IF I write confusedly, I shall humbly crave your pardon; for we have been up all night, and things are not yet in a set­led order: In my former Letters I ac­quainted you how the army was engaged before Dartmouth (a place of as great, if not greater concernment then Exeter) it required some few dayes time to bee throughly informed of the state of the town; after which, it was unanimously re­solved to storm the town (for we finde more losse of men by lingring sieges, then sudden storms) every Commander was allotted to his post, and they as faithfully [Page 4] and valiantly performed their duties; eve­ry man gaining the command of every Fort or place that fel to his lot, with all the Ordnance, Arms and Ammunition: The storm begun about one a clock this mor­ning; after the Enemy had discharged their Canon once, our men got under the shot, and possessed the Canon, and turned them against the Enemy (for we had no pieces at all of our own, the weather not admitting any to be brought) after the Line was cleared, and some works taken, we became Masters of the whole Town, and then of Tunstal Mount and Church, Mount Boon, Mount Paradise, and the old Castle, in which castle were five great Iron Guns, which command the River. In the storm our men possessed themselvs of about sixty piece of Ordnance, the two great Forts not yet taken (being a mile from the Town) for these two Forts, if [Page 5] they accept not of quarter vvhile they may have it, in the opinion of the General and Lieut. General, and Commanders, wee may reduce them by force in forty eight hours, & batter them in pieces with their own great Guns, which we have ta­ken in Town, one whereof is a brasse De­my canon; Truly I never see men fall on more cheerfully and merrily; Mr. Dell, and Mr. Peters preached to them, & put much life into them, and God was won­derfull mercifull unto us, for we had but one man slain, and but few wounded, though the Forts plaid most fiercely on the Soldiers; the Commanders & Forces that were engaged in the storm, were, Col: Hamond and his Regiment, Col: Lambert and his Regiment, Col: Fortescue and his Regiment, Lieut. Col: Pride with Col: Har­leys Regiment, and a good party out of the Generals, & Col: Ingolsbies Regiments, [Page 6] and lastly, two hundred Seamen, & some Dragoons. And though the Town was entred thus by storm, yet very little pre­judice was done to the town, the Soldiers being fair conditioned beyond expecta­tion, they grumbled a little that they had not the Reward promised at Bristol, to save that town from plundering, which City deserves to feel the smart of plun­der, for their unthankfulnesse for so great favours they found from the Army. The Messenger is in haste to be gone; and for further particulars the House will sud­denly receive an account. It hath pleased God wonderfully to blesse the Army in this Expedition further VVest, not onely to scatter the Enemies Horse, but to hin­der the relief intended for Exeter; and in­terrupted, nay quite broke the yong Ge­neralissimo in his new leavies, relieved Plymouth, and inforced the Enemy into [Page 7] Cornwall, leaving a force sufficient to be­siege Exeter: If the Army had formerly advanced, leaving that City unbesieged, as it was much desired, I think the service would not have been of so much advan­tage, as to take this season; whilest you have Commanders that are faithfull, if you let them put Designes in execution, when their own Consciences and Iudge­ments leads them to it, I hope you will have no cause to repent it: But it is hard to please all.

IUst now the Enemy beats a Parley in the Forts, so you may be assured we may have them on any terms; The Generall sent the Comptroller to Summon the two men of War in the River, who yielded immediately, the one was one Captain Johnsons Ship of Newcastle, ten piece of Ordnance; the other of fourteen piece of Ordnance: at Townsall Fort we took six score prisoners, about four hun­dred more in the Town and other Works. I humbly take my leave, and remain Your most humble Servant, J. R.

Dartmouth, Ian. 19. 1645. four in the morning.

The Messenger is a diligent man, and willing to come, I leave him to your consideration.