opinion of the capacity of others, but when the safely of the slate depends upon a true knowledge of these circumstances, all delicacy must be dispensed with; and it may be asserted that the salvation or perdition of America, in great measure, depends upon the management or mismanagement of Canada. You will find Colonel Rich more a very clearheaded man and intelligent soldier, and capable of giving the fullest necessary lights. He is convinced, that any number of battalions may be raised in Canada to serve out of their own country. I would submit it to the wisdom of the Congress, whether the scheme should not be immediately adopted; it would answer a thousand good purposes, which must occur to every man. Firstly, we want men; secondly, out of their own country, they are capable of being excellent soldiers; but, above all, it will be a pledge of the fidelity of the whole Province; it will engage them so far that they cannot recede.

I beg your pardon, sir, for the length, and, perhaps, incoherence of this letter, for I perceive that, from want of sleep, my head is somewhat distracted. I am in hopes of walking out in a couple of days, and that my head will grow clear as my feet grow strong.

I am, sir, your most obedient servant,

CHARLES LEE.

To the Honourable John Hancock, Esq., &c, &c.

P. S. I have not been able to procure, (as thought and expected,) an exact list of the guns and stores this night, but will send it by the post.

GENERAL WOOSTER TO PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

(Read March 4—Referred to Mr. J. Adams, Mr. Wythe, Mr. Sherman.]

Montreal, February 11, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: This letter will be delivered you by Mr. Walker and Mr. Price, two gentlemen whose friendship and attachment to our cause is well known, and to whom the United Colonies are under many obligations. As they are the best acquainted with this Province of, perhaps, any two gentlemen in it, and as there are many transactions of great importance to be determined concerning it, I have requested them to wait upon the Congress, that you may know from them fully every thing necessary for your information.

I have permitted the merchants in this place, trading to the upper country, to choose a committee to prefer a petition to the honourable the Congress, concerning their Indian trade. You will have from them, and from Messrs. Walker and Price, what can be said for and against it; and your determinations in that, and every other matter, I shall strictly attend to.

Besides the operations of war, there are so many civil and political affairs that require the greatest care, and most delicate management, that I could wish a Committee of Congress might be sent into this Province.

General Arnold has, in a most surprising manner, kept up the blockade of Quebeck, and that with half the number of the enemy. He is now so well reinforced, that I apprehend but little danger from a sortie, should they make one. I intend to join him as soon as this place can be left with safety, and necessaries properly provided for forwarding the troops as they arrive from the Colonies. I fear we shall meet with difficulty in taking the place, for want of proper artillery, ammunition, &c., but every thing possible will be done. Unless we keep up a greater force in this Province, from the Colonies, than should be brought against us in the Spring, I fear we can place no great dependance upon the Canadians; and, in that case, it might be attended with very unhappy, if not fatal consequences. How great, a force the Ministry will send here is uncertain, yet many imagine they will make this Province the seat of war. I hope we shall be able to keep the field against them.

I enclose you copies of several letters to General Schuyler, with a couple of his to me. He writes me that he had observed to Congress that I had wrote him with unbecoming subacity. I think he might have pointed out to me the exceptionable parts of my letters, before he made his observations to Congress. It gives me pain that I am obliged, in my own defence, to trouble you with examining and determining which of us has the greatest reason to complain of ill treatment. I am conscious that my conduct will bear the strictest scrutiny. I have ever studiously avoided entering into any altercation with him, fearing that the publick interest might suffer by it. He began to insult me immediately on my joining the Army, as you will see by his letter of the 23d of October last, though I know of no reason under Heaven why he should treat me thus cavalierly, but merely to indulge his capricious honour, which, in the course of the last year, he has dealt out very liberally upon many of the officers who have served in this Department, complaints of which have frequently been made tome. Happy would it be for him, and for our cause, if he could learn to bridle his passions. The letters between him and me will speak for themselves. I shall send him a copy of this letter, and also enclose with this a copy of my letter to him, of this date. No personal ill treatment will ever prevent my steadily and invariably continuing to pursue those measures which shall appear most conducive to the publick good, and shall think myself happy, if, by doing every thing in my power, I can be in the least instrumental in maintaining and preserving the rights and liberties of my country.

I am, with the greatest respect, gentlemen, your most obedient and very humble servant,

DAVID WOOSTER.

To the Honourable Continental Congress.

Montreal, January 14, 1776.

SIR: Your letter of the 81st ultimo I received per post, also a number of letters for General Montgomery, all which I opened, not knowing but they might contain something of a publick nature. The private letters I shall enclose with this; you will doubtless send them to his friends.

I am very glad to hear that we may soon expect a Paymaster. We have drained our friends here of all their cash,' and, without it, it is exceeding difficult to do any thing. Some of the persons which you sent back have behaved very illy, indeed. One Sears, whom I have now in confinement, immediately upon coming into the country circulated a report that the Colonies had given over the thoughts of keeping this Province; that there were no soldiers at Ticonderoga, nor Fort-George, nor any expected, &c., &c.; a story very illy calculated for us at this time. Some others, I hear, have made themselves very busy with the people. I expect, therefore, to be obliged to return to you return of them, with the other prisoners who are in this country, in a few days.

The four fusils taken by Major Lockwood were put up in a box, according to capitulation, and are now at St. John's, ready to be sent over the Lake. It was a mistake of Colonel Flemming's, or the fusils would have been taken from all the officers. They capitulated upon the same conditions as the garrison of St. John's, and, if you look into that, you will see that the officers were allowed their side; arms, but their fire-arms were to be put up in a box, and delivered to them when these unhappy disputes were ended, unless they chose to dispose of them before.

I have great hopes that we shall, if reinforced in a short time be able to keep up the blockade at Quebeck. I have sent them a hundred and twenty men, which was all that could with prudence be spared from this place. By the desire of the officers here, and the gentlemen in town who are our friends, the day after Mr. Antill left this place I despatched an express to Onion-River, in order to get a reinforcement from the Green-Mountain Boys. I wrote to Colonel Warner, in the most pressing manner, to bring a regiment into this Province, and remain here, under the Continental pay, till they can be relieved; a measure which the present exigency, I think, will justify. Whether they will come, or not, is yet uncertain.

I understand that Quebeck is very strongly fortified, and so well stored with provisions, that I fear we cannot starve them out, till they can have supplies in the Spring. The river at Quebeck is not yet taken so as to be passable, but, if this weather holds, it soon will be. It then will be very difficult, if not impracticable, with the few men we have there, to prevent their getting provisions, if they do nothing worse. How, then, will the place be taken? We have at St. John's two brass twenty-four pounders. Will it not be well to send a number of heavy cannon from New-York, if there are none at Ticonderoga, or Fort-George?