Dear Sir  I wrote you yesterday from 1st Line by an express Sent from Sorell by Colo Easton of my Intention of Crossing the St Lawrence last Night which I happily effected, between 9. & 4 in the Morning without being Discovered, untill my Party of 500 Men were near[ly] all Over when a Frigates Barge, coming up, discove'red us landing' & prevented Our Surprising the Town, we fired into her & killed three Men  I am this minute Informed by a Gentn from Town that Colo McClean had Determined to Pay us a Visit this morning with 600 Men & Some Field Pieces, we are prepaired & Anxious to See him ー others from Town Inform me the Inhabitants in General had laid Down their Arms, by the best Information they are in the greatest Confusion, very short of wood & Provissions, much Divided, & refused Provisions from the Inhabitants, & if blocked up by a Superior Force, must as soon as the Frost Sets in Surrender ー I have thought Proper to Dispatch the bearer, to inform you of my Situation, as also a request I have to make  I Must refer you to him for particulars as I have been so unfortunate in my former Letters I dont chuse to Commit every intelligence to writing  It is the Current report here that you have invested Montreal & Cut of[f] their Retreat, This I hope is true & that I shall Soon have the Pleasure [of] Seeing you here ー I am Dr Sir, [&c.]

[P.S.] Since Writing the Foregoing the Enemy found Means to make a Prisoner of One of Our Centinels, I imediately Invested the Town As Near as posable, with my Troops which has Occationed them to Set fire to the Suburbs of St Johns & Several Other Houses Without the Walls which are now in flames.

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