Sir,

Your first request was to know what troops came from the suthern (south)¹ with Sir Henry (Clinton) and the names of the detachment with him came one brigade of Hessians, the forty second Brigade, and a detachment of the guards and Simcoes² (Simcoe’s) Rangers, in all five thousand those joined to the army then at Elizabethtown under G. Knyphausen³ (General Wilhelm von Knyphausen) which amounted to near six thousand and then the troops then doing duty in the city and both islands which did not amount two thousand the whole added together as near as can be ascertained and will not amount to thirteen thousand and which is present state of the army the second thing you mentioned to me – the third thing you mention is what number of ships and what the enemy really think of Admiral (Thomas) Graves coming out this is easy answered now he is hear (here) as you know by my last note to you but has not half the fleet that it was reported he had the day he arrived his fleet consists of five sail of the line the London his own ship of ninety four, the Royal Oak of eighty, two seventy fours and two sixty fours all copper bottomed.

He has rosed (raised) seven hundred men hear (here) and got them all on board yesterday under his command which consists of the (indiscernable) five sixty four Russel De Robust and Renown of fifty, Romulus and Rainbow forty in all twelve sail and seven of them copper-bottomed the armed (indiscernable) belonging to him joined him last night one new ship of thirty guns and copper Also with this fleet they are laying of (off) and waiting to hear of the French fleet which is inspected every hour much to be depend on the (success) of this fleet I have been down myself to see them and I never saw ships in better order and men more healthy the spirits of the people sum (seem) much raised since their arrival as I expect to se (see) you my self (myself) and can give you more satisfaction I shall write no further.

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1) Clinton moved north to New York and captured Charleston on 12 May 1780.
2) An American Loyalist military unit named after Queen Charlotte.
3) This is General Wilhelm von Knyphausen who commanded the Hessians that were attached to Clinton’s army. He was in command at New York while Clinton was engaged in the Charleston Campaign.