Fort McHenry Sunday 16 septr 1798 Sir By a vessel this moment arrived in a quick passage u the bay, I have certain information of the capture a French privateer mounting 20 Guns & 200 men by the United States Frigate Constitution. She was directly from france with orders to cruise on our Coast, & was anchored in Hampton Road on Wednesday last. Conceiving this information to be of some importance, I have taken the liberty of communicatingg it, & I beg [undecipherable] to add that if it should be tought proper to direct the prisoners to this port, by reducing my [undecipherable] Jean. an furnish a sufficient Guard from my command to march them whenever the government may direct I have the honor to be / in haste Sir your OlivA Servt Staats Morris