The Virginia Gazette

Admiralty Office, June 8. Admiral Shuldham transmits the following account, which he had received from Captain Lyningham Howe of an engagement in the Glasgow, with five armed ships and vessels of the rebel, viz.

"On Saturday the 6th of April, 1776, at two A.M. Block Island then bearing N.W. about eight leagues, we discovered a fleet on the weather beam, consisting of seven or eight sail, tacked and stood out from them, and soon perceived them to be two or three large ships, and other square rigged vessels, turned all hands to quarters, hauled up the main sail, and kept standing on to the N.W. with a light breeze both ways, the fleet then coming down before it. At half past two a large brig came within hail, and seemed to hesitate about giving any answer,"
but still kept standing towards us; and on being asked what other ships were in company with her, they answered, the Columbus and Alfred, a twenty two gun frigate, and almost immediately a hand grenade was thrown out of her top. We exchanged our broadsides; the then thought a-head, and lay on our bow, to make room for a large ship, with a top raked us as she passed, and then luffed up on our lee beam, whilst a brig took light, to come on our broadside, and another ship ran under our stern, her station on our larboard quarter; and a sloop kept altering her station occasionally. At four the station of every vessel was altered, as the two ships had dropped on each quarter, and a brig kept a-stern, giving a continual fire. Bore away, and made away to Rhode Island, with the whole fleet within musket shot on our quarters and stern. Got two stern chase-guns out in the cabin, and kept giving and receiving a very warm fire. At day-light perceived the rebel fleet to consist of two ships, two brigs, and a sloop, and a large ship and a snow, which kept to windward as soon as the action began. At half past ix the fleet hauled their wind, and at seven tacked and stood to the S. S. W. We had one man killed, and three wounded by the musketry from the enemy."