[Highlands] October the 18th, 1775.
Gentlemen ー
I have taken the liberty to enclose to you the paper delivered to me by Mr. Yates, and Mr. Glen. Those gentlemen behaved with the greatest politeness, and I imagined that their observations would have been sufficient to have set every thing at the fort in proper order. As for my part, when I undertook that business, it was from pure love to my country, and to the rights of mankind, without any views of self-interest; and never expected any pay for what I did; and I believe that those who were joined with me acted from the strictest principals of honour. I can with truth say, that never any man was ill used passing that river, by any of us, unless he abused us; and then to receive but a small check, not equal to his demerits. It would have been acting genteel to have inquired into the complaint laid before Congress, before passing a censure upon the gentlemen at the fort, contained in the four first lines of your letter to them. When men act upon principle, and are placed at any particular post of consequence, and find themselves in a precarious situation, it naturally follows they must exercise their own judgment for the good of the post, and ought to be supported by those who placed them there; which has not been the case in this instance. An insult offered to them was offered to the Congress, and the abuse of the complainants in Congress ought not to have been permitted. Had the Congress answered our letter relative to the very thing complained of, this never would have happened. I must therefore request, gentlemen, the favour of the Congress to appoint somebody in my room, for I will never more go back to the fort. I am respectfully, gentlemen, [&c.]