Halifax May 7^th 17811/2 pt. 2 p.m.

Triplicate

My Lord

I have cut up several this Bank command One Gun woud have all the Boats I have got one large one the rest are gone down adrift -- I have sent after them. The Enemy have a work opposite with a 4 Pounder. Three [?]¹ letters I have sent to Philips. -- I have sent out for two Men & shall Dispatch an Officer's party to night as soon as I know circumstantially about Philips --

Your Most Devot'd Serv^t
Ban: Tarleton

[p2] 8 o'clock p.m.

Mr. Elbech² -- a friend says that on Fayettes arrival at Richmond Philips went either on board or across James River from Petersburg -- I leave your Lordship to Judge. I have taken every [Step?] --

I have wrote Philips 4 times. The Country I have passed is most plentiful I must have support

B. T.

[Source: Public Records Office, Kew, PRO 30/11/6/60-61.]

Notes:

¹ [1] The original letter is torn, perhaps in transmission since the missing word has not been decoded. [ back ]

² [2] Whoever decoded the message wrote "Elbech", but the original numeric code spells out "Elbeiech." [ back ]