Dear Sir,

I have many matters of importance to communicate to you, respecting our own Safety and the Public Security, which time will not now permit to enumerate. Sufice it that the Tories are chearfal, and too many of the Whigs make long Faces. Men of rank and Consideration refuse to accept of commissions as Field officers of the Militia; so that these commissions have gone a beging for Six or Seven weeks. This requires no Comment to one of your disernment. Our Congress wrote Some days Since to your's, to replace the Powder you order[ed] from us for Continental Service, and that we voluntarily spared it. But we have not been favoured with an answer, altho we have not 300 lb at our Command if it would Save the Colony; and the inhabitants are very illey Supplied, not a Quarter of a Pound per man in the Hands of half the Citizens; and the Country much worse. This .is a deploreable State to be in for men who have their all at Stake. "For God's" Sake quicken the replacing of our Powder. The serving of Artillery require men of more Talents and greater Soberity than is requisite for musketry; the former being more complex than the Latter. For this reason I got our Congress to write to yours for an order to enlist matrosses for the Fort on Hudsons River. what detains it? are the men for this part of the Service to be raised when the Guns are mounted; and thereby expose the Post to fall into the Hands of the Enemy from the unskilfulness of the matrosses. You may be assured infantry alone cannot defend Such a Post; unless they have been long Trained to the Artillery. General Waster's [David Wooster's] corps, which you ordered for the Fort, is by this at St John's in Consequence of orders he received from Genl Schuyler, before yours to the former to return hither reached him: that there are no Continental Forces nearer the Post on Hudsons river, than lake George, except two incompleat Companies in our Barracks; one of the first and the other of the Third Regiment. As it will be very difficult if not imposible, to procure the Stores Necessary for that Post, on the Sea Coast, I wish the Continental Congress, would pass an order without delay to enable us to take Such Stores from Ticonderoga, as will be wanted for it; and also to enable this and the other Colonies to take from that Fort or Crown Point Such Stores as may be requisite for the defence of the Colonies, especially lead of which there is a great abundance. I have urged our Congress to dispatch a Sloop we were obliged to buy, for Powder; but as it is difficult to procure Gold & Silver or Bills of exchange, it will be necessary to Send provission with her, which in Some of the Island will facilitate the geting that article. But the Congress wait your determination on the Trade. To prevent excuses for those whose Parsimony is very Criminal, and pretexes for false Brethren, I think it would be advancive of the Public Service, were the Congress to pass a Resolution to enable us, to Send provission for amunition if we shall Judge it Necessary. . For there is not a moment to be lost in procuring this necessary Article. our all depends opon it. The Viper's Conduct detained a Sloop we had ready here to dispatch for Powder 15 days; and she is Soon to return. I therefore intreat you to get the opinion of Congress on this matter without delay, and if it Should be favourable dispatch it by express that we may expedite that Vessel before the return of the Viper. The intelligence from St John's is to the 13th Instant, by Captain [John] Quackenboss of my Regt who is returned Sick. He Say that he left it the 13th, That the next morning a Battery of 2 Twelve, 2 Nine & 2 Six pounders was to be opened on the East Side of the River against John's, which was to play on the Schooner & Galley of the Enemy. That the Ground on which the Battery is errected is much higher than that on which St John's stand, in so much that the Battery would command the Parade of the Fort. That he Heard a very heavy canonade the 14th, which began at Sun rise and continued all the day, and commenced the next at sun rise; and ceased all at once about 10 oClock. That the Troops were healthier than they had been and in good spirits; That they had plenty of Provissions and latterly fresh. That one of our Bombs had fired a large House the Principal Barrack in the Fort; but was extinguished. This intelligence is confirmed by another Person. From all I have been able to Collect, the Fort is compleatly invested, and so near, that the beseigers can hear the Garrison Speak to each other. That they are not Strongh enough to make any Sallies. So that if we do not Succeed, it must be for want of engirier's, and amunition. For if these were well Supplied the place must have Surrender or been destroyed. Time will only permit me to add that I am with great Truth [&c.]