APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. 



187 



perfect as if they had only been 

 exchanging a salute; 



I have the honour to be, &c. 

 (Signed) P. B. V. Broke. 

 To Captain the Hon. T. Bladen 



Cape), &c. Halifax. 



Admiralty Office, August 14. 

 Dispatches of which the follow- 

 ing are copies, have been received 

 at this office from admiral the 

 right hon. sir J. B. Warren, bart. 

 and K. B. commander in chief of 

 his majesty's ships and vessels on 

 the American and West Indian 

 station, addressed to J. W. Croker, 

 esq. 



San Domingo, Hampton-roads, 

 Chesapeake, June 24. 

 Sir ; — I request you will inform 

 their lordships, that, from the infor- 

 mation received of the enemy's for- 

 tifying Craney Island, and it being 

 necessary to obtain possession of 

 that place, to enable the light ships 

 and vessels to proceed up the nar- 

 row channel towards Norfolk, to 

 transport the troops over on that 

 side for them to attack the new fort 

 and lines, in the rear of which the 

 Constellation frigate was anchored, 

 I directed the troops under sir 

 Sydney Beckwith to be landed 

 upon the continent, within the 

 nearest point to that place, and 

 a reinforcement of seamen and 

 marines from the ships; but, 

 upon approaching the island, from 

 the extreme shoalness of the 

 water on the sea-side, and the 

 difficulty of getting across from the 

 land, as well as the island itself 

 being fortified with a number of 

 .guns and men from the frigate and 

 Xhe militia, and flanked by fifteen 



gun-boats, I considered, in conse- 

 quence of the representation of 

 the officer commanding the troops, 

 of the difficulty of their passing 

 over from the land, that the perse- 

 vering in the attempt would cost 

 more men than the number with 

 us would permit, as the other forts 

 must have been stormed before the 

 frigate and dock-yard could be 

 destroyed ; I therefore ordered the 

 troops to be re-embarked. 



I am happy to say, that the loss 

 in the above afi^air (returns of 

 which are enclosed) has not been 

 considerable, and only two boats 

 sunk. I ha-'e to regret, that capt. 

 Hanchett, of his majesty's ship 

 Diadem, who volunteered his ser- 

 vices, and led the division of boats 

 with great gallantry, was severely 

 wounded by a ball in the thigh. 

 The officers and men behaved 

 with much bravery, and if it had 

 been possible to have got at the 

 enemy, I am persuaded would have 

 soon gained the plfice. 



I have the honour to be, &c. 



John Borlase Warhen. 

 J. W. Croker, esq. 



A general return of hilled, wounded, 

 and missing of the officers, non- 

 commissioned officers, drummers, 

 and rank and file, in the affair, 

 tvith the enemy, near Craney 

 Island, June 22. 

 Total. — 3 killed— 8 wounded— 



52 missing. 



San Domingo, Hampton 

 Roads, June 21. 

 Sir ; — I request you will inform 

 their lordships, that the enemy hav- 

 ing a post at Hampton, defended by 

 a considerable corps, commanding 

 the communication between the 

 upper part of the country and 



