“The Major-General remained with the army at Nottingham, and the boats and tenders continued off it during the night. Soon after day-light, this morning, the whole moved again forward; but the wind blowing down the river, the channel being excessively narrow, and the advance of our tenders consequently slow, I judged it adviseable to push on with the boats only, leaving the tenders to follow as they could.
“On approaching Pig Point, where the enemy’s flotilla was said to be, I landed the marines under Captain Robyns on the left bank of the river, and directed him to march round, and attack, on the land side, the town situated on the point, to draw from us the attention of such troops as might be there for its defence and the support of the flotilla. I then proceeded on with the boats, and as we opened the reach above Pig Point, I plainly discovered Commodore Barney’s broad pendant on the headmost vessel, a large sloop, and the remainder of the flotilla extending in a long line astern of her. Our boats now advanced towards them as rapidly as possible; but on nearing them, we observed the vessel bearing the broad pendant to be on fire, and she very soon afterwards blew up. I now saw clearly that they were all abandoned, and on fire, with trains to their magazines; and out of seventeen vessels which composed this formidable and so much vaunted flotilla, sixteen were in quick succession blown to atoms, and the seventeenth, in which the fire had not taken effect, we captured. The Commodore’s sloop was a large armed vessel; all the others had a long gun in the bow, and a carronade in the stern. The calibre of the guns, and number of men belonging to each, differed in proportion to the size of the boat, varying from 32-pounders and 60 men to 18-pounders and 40 men. I found here, lying above the flotilla, under its protection, thirteen merchant schooners; such as were not worth bringing away, I caused to be burnt; and those in good condition to be moved to Pig Point. Whilst employed taking these vessels, a few shot were fired by some of the men of the flotilla from the bushes on the shore near us; but Lieutenant Scott, whom I had landed for the purpose, soon got hold of them, and made them prisoners. Some horsemen likewise shewed themselves on the neighbouring heights, but a rocket or two dispersed them; and Captain Robyns, who had obtained possession of Pig Point without resistance, now spreading his men through the country, the enemy retreated to a distance, and left us in quiet possession of the town, the neighbourhood, and our prizes.
“A large quantity of tobacco having been found at Pig Point, Captain Robyns is left with the marines, and Captain Nourse with two divisions of the boats, to hold the town, and ship the tobacco into the prizes; and I have moved back with the third division to this place, to enable me to confer, on our future operations, with the Major-General, who has been good enough to send his aide-de-camp, to inform me of his safe arrival with the army under his command, at Upper Marlborough.
“In congratulating you. Sir, which I do most sincerely, on the complete destruction of this flotilla of the enemy, which has lately occupied so