May it please your Excellency

A person going down the River presents the first Opportunity I have had of writing to your Excellency, since I left Fort Western, since which we have had a very fatigueing time, the Men in general not understanding Batteaus have been obliged to wade & haul them more than half way up the River ー the last Division is just arrived ー three Divisions are over the first Carrying place, & as the Men are in high Spirits, I make no doubt of reaching the River Chaudiere in Eight or Ten Days, the greatest difficulty being I hope already past.

We have now with us about twenty five days provisions for the whole Detachment, Consisting of about Nine hundred & fifty effective men. I intend making an exact return, but must defer it untill I come to Chaudiere ー I have order'd the Commissary to hire people acquainted with the River & forward on the Provisions left behind (about 100 barrells) to the great Carrying place, to secure our retreat the expence will be Considerable, but when set in Competition with the Lives or Liberties of so many brave men, I think it trifling, & if we Succeed, the Provisions will not be lost.

I have had no intelligence from Genl [Philip] Schuyler or Canada, & expect none 'till I reach Chaudiere Pond, where I expect a Return of my Express, & to determine my plan of operation which as it is to be govern'd by Circumstances, I can say no more than if we are oblig'd to return I believe we shall have a sufficiency of provisions to reach this place where the Supply order'd the Commissary to send forward, will enable us to return on our way home so far that your Excellencv will be able to relieve us, if we proceed on we shall have a sufficient Stock to reach the French Inhabitants (where we can be supplied) if not Quebec ー

Your Excellency may possibly think we have been tardy in our march, as we have gained so Little, but when you Consider the badness & weight of the Batteaus, and large quantity's of Provisions &c. we have been obliged to force up against a very rapid Stream, where you would have taken the men for Amphibious Animals, as they were a great part of the time under water, add to this the great Fatigue in Portage ー you will think I have pushed the men as fast as they could possibly bear, the Officers, Volunteers & Privates in General, have Acted with the greatest Spirit & Industry. I am ー [&c.]