despatches I took my departure. He informed me of their contents that,
should I be compelled to throw them overboard, I might be able to give a
verbal report to Sir Henry of the wants of the army. Those wants were
not a few. More guns, ammunition, food and clothing,--all were
required.

On reaching Sewel's Point, where I brought up to receive the commodore's
despatches, I was surprised to receive an order to return immediately
and to give back those entrusted to me by General Arnold. This order
originated, I afterwards discovered, in consequence of some
unaccountable disagreement which had arisen between the general and the
admiral. General Arnold said nothing when I gave him back his
despatches, but he looked not a little angry and astonished. When the
heads fell out it is not surprising that want of success was the result
of their undertakings. My journal is full of various little incidents
which happened at this time. The Charlestown and Hope captured in the
Chesapeake a rich fleet of eight rebel merchantmen bound for the
Havannah. The lieutenant of the Swift was made prisoner in consequence
of an illegal use of a flag of truce. Several officers and men were
blown up when chasing a rebel brig, and an artillery officer, heading a
foraging party, was killed. The squadron was kept on the alert by an
account brought by the General Monk sloop-of-war of a French ship of the
line and two frigates having sailed from Rhode Island, it was supposed,
for the Chesapeake.

Once more, on the 31st, the old Charon, during a heavy gale of wind,
drove on shore, but by great and prompt exertion was got off. To keep
her in countenance, when on the 5th of February I sailed with my prizes
under convoy of the Charlestown for New York, on going down the West
Branch I also got on shore, but succeeded in quickly getting off again.
I had no little trouble in keeping the prizes in order. The Americans
left on board one of them persuaded the people to side with them, and
they ran her on shore, purposing to give her up to the rebels. I went
in chase of her, fired several shots into her, and then, manning one of
my boats, boarded her, captured her crew, who had been unable to escape,
and got her off, made sail with my recaptured prize, and rejoined the
fleet at midnight, when I put the mutineers on board the Charlestown, to
be dealt with according to martial law.

On the