To His Excellency Abner Nash.
Dear Sir:

The Enemy landed at Old N. Town 500 men; 250 Marched to Suffolk Friday Morning, and the Other 250 Marched to Milners; since that they have had a reinforcement from Portsmouth, but of how many I could not hear. They are very Active in Collecting Horses, Saddles & Bridles & Provisions. Our Army is but small. We retreated without firing a shott; only the Advance Guard gave Two or three fires. It was on Sunday, 8 Miles above Jo. Scott's, on the road Towards Southamton Court house. We had then in field 250 Men, and Genl. Muhlenburg was at Cabin Point with 1,500 men, 27th Oct., and on his way down. From the best information could be got from Deserters, &c., the Enemies' whole force is Only 2,200 men at Portsmouth, Suffolk & Milners, and between 50 & 60 Sail of Shipping, and between 30 or 40 of which are Top Sail Vessels. I was down near Suffolk and with our Army on Saturday and Sunday last, and the above is what I had from the Commanding Officer and Gentlemen who are Inhabitants of that part of the Country. A great many Negroes goes to the Enemy.

I have enlisted a party of Volunteers to go to Virginia. The most of them are the principle Gentlemen in this County, and the County Light Horse men have agreed to go. These Volunteers have no Swords nor Pistols; if you have any Swords and Pistols, should be glad you will send by the bearer sixty Swords and sixty brass Pistolls, or as many as you can spare, and they will be returned after Expedition is Over. The Volunteers are Light horse men and Musketts are very unhandy. I have only forty men as yet. There is to be a General Muster and a Draught to day, and expect to have a good many more turn out as Volunteers. I shall March to morrow over the River at Winton, and shall wait within a few miles of that place until I hear from you.

I heard that upwards of 200 Volunteers are marched from Edenton towards Suffolk, which party I expect to join in a few days.