Dear Friend

Although your leisure don't permit you to give me a line, it shall not hinder me from writing you.

The last mondays Watertown Paper gives us a good Accot of your Lodgment on Cobbil Hill, & that the Enemy don't fire on you, & we are told that Cannon have been very lately put on board boats at Bunker hill, which makes me conjecture, the Enemy are preparing to Decamp from Boston, in the meantime, no doubt they will shew Cannon in the Embrasures next to the American Camp ー Their want of Provision will necessarily make them look out for other Winter quarters, as they canot depend on Suplys from Great Brittain at this Season, & more especialy as our Cruisers keep so good a look out for the Transports ー

Although Wallace has now at Newport 10 Sail of Armed Vessells, & yesterday we are told 7 Transports arrived there last Tuesday, (this last Accot doubtful as to Transports) yet I don't beleive Newport is the place of the Enemys destination, as that Island doth afford many Cattle, and not any Grain, and should the Town be sett on Fire by the American Troops, the Enemy would then have no Barracks ー my Opinion is that New York is the best place on the Continent for their Rendenvous, for although New York should be reduced to Ashes, yet Long Island is at hand, & wilt well suply them with Barracks, & they will have the Range of that whole Island for the Winter, & will get there a great quantity of Stock, & plenty of Wheat; as by their Ships they will make it extreem dificult for the American Army to Annoy them on that Island, this Winter, nay it will be almost impossible. again they can be at New York, & entrench around that City, & prevent the Americans from Attacking them this Winter, as the Army at your Camp is so remote, and the Southern Troops distant also ー nor would it do for an Army to Encamp near New York, where they could have nothing but their Tents to Cover them, & no fire places the aproaching winter.

I congratulate you on the good News from Mount Real, & expect the same good Accot from Quebeck eny moment ー three months since one of the Conecticut Newspapers predicted that General Carlton would be a Prisoner at Hartford, which Prophesy (I trust) will probably be soon fulfilled ー thus I have thrown out my loose conjectures, merely to divert my old Friend.

And now to come nearer home, tell you, I have finished the Fort at New London, & all things ready [to] do what we can, when caled to it ー finding it dificult to point large Cannon directly to an Object, I have projected a Sight to be fixed near the mouth of Our Cannon, that will enable us to take as compleat an Aim at an object as can be done with a musket, the model of which is beneath & when you have examined whether it will answer my expectation or not, give your Opinion ー It is made of 2 Inch Oake Plank & feighd close down to the forend of the Cannon, & an I[ron] sight put into it, so as that the botom of the sight, and top of Britch of the Cannon, having a streight line drawn from them, it will be paralel to the Chase of the Cannon, the sight to stand perpendicular over the Center of the Chase ー the piece of Plank must be woolded round the Cannon in two places where it is notched, & put a little hot Pitch or other Glutinous substance under the wood to prevent its moveing side ways, or / which is more certain bore a hole at each woolding Place, & drill a hole into the Cannon ½ Inch or more, & put in each an Iron pin before woo[lding]. Youl observe the model below stands off the Cannon, to give planer description, but it must be put firm on Cannon before woulded ー thus hastily I have scratched out a model by which youl find what I intend ー My Heaven best of Blessings rest upon the Army encamped [at] Cambridge & on the General Officers in Special ー

Yr Most Hearty Friend [&c.]