now mostly at St. John’s, and I am sorry to acquaint you that they are well fortified, with ammunition, provisions, &c. Their cannon consist of sixes, nines, and eighteen-pounders. If I had had a party of five hundred men only, I could have taken all their ammunition, as they passed by my door. The soldiers are much harassed, and would be glad of your arrival, and I make no doubt numbers will desert upon the sight of your Army. I shall endeavour to have some loose timber, in the form of scow boats, got ready, to cross your party the other side of the river, immediately upon their arrival. General Carleton has been expected at Montreal for some time past. The true reason of his not coming is, that there being no troops at all at Quebeck, he cannot quit it for fear of a revolt. I think there is little to fear from that quarter, though he has very industriously reported that a re-enforcement was to come from Europe or Boston —I should rather be inclined to think from the latter, notwithstanding they have their hands full at Boston. He has made a proposition to the Canadians, in case they would enlist under the Crown of Great Britain, to gratify every man that will turn out upon this occasion with one hundred acres of land, at Boston, New-York, &c. The proposition was heard with disdain. Colonel McLean, who arrived here with Colonel Johnson, has orders from the King to raise a Regiment of Canadians upon those terms; and I can assure you, from Three Rivers to Chambly, he got not a single man. I believe he got a few in and about the suburbs of the Town of Montreal. Make haste, then, and prevent any further re-enforcement.

My best wishes and those of the Canadians attend you. May God prosper your just undertakings, and unite this flourishing Province with the rest of the Provinces contending for liberty, is the sincere wish of him who is, with the greatest esteem, yours, &c.,

JAMES LIVINGSTON.

To Philip Schuyler, Esq., Major-General and Commander-in-Chief of the Forces at Ticonderoga; or, in his absence, to Brig. Gen. Montgomery, at Ticonderoga.

P. S. They have three row-galleys, or flat-bottomed boats, of about fifty tons each, as nearly as I could judge, put together at Chambly, and then carried to St. John’s in pieces, which, by the accounts I have, will be fit for sailing by the letter end of next week. Whether their intention is to go and attack you I cannot say, but have heard it suggested by the captains of said vessels, whom I am acquainted with, though in that case they must take all their force from St. John’s, as they have but few sailors. Yours, &c.,

J. L.

GENERAL SCHUYLER TO GOVERNOUR TRUMBULL.

Ticonderoga, August 31, 1775.

HONOURED SIR: Your Honour’s favour of the 18th instant was delivered me last night, on my return from Albany, where I attended as one of the Commissioners of Indian affairs. I have ordered the lead I can spare to Albany, with directions to forward it by the most direct route to General Washington, that you may not have any unnecessary trouble. General Montgomery left Crown Point this morning, with Waterbury’s, McDougall’s, Parsons’s, and Wooster’s Regiments, amounting to twelve hundred men. I shall join him some time in the ensuing night, and have ordered all Hinman’s Regiment, (excepting two Companies,) amounting to about five hundred men, and about three hundred more of Van Schaick’s Regiment. The Green Mountain Boys are not yet joined. Pray, order none of your troops this way; I am sufficiently distressed with those I have, for want of tents. I have every reason to believe that the Canadians and Indians will be our friends, unless the intemperate heat and disobedience of Captain Baker has rendered them our enemies; who, without my leave, and contrary to the most explicit and pointed orders, attempted to fire on one of their boats, but his gun snapping, he was killed, and his party suppose that four out of the five were killed that were in the boat, some of whom, it is conjectured, were Indians, as the one that puddled off was certainly such. A few days will determine the event of our operations.

I am, Sir, your most obedient humble servant,

PHILIP SCHUYLER.

The Honourable Governour Trumbull.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM NEW-LONDON, DATED AUGUST 31, 1775.

Yesterday morning, at six o’clock, we were alarmed by a severe firing to the eastward of this harbour, and in a little time an express arrived from Stonington, a small Town about twelve miles distant, informing that a tender had pursued two small sloops into that harbour, which ran on shore, and the people landed before the tender was in gun-shot; and as soon as she got in, they fired a full broadside into the Town, tacked and went out, and in a little time returned with two more tenders and His Majesty’s Ship the Rose. The ship came to an anchor, and brought her side to bear against the Town, and began to fire; the tenders also, who kept under sail, and both ship and sloops continued, without intermission, firing the whole day; and by express, which has since arrived, find they have killed two men of ours. There are now numbers of people collected, and are there; and when the tenders came within musket-shot we fired on them. One tender got aground, and in carrying out a hawser our people imagined they killed several in the boat. There has been a flag sent off on board the Rose, to know the reason of this extra work; the Captain says our people fired on his tender first, and that he will blow the Town down. There is this morning a cessation of firing; hope the matter is settled.

COLONEL HUNTINGTON TO GOVERNOUR TRUMBULL.

Norwich, August 31, 1775.

HONOURED SIR: Yours of the 30th came to hand by Captain Bishop, about twelve o’clock last night. In consequence of intelligence received from Colonel Saltonstall, sent off last night, about ten o’clock, two barrels of the Colony powder, by a boat well manned, and trust it got to Colonel Saltonstall about one of the clock this morning, desiring him to forward to Stonington, or improve, as the publick business called, when it arrived, as by New-London was the directest way to Stonington, and did not know but by the time of its arrival there the enemy had moved to New-London. Have sent an express early this morning to New-London, to know what is further turned up. If any thing comes to hand worth noting, shall advise your Honour. I had but one more cask of powder in my hands, and part was wanted for Captain Lyon’s Company; and as to Town stock, is all, but about sixty pounds, delivered out, chiefly on the Colony account, to the marching troops. I find this morning that there are about six hundred pounds of powder stored with Christopher Leffingwell, Esq., belonging to Rhode-Island Colony; have applied to him to lend some. He says that it is only left with him to forward, and hath no right to lend it. From your Honour’s humble servant,

JABEZ HUNTINGTON.

P. S. I received a letter some days ago from Colonel Huntington, complaining that there was a necessity of further provision for the sick, beyond what is done or can be obtained from the Continental provision.

COLONEL HUNTINGTON TO GOVERNOUR TRUMBULL.

Norwich, August 31, 1775.

HONOURED SIR: Since I wrote in the morning, nothing material has come to hand relative to the enemy at Stonington, but a letter from Colonel Saltonstall, giving an account of what happened yesterday, a copy of which I have enclosed. Remain your humble servant,

JABEZ HUNTINGTON.

P. S. This moment am informed, and I suppose I may depend upon it, that the enemy took three vessels, and have done but little damage to buildings.

COL. G. SALTONSTALL TO COL. JABEZ HUNTINGTON.

New-London, August 31, 1775.

SIR: Your favour of yesterday, with the two barrels of powder, came to hand two o’clock this morning; and it is in my store, and shall be improved in the best manner for the publick. Your favour of this day is before me; the ships have not fired, as I can learn, since about five o’clock last evening. The last account I can get of the beginning of the hostilities is, that two packets employed by Rhode-Island

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