Gentlemen,

This will be handed to you by my brother Thomas who will show you two letters I have received from Guadeloupe relative to powder, and the steps I have taken to procure it. Capt. [William] P[ackwood] is now at Hispaniola, and Ships me about 3 tons which is landed, (say one ton here and two tons at Norwich Capt. [John] M[ackibbin] in a Brig, and Capt. [Elisha] Hinman in a Sloop sailed from here July for Martinico, and will purchase what they can.

I have received from the Treasury £ 3645, the money sent out in these 3 vessels with what powder I have delivered is £ 5000. L.M. If its your minds that we shall make provision to get the powder our deceased friend laid a plan for, I must begin in time, its difficult to get hard money, the importance of the object, I think is such that we had much better gitt three times as much as we think we shall want rather than fall short. Our Towns are all Destitute almost, and success in our present undertaking depends on it. And I can truly say that nothing in my power has been omitted.

I wrote my deceased friend E.P. the day we heard of the Battle of Bunker Hill that all the Interest I had of mine to lay out in powder, also all his own, and take up as much money on my credit as he could. His plan was good and by letter from my other friends they imagined he would succeed, For that reason he detained a vessel that I had sent him six weeks. His brother Josiah is a very promising young man, and I flatter myself we shall not be deceived. ー have not to add only I think our armed vessells should be fitted as soon as possible. There is now two small Tenders at Montaug, not more than forty tons each, a few swivels, and about twenty hands each. I am, yours, Gentlemen, &c.