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silver strikes me so forcibly, that Congress will pardon me if I seem importunate, and entreat them to send what can be got at Philadelphia by express, as none is to be had at Albany. I have discharged or ordered to be discharged every man that was so ill as to be rendered unfit for farther service during this campaign, and that was able to return to the place of his abode; those that were not, I have sent to the hospital; the former already amount to seven hundred and twenty-six, as per enclosed return. Should we render ourselves masters of Montreal, I beg leave to suggest that blankets and warm clothing for such Troops as must necessarily remain in Canada will be easier and much cheaper procured there than in any of the other Colonies; and if such an event should take place before I can be honoured with the commands of Congress, I shall take the liberty to order ten thousand pounds worth to be immediately purchased, as no loss can possibly be sustained by the publick, even should it not be wanted; there being, I dare say, a number of individuals in the Colonies that would readily take them. I am, Sir, with the warmest wishes for your happiness, and that of Congress, your most obedient and most humble servant, PHILIP SCHUYLER. To John Hancock, Esq. RETURN OF SICK DISCHARGED BY GENERAL SCHUYLER. Ticonderoga, September 25, 1775. A Return of the Soldiers discharged, from the 20th day of July to the 25th day of September, 1775, both days inclusive: General Wooster’s Regiment, 82; Col. Hinman’s Regiment, 250; Colonel Waterbury’s Regiment, 173; Colonel Parsons’s Regiment, 58; Colonel Easton’s Regiment, 116; Colonel McDougall’s Regiment, 19; Colonel Van Schaick’s Regiment, 11; Colonel Clinton’s Regiment, 1; Lieutenant-Colonel Warner’s Regiment, 16; total, 726. Camp near St. John’s, September 19, 1775. DEAR SIR: 1 take the opportunity of Fulmore’s ( a ) return with the Oneidas, to acquaint you of our arrival here on the 17th, in the evening. Yesterday morning I marched, with five hundred men, to the north side of St. John’s, where we found a party of the King’s Troops, with fieldpieces; this party had beaten off Major Brown ( b ) a few hours before, who had imprudently thrown himself in their way, depending on our more early arrival, which, through the dilatoriness of our young Troops, could not be sooner effected. The enemy, after an ill directed fire for some minutes, retired with precipitation; and lucky for them they did; for had we known their situation, which the thickness of the woods prevented our finding out till it was too late, there would not a man of them have returned. The old story of treachery spread among the men, as soon as we saw the enemy: we were trepanned, drawn under the guns of the fort, and what not. The woodsmen ( c ) were not so expert at forming as I expected, and too many of them hung back. Had we kept silence at first, before we were discovered, we should have got a field-piece or two. I have left the five hundred men at the joining ( d ) of the two roads; this day I have sent them intrenching tools. Things seem to go well among the Canadians. It is strongly reported that the King’s stores are embarked at Montreal, in order to be removed. I have sent Colonel Allen to Chambly, in order to raise a corps. Send me money as fast as possible, my dear General. Guy Johnson and Claus have represented us as beggarly miscreants, who have nothing to give away to the Indians, nor to pay for what we get. Fulmore will give you an account of our council. I have great dependance on your presence at Ticonderoga, to administer to our many wants. I most earnestly hope this may find you relieved from the acuteness of your pain; a perfect cure in so short a time can hardly be expected. Believe me, my dear Sir, with the fullest esteem and respect, your most obedient servant, RICHARD MONTGOMERY. P. S. On the 17th, at night, Major Brown intercepted eight carts, going to the Fort, laden with rum and gun carriages for the vessels; those things were hid in the woods, and were not recovered by the enemy on Brown’s discomfiture. Ticonderoga, September 24, 1775. The Deputies of the Six Nations sent to Canada returned this day, and made the following report: That, by the unskilfulness of the pilot, they got lost when they set out from Isle-aux-Noix, and fell in with St. John’s, from whence they retired undiscovered; that on the second day they got to within eight miles of Caughnawaga, and there met one hundred Indians, of different Nations, going to St. John’s; that, in a conference with these, it was determined that they should return to Caughnawaga, to hear what the Deputies of the Six Nations had to say; that two of the party which they met went to those Indians that were with Colonel Johnson, who, upon this intelligence, quitted Colonel Johnson, and went to Caughnawaga. When the Indians were arrived Caughnawaga, they met an emissary of Colonel Johnson’s there, who, finding that the Indians would not fight against us, disguised himself and retired to Montreal. Colonel Johnson, on receiving the account, sent Colonel Claus, and Brandt, (a Mohawk,) to invite them to come to him, and Claus gave a string of wampum to one of the Deputies. The Caughnawagas dissuaded the Deputies from going, lest they should be served like the Stockbridge Indians, and be made prisoners: upon which they returned the string, declaring that they were not sent to Johnson, but to the Caughnawagas; this answer pleases the latter; that when they delivered my message, to invite the Caughnawagas to come to me at Isle-aux-Niox or St. John’s, the Mohawk, ( Brandt,) that attended Claus, exclaimed, “it is over with Johnson; all the Indians will quit him;” that the Caughnawagas were pleased with the message from the Six Nations, and with my invitation, and promised to comply with it; that the Deputies slept one night with them; that next day the Caughnawagas retired to a distant house with them, where they remained one night, for fear of an accident; and then seven of their principal men attended them to General Montgomery, at St. John’s, where they declared “that the General might depend upon it, that they would not take a gun in hand against us, and pay not the least attention to Guy Johnson, and that they would remain neuter.” SUBSTANCE OF LETTERS FROM AMERICA, PUBLISHED IN THE LONDON GAZETTE. Whitehall, November 4, 1775. By advices lately received from His Majesty’s Province of Quebeck, in North-America, it appears that, in the beginning of September, the Rebels, who had surprised the post of Ticonderoga, and had before made incursions into the Province of Quebeck, again invaded that country with a body of two thousand men, and proceeded to St. John’s, upon Richelieu River, but were repulsed and driven back to the Isle-aux-Noix, by a party of Indians, who were assembled in the neighbourhood of St. John’s; but the Rebels having made peace with the Indians, they afterwards penetrated farther into the country; and not being opposed by the inhabitants, were scattered about in parties throughout the District which lies between Richelieu River and the road leading from St. John’s to La Prairie. On the 18th of September, a body of the Rebels, consisting of about two hundred, was attacked and defeated by a detachment from the fort at St. John’s, of half that number, consisting of some Troops and Canadian gentlemen, who served as volunteers, and who suffered very little loss. In the night of the 25th of September, a party of the Rebels having crossed over the River St. Lawrence, from Longueil to Long-Point, in the Island of Montreal, with an intention to surprise and plunder that Town, the inhabitants,
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