The beginning of February, the Rebels again attempted to enter into a correspondence by a flag of truce, encouraged to it, I suppose, by a permission granted for the prisoners’ baggage to enter the town; but as they were told immediately to withdraw, unless they came to implore the King’s mercy, they have not since returned.

March 25th, the advance guard of a party raised by Mr. Beaujeu, to relieve the town, was defeated; the rest dispersed. The 31st, it was discovered that the Rebel prisoners had formed a plot to escape, to seize the guard of St Johns gate, and let in Mr. Arnold; which was effectually disappointed.

The 4th of April, the Rebels opened a battery of four guns and one howitzer from the opposite side of the, river St. Lawrence; and the 22d, another of two guns and one howitzer from the opposite side of the river St. Charles. These were also intended to burn the town and shipping; from both they fired red hot balls. The 23d, they attempted throwing some shells into town from a battery on the heights opposite to Port St. Louis. All these batteries were much damaged by our artillery.

May 3d, about ten o’clock at night, a fire-ship attempted to run into the Cul-du-Sac, where the greatest part of our shipping were laid up; but this also proved abortive, and she burned to the water’s edge without doing us the least injury. It is supposed they intended a general assault, had they succeeded in setting fire to the ships and lower town.

I cannot conclude this letter without doing justice to Lieutenant-Colonel Maclean, who has been indefatigably zealous in the King’s service, and to his regiment, wherein he has collected a number of experienced good officers, who have been very useful. Colonel Hamilton, Captain of his Majesty’s ship Lizard, who commanded the battalion of seamen, his officers and men, discharged their duty with great alacrity and spirit. The same thing must be acknowledged of the masters, inferior officers, and seamen, belonging to his Majesty’s transports and merchantmen, detained here last fall; only one seaman deserted the whole time. The Militia, British and Canadian, behaved with a steadiness and resolution that could hardly have been expected from men unused to arms. Judges and other officers of Government, as well as merchants, cheerfully submitted to every inconvenience to preserve the town; the whole, indeed, upon the occasion, showed a spirit and perseverance that do them great honour.

The Forty-Seventh, from Halifax, and the greatest part of the Twenty-Ninth, are since arrived.

Major Caldwell, who commanded the British Militia all winter, as Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant, and is bearer of these despatches to your Lordship, has proved himself a faithful subject of his Majesty, and an active diligent officer. He, and indeed almost every loyal subject, are very considerable sufferers by the present hostile invasion.

I am, &c., &c.

GUY CARLETON.

To Lord George Germaine.

Admiralty Office, June 11, 1776.

By letters from Captain Douglas, of his Majesty’s ship the Isis, dated Quebeck, the 8th and 15th of May, received yesterday by Captain Hamilton, late of the Lizard, who arrived from thence in his Majesty’s sloop the Hunter, it appears that the Isis, which sailed from Portland on the 11th of March, having succours on board for the relief of the place, made the Island of St. Peter’s on the 11th of April; that he had from thence, with the greatest difficulty, made his way, pressing the ship, by force of sail, for fifty or sixty leagues through large fields of thick ice; that on the 21st of April, when he got clear of the ice, he made the Island of Anticostie, and the same evening entered the river St. Lawrence; that on the 30th, he anchored in a snow-storm near the Pilgrim Islands, and from thence, as the storm cleared up, observed successive smokes from cape to cape, towards Quebeck; and that, after various obstacles from fogs, calms, or contrary winds, he arrived, on the 3d of May, near Isle-aux-Coudres, where he was joined by his Majesty’s ship the Surprise, and Martin sloop, which sailed on the 20th of March from Plymouth, having likewise succours on board.

Captain Douglas adds, that having secured here all the French pilots, and every hour becoming more and more precious, he gave orders on the 5th of May, to Captain Linzee, of the Surprise, to make the best of his way, and gave notice to Governour Carleton of the approaching relief. Captain Linzee arrived in view of the town at six o’clock the next morning; and after answering the private signals from the garrison, came to an anchor in the basin of Quebeck, between the Rebel battery on Point Levi and the lower town, where the Isis and Martin came to an anchor also, very soon after, and the several detachments they had on board were immediately landed.

Captain Douglas further observes, that the General, wisely availing himself of the different impressions which the arrival of the ships had made on the minds of the Rebels, marched out to give them battle, but that they as instantly retreated; on which Captain Douglas ordered Captain Linzee and Captain Harvey, of the Martin sloop, with a Province armed vessel, to proceed up the river as far as the Rapids, in hopes to annoy them in their retreat; which was attended with good effect, as it hindered the parties on the opposite sides of the river from joining in their flight towards Montreal. He represents their flight to have been very precipitate, as they left not only their cannon undischarged, their ammunition, scaling-ladders, intrenching tools, and provisions, but even many of them their muskets.

The Surprise and Martin were further successful in taking an armed schooner belonging to the Rebels, carrying four six-pounders and six three-pounders; but the men escaped into the woods. They also recovered his Majesty’s schooner the Gaspé, which, in the last winter, had fallen into the hands of the Rebels, and had been sunk by them, but was soon weighed, and found to be not materially damaged.

It also appears from Captain Douglas’s letters, that on the 8th of May his Majesty’s ship Niger arrived with three transports, having on board the Forty-Seventh Regiment from Halifax; and that on the 10th, Captain Lutwidge, of his Majesty’s ship the Triton, arrived with the Lord Howe and Bute, transports, having troops on board, together with the British Queen, Agnes, and Beaver, victuallers, from England.

Captain Douglas speaks highly in commendation of the Captains and officers of the ships employed to carry succours, for their perseverance and exertion in the many difficulties they had to encounter in the passage through the Gulf, and in every other part of the service.

GENERAL LEWIS TO PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

[Read May 27, 1776.]

Williamsburgh, May 15, 1776.

HONOURABLE SIR: On receiving the commission I am honoured with from the honourable the Continental Congress, I made no doubt of an Aid-de-Camp being allowed a Brigadier, therefore brought one into the service; and whatever may be the consequences as to pay, I find myself under the necessity of keeping him in that necessary employ, as it is not possible for me to do without such assistance, he acting as Secretary as well as otherways, even when General Lee is present; and much more so must it be when the command devolves on me, which is frequently the case. At present, General Lee is on his way to North-Carolina; his return (depending on the motions of the enemy) uncertain. The Continental troops in this Colony are now under my command. I wish not to add a farthing needless expense to the service, but hope that this expense will be considered by the honourable Congress as necessary and unavoidable, as is really the case, and will be allowed.

The Committee of Safety will send by the next post a proper return of the officers.

I am, with great respect, your most obedient and very humble servant,

ANDREW LEWIS, Brigadier-General.

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

To CHARLES PATTESON and JOHN CABELL, Gentlemen, Delegates for the County of BUCKINGHAM, in VIRGINIA, now in General Convention:

The Address and Instructions of the Freeholders of the said County.

GENTLEMEN: As you were elected and deputed by us to