look upon the attempt dangerous, and the event dubious.) In going to reconnoitre I crawled up within musket-shot of the enemy’s batteries, and observed their movements; in doing of which I was obliged more than once to be knee-deep in water; and it being rainy, I was wet from head to foot, from early in the morning till ten o’clock at night, by which I got a great cold, and have not been well since. I have been laid up for several days from business, only that I keep about, but find it too hard for my constitution.

Colonel Allen has been very serviceable in bringing in the Canadians and Indians; but being encouraged by some others, he has, rather contrary to his own judgment, crossed the river, about five miles below Montreal, with only about thirty New-England men and seventy Canadian friends, one hundred in the whole; and intended to augment his number of Canadians, and, if possible, get possession of Montreal; but he was the next morning met by St. Luke La Corne, with about four hundred Regulars and French Tories. They overpowered Allen, and he is either killed or taken, with about twenty of his men, (which was a severe stroke to us;) he, however, made some havock; he stood his ground firing till they surrounded him, although his men forsook him. The Town-Major of Montreal, with some other of the most potent Tories, were killed in the engagement.

On the 3d instant there was a severe engagement between the French Whigs on one side, and the French Tories and Regulars on the other side, at Chambly, about thirteen miles from this place. The Tory party had the advantage, as they fired about fifty cannon-shot on our Whigs, when they had only small arms to defend with. They lost several men on each side. The Whigs maintained their ground. In short, it is a melancholy prospect to see that all Canada is in one continued scene of war and bloodshed. If we don’t carry our point, we have brought Canada into the most deplorable situation possible to conceive, as those people who have taken arms in our favour, with their wives and children, will be left to cruelty without mercy, and any of our Army will hardly escape with safety. It is amazing to me that the Colonies should have so little sense of the importance of this expedition, as not to give us a good large Army, well furnished, in due season, which indeed would have nearly settled the controversy; but we have never yet been two thousand strong, exclusive of our friends of Canada, although we assume to ourselves all the airs of a potent Army.

On the 4th instant the enemy hauled off an armed vessel to the east side, when, with her and a large schooner, and the cannon of the fort, they began a heavy cannonading and bombarding on our camp and battery, but principally aimed at a party of about two hundred or two hundred and fifty of our Canadian friends, who are intrenching themselves on the east side; on which our gondolas and batteries returned the fire, and the Canadians poured in a fire of musketry on the enemy, and a party from our camp, commanded by Colonel Bedel, likewise came up and fired upon them, which made the enemy retire to their den. The firing of cannon and musketry was warm for about half an hour. Our Canadian friends maintained their ground, and killed some of the enemy, with the loss of only one man, slightly wounded with a grape-shot.

I have been present with the General at a Congress and treaty with the Indians, where the heads of all the seven Nations of Canada were present; and matters were conducted with great solemnity, and to the mutual satisfaction of all.

Yesterday, St. LukeLaCorne, (that arch devil incarnate,) who has butchered hundreds, men, women, and children, of our Colonies, in the late war, in the most inhuman manner; who has ever been a head and leader of the Canadians, and all the Indians, now finding, that notwithstanding all his wiles and falsehoods, the Indians, and more than half the Canadians, are become friendly to us, he has now sent a message to us, desiring a conference with us. The General has agreed to a conference, to be held at La Prairie to-morrow; Major Brown and the Aid-de-Camp on our side, and that wretch, St. Luke, with the principal leaders of the Tory faction of Montreal, on the other side. It is a very delicate embassy, and the consequences will better manifest the event than it can be guessed. The Indians of all the tribes, and the Canadians who join us, have all learned English enough to say Liberty and Bos-tonian, and all call themselves Yankees. The Indians boast much of it, and will smite on their breasts, saying, “me Yankee.”

It is very grievous to me that General Schuyler is not here; I had a very good understanding with him, and a good agreement in all the modes of prosecuting the expedition; but to my sorrow and the embarrassment of the service, there is not that good understanding as I could wish now. General Montgomery’s chief confidant is one Col. Campbell, a Scotchman, who has been an officer in the Regulars, and is now Deputy Quartermaster-General, and is very profane. I should be very sorry to inform your Honour, that there is scarcely a word heard from headquarters, without some oaths and curses on every occasion; but I value myself on the righteousness of the cause, and hope in God for success. I have no great opinion of Montgomery’s generalship, although I believe him to be a man of courage; that is but a small (though essential) qualification of a General.

For all the pretensions of New-York, there has not been one head Colonel of a Regiment seen in the Army this year; and out of their three thousand five hundred men, we have never had more than six hundred down here until within these four days, there have come down between two and three hundred more. I recollect nothing more material. The firing goes on now pretty briskly. The enemy are very strongly fortified. The event of each day can only be told or even guessed at the close of it.

I am, Sir, with all deference and respect, your Honour’s most obedient humble servant,

SAMUEL MOTT.

To the Hon. Governour Trumbull.

GOVERNOUR COOKE TO CONTINENTAL CONGRESS.
[Road October 14, 1775.]

Providence, October 6, 1775.

SIR: Your favour of the 30th ultimo came to hand last evening. The forming an Army to be kept in constant service, is a measure so absolutely necessary, that without it we are an undone people. The season is now so far advanced, that it appears to me impracticable to raise one any other way than out of the Troops posted round Boston. I shall punctually attend upon this important service, at Cambridge, at the time appointed; and you may be assured of my doing every thing in my power to bring it to a happy issue.

I have the honour to be, with great esteem and respect, Sir, your most obedient and most humble servant,

NICHOLAS COOKE.

To the Hon. John Hancock, Esq., President of the Continental Congress, Philadelphia.

P. S. Some transports from Boston have lately arrived at Newport, where they obtained a small quantity of stock of two persons who have always been deemed inimical to the Country. Such measures have been taken as effectually to prevent their obtaining any more in the Colony.

PROVIDENCE (RHODE-ISLAND) COMMITTEE.

At a meeting of the Committee of Inspection of the several Towns in the County of Providence, at Providence, on Friday, the 6th of October, 1775:

Whereas there has been great suspicion among the inhabitants in this County, as well as in the Towns of the Colony of Massachusetts-Bay, that our cruel and unnatural enemies, from time to time, receive supplies of butter, cheese, and other provisions, by reason of the large quantities carried to the Town of Newport, &c., under pretence of supplying that place, Nantucket, &c., And whereas, whilst it is our duty to have our friends, wherever they may be, reasonably supplied, it is equally our duty to prevent our enemies from receiving succours of any kind. It is therefore the opinion of this Committee, that no Butter, Cheese, or any other articles of Provisions, be hereafter transported, either by land or water, to Rhode-Island, except under the following regulations, viz:

Those persons who may have the beforementioned articles to dispose of, shall, before they proceed to market,