them. Having learned that General Gates is upon his way up, I have ordered a boat down to meet him.

I am, dear General, with every sentiment of esteem and respect, your Excellency’s most obedient humble servant,

PHILIP SCHUYLER.

To General Washington.

IsIe-aux-Noix, June 19, 1776.

DEAR GENERAL: By a strange reverse of fortune we are driven to the sad necessity of abandoning Canada. I had the most sanguine hopes of collecting our Army together and driving the enemy below Deschambault, in which I doubt not I should have succeeded, had not Burgoyne, with a strong party, arrived in Canada, and reached the Three Rivers the night before our people made the unfortunate attack upon that place under General Thompson; the particulars of this engagement I have not before had in my power to give you. I find our loss to amount to about one hundred and fifty. Colonel Wayne sustained the greatest, as his men began the attack, and behaved with great bravery, as did the Colonel himself; in short, all the officers behaved with great spirit, except some few of low rank; and had not the number of the enemy been so superior I doubt not the point would have been carried, in which case I should have pushed for Deschambault, which, if secured, would have given us the command of the country. But this defeat convinced us that we came too late for the important purpose. I was determined, however, to hold Sorel, as it seemed the pleasure of Congress; but after taking unwearied pains to fortify that post, and to collect the main body of the Army to defend it, I found but two thousand five hundred at that place, and about a thousand more at the other garrisons, most of the latter being under inoculation, and those regiments which had not the small-pox expecting every day to be taken down with it; at the same time the British fleet, to the amount of thirty-six sail, had advanced into the Lake near us, and sixty-six lay at Three Rivers. The encampment of the enemy was to appearance very large, and every account proved their number to be exceedingly superior to ours. The Canadians, too, as far as the enemy advanced, were obliged to take arms or be destroyed. In this state of affairs I was much embarrassed, yet was determined to hold my ground at all hazards, but, to my great mortification, I found myself at the head of a dispirited Army, filled with horror at the thought of seeing their enemy. Indeed I was much surprised to see the scattered remains of this Army, when I had collected them together; the small-pox, famine and disorder, had rendered them almost lifeless: the flight from before Quebeck, the fate of those from the Cedars, and the total loss of Sherburne’s party had, before my arrival with my brigade, destroyed all spirit among these troops. But upon our arrival their spirits seemed to return; but when they found this party defeated, and the number of the enemy increasing, I found a great panick again taking place among both officers and soldiers. I had no less, I believe, than forty officers who begged leave to resign their commissions upon the most trivial pretences, and this even extended to Field Officers. The prevailing opinion was, that the enemy, instead of attacking our works, would get round us and cut off our communication with the upper country, and destroy our retreat; this, indeed, they had completely in their power, as we had not force to dislodge them. I soon found that, however strongly I might fortify Sorel, my men would in general leave me upon appearance of the enemy. In this state of affairs I called a Council of all the Field Officers, with the Baron de Woedtke, and they were almost unanimously for quitting the ground. General Arnold was not present, but his opinion you have, as well as that of Colonel Hazen and Colonel Antill, in the enclosed letters.

I then immediately decamped, taking with us every article, even to a spade. The enemy, having a fair wind, was at our works in an hour after we left them. Our guard at Bertier not coming in at the time they were ordered, were met by the enemy, forced to leave nine batteaus, and take to Chambly by land. This was all the loss we sustained. We retreated as far as Chambly. This post not being tenable, we removed our batteaus over the rapids, with all the baggage and stores, except three pieces of cannon, which were too heavy to bring over the rapids; and, indeed, they were but bad pieces of ordnance at best. I then proceeded to St. Johns, where everything arrived in safety. We burned the garrison at Chambly, with the gondolas and vessels there, leaving nothing but ruin behind us in the fort. We pulled up all the bridges in our way to St. Johns. General Arnold did the same in the other road from Montreal, from which place he made a very prudent and judicious retreat, with an enemy close at his heels. When we got to St. Johns, another Council was held, where it was unanimously agreed, that to attempt holding St. Johns, would be to expose the whole Army to inevitable ruin, as our communication might easily be cut off, and the whole Army fall a sacrifice. Previous to this, I received the resolves of Congress for six thousand Militia, which I laid before the Council; they were all of opinion that this would rather weaken than strengthen our Army; and further, that they could not possibly arrive in season to save us from a powerful Army close at our heels. They were fully of opinion that (in the present unhealthy state of the Army) it would be best to remove to Crown Point, fortify that post, and build armed vessels to secure the navigation of the Lake. Upon this we immediately stripped the garrison of every article, took our batteaus, and retreated to this Island. Further than this I could not go, without your or General Washington’s orders, or the directions of Congress. I therefore send on the sick, the looks and numbers of whom will present you with the most dismal spectacle ever furnished from our Army in this quarter of the globe. I have sent on General Arnold to give directions at Crown Point to receive your orders. The men who are fit for duty I shall retain here, ready to execute any orders you will please to communicate.

Thus, dear General, I have given you a correct account of my unfortunate campaign, claiming no merit, except in making a safe and regular retreat; and although driven to it by inevitable necessity, (as the grand post was lost before my arrival, and put beyond my power to regain,) and although it was before an army much more powerful than mine, yet I am sufficiently mortified, and since wish I had never seen this fatal country, unless I had arrived in season to have done some good to my country, and insured the expectation of Congress.

Dear General, believe me to be, with the greatest respect, your most obedient servant,

JOHN SULLIVAN.

To the Hon. General Schuyler.

P. S. I beg you to write to me where the remainder of Wayne’s regiment is. As I don’t write to General Washington or the Congress, I beg you to forward a copy of this letter.

JOHN SULLIVAN.

Chambly, June 13, 1776

DEAR GENERAL: I went to St. Johns yesterday, where I found everything in the greatest confusion; not one stroke done to fortify the camp—the engineer a perfect sot—at that and this place near three thousand sick. I have given orders that the sick draw only half rations in future. I have ordered Colonel Antill to St. Johns, and an abattis and lines to be immediately begun, to enclose the two old forts, and an encampment sufficient to hold six thousand men. I am fully of opinion not one minute ought to be lost in securing our retreat, and saving our heavy cannon, baggage, and provisions. The enemy will never attack you at Sorel. Their force is doubtless much superior to ours, and we have no advice of any reinforcement. Shall we sacrifice the few men we have by endeavouring to keep possession of a small part of the country which can be of little or no service to us? The junction of the Canadians with the Colonies—an object which brought us into this country—is now at an end. Let us quit them, and secure our own country before it is too late. There will be more honour in making a safe retreat than hazarding a battle against such superiorly, which will doubtless be attended with the loss of men, artillery, &c., and the only pass to our country. These arguments are not urged by fear for my personal safety: I am content to be the last man who quits this country, and fall, so that my country rise. But let us not fall all together.

The goods I seized in Montreal, and sent to Chambly, under the care of Major Scott, have been broken open, plundered, and huddled together in the greatest confusion. They were taken in such a hurry it was impossible to take a particular account of them. Each man’s name was marked on his packages. When Major Scott arrived at Chambly, he