I understand that cash is much wanted, and pork very scarce to the northward. I hope a sufficient quantity of both will be sent us.

Doctor Adams, of the Eighth Regiment, having resigned, Colonel Poor requests Mr. William Parker may be appointed in his stead, if agreeable to your Excellency.

I am your Excellency’s most obedient, humble servant,

WILLIAM THOMPSON.

GENERAL SCHUYLER TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Fort George, April 27, 1776.

DEAR SIR: I had the honour to receive your favour of the 15th instant, at Ticonderoga, on the 25th, on which day the remainder of Maxwell’s, De Haas’s, and Burrell’s Regiments, moved from thence. I stayed to see St. Clair’s and their baggage across the portage and embarked, and at six in the evening set out for this place, which I reached at five yesterday morning.

Being restricted by Congress to build no more than one hundred batteaus, and eighty of these being occupied by the troops above-mentioned, General Thomas, the Commissioners, the artillery and stores, provisions, and Captain Stephens’s company, with the mortars and shells, I have only twenty new ones left, and thirty-seven of those built last year; the whole of which will carry no more than fifteen hundred. I have, however, ventured to construct an additional number; and such a number of carpenters are now employed as will daily build for the conveyance of fifty men. Hence, I hope no considerable delay will be experienced; but I fear the troops in Canada, when joined by those coming up, will be in want of pork before a supply can be thrown in, as we have not one hundred and fifty barrels of pork left at this place and Ticonderoga, and those that are gone in could not take more than one hundred barrels, exclusive of ten days’ provisions, which was issued to them at Ticonderoga.

Yesterday afternoon, Bennet t delivered me your Excellency’s letter of the 19th. I find the troops are arrived at Albany, and I fear they will be much retarded in their march to Skenesborough, for want of carriage, as all the forage in this country is expended, and the grass only begins to peep. The season has been remarkably severe. The ice had not left the lake on Friday last, when we crossed, so that we were obliged to break through the ice for many miles.

Enclose you a copy of a letter received on the 25th from General Arnold, together with a return of the troops before Quebeck; the first I have had from Canada.

I am perfectly in sentiment with you, my dear General, that we ought to engage the Indians to co-operate with us; but I fear it will be a difficult, if not an impossible task to accomplish, unless Canada should be entirely in our possession. You will be able to form an idea of their present temper and disposition from the enclosed copy of a journal of Mr. Deane, the Interpreter.

I have written to Mr. Wisner for powder, and hope he will send some; there is much too little in Canada. The licentiousness of our troops, both in Canada and in this quarter, is not easily to be described; nor have all my efforts been able to put a stop to those scandalous excesses. I shall, however, continue to give the most pointed orders, and shall hope for a more becoming conduct in future.

I have reason to think that General Thomas, who left Ticonderoga on Sunday, will reach Quebeck to-day or to-morrow, and that the Commissioners will arrive about the same time at Montreal. They parted with me on Wednesday, with a fair wind.

Our military chest is exhausted, and we are deeply involved in debt. Ten thousand pounds will hardly pay what I am personally bound for on the publick account. Should it be replenished by Congress, how is it to be drawn out for the current expense of the day? as I cannot be justified in granting warrants whilst I have the happiness to find your Excellency in this department, without your leave and approbation; and yet the force of necessity will oblige me to trespass, before I can be honoured with your commands on this head.

The vessels on Lake Champlain are sufficient to convey five hundred men to St. John’s; but no sailors are yet arrived. The Convention of New-York have been written to long since to send them.

A vile ague seized me some days ago, but Doctor Franklin and the other gentlemen administered such a number of doses of Peruvian bark, that it has left me, and hope that I shall last at least this campaign. I shall not fail to advise you of every occurrence in this quarter.

Before I heard of your arrival at New-York, I ordered all Colonel Clinton’s Regiment, which is levying in the vicinity of Albany, to this place and Ticonderoga, excepting two companies, which I judged it prudent to leave in Tryon County. I also directed Colonel Wynkoop, with three companies of his, to repair to Ticonderoga. These will be barely sufficient to send on the provisions and stores for Canada, and open a communication by the way of Wood-Creek to Lake Champlain, which Congress has ordered me to do; but I fear those troops will not come up, as 1 find General Putnam had already ordered them to New- York. I shall be under the disagreeable necessity of detaining Van Schaick’s Regiment (which is also raising in the neighbourhood of Albany, and is destined for Canada) at these posts, until relieved by those I have mentioned, or some other.

If half of those to be employed on the communication to Canada are supplied with arms, it will suffice, as four-fifths of them must be constantly at some kind of labour,

I am, with the most affectionate and respectful sentiments, your Excellency’s most obedient, humble servant,

PHILIP SCHUYLER.

To His Excellency General Washington.

Return of the Forces of the United Colonies, which passed FORT GEORGE, in their way to CANADA, between the 12th and 26 th APRIL, 1776.

Captain Stephens’s, of the Artillery, unknown, as he went by the way of Otter- Creek. Captain Romans’s passed me in the night, on Lake George.

Besides the above, part of Porter’s, Burrells, De Haas’s, and Maxwell’s Regiments, had not reached Canada, when General Arnold’s return was made.

Montreal, April 20, 1776.

DEAR GENERAL: I hope you will pardon my neglect in not writing you for so long a time, when I acquaint you that I have, from time to time, communicated every material intelligence to General Wooster, who, I make no doubt, has