The government instructed Baird that the colony would be "defended by not more than 1500 Regular Troops, not of the best description; and that the Militia and Inhabitants look with anxiety for the Arrival of a British Force". Although Baird received two more communiques, the second providing an estimate of 1500-2000 regular enemy troops, and a 3rd warning of the possibility of 1000-1200 French troops arriving to the cape, carried by French ships that slipped out of Rochefort. By July, a British officer who visited the cape as a passenger of a Danish ship, provided Baird with more fresh eyewitness estimates, communicating to him to expect 2000 European Troops, 800 Hottentots and roughly 200 cavalry and artillerists, combined with earlier reports of French troops potentially arriving to the cape from Rochefort, this brought the total estimate of the defending force of the cape to 4,500.
The government instructed Baird that the colony would be defended by a small number of regular troops (no more than 1500), not considered the best quality. The militia and local inhabitants were anxious for the arrival of a British force. Baird received two additional communiques, one estimating 1500-2000 regular enemy troops and another warning of 1000-1200 French troops arriving by ship from Rochefort. By July, a British officer visiting the cape on a Danish ship provided Baird with more recent estimates, predicting 2000 European troops, 800 Hottentots, and roughly 200 cavalry and artillerymen. This combined with earlier reports of French troop movements from Rochefort, brought the total estimated defending force to 4,500.