Honed Sir:

The General's Express that ought to have left this Four days ago, is not yet gone. I therefore set down to give you some description of our Situation here, & that of the Enemy. The Enemy are situated on Bunker & Breed's Hills, both on the Peninsula, where the late Town of Charlestown stood, & within reach, & under the Cover of the Guns from the Batterys in the Town of Boston & the Ships in the Harbour, & of a Number of Floating Battery's which they have Built, that carry 2 guns in their Bows, 2 in their Sterns, & one on each Side. Our People are Situated from Charles River, about 200 rods below [the] College, where we have a Redoubt, which begins the Line, then about 60 Rods from that, another Redoubt, & lines continued near 100 Rods ー then at the Charlestown Road, on the West Side of the Road, at the foot of Prospect Hill, another Redoubt, & strong fortification. Then on Prospect Hill is Putnam's Post, a very strong fortification, then between that & Winter Hill, a Redoubt. ー On Winter Hill a strong Citidale & Lines over to Charlestown Road to Mistick, ー then in Mr. Temple's Pasture a strong Redoubt that commands to Mistick River. So that we have a compleat Line of Circumvallation, from Charles River to Mistick River, our Main Fortress on Prospect Hill, the Enemy's main Fortress on Bunker's Hill, within Cannon Shot of each other. A Hill between these two Posts a little to the Eastward of Prospect Hill, called Cobble Hill, I expect will soon cause us a Squabble which shall have it,. our People or their's; nor do I expect it will be many days before the Contest begins which will probably bring on a general Engagement. If they let us alone four or five days more, we shall be well prepared, & shant care how soon they come ー the sooner the better. At Roxbury side, the Enemy have dug across the Neck & let the Water thro', & our People in Town have Intrenched across the outer end of the Neck, & are strongly Fortified there, & on the Hill by the Meeting House ー so strong that I believe every man in Boston & at Bunker's & Breed's Hills must fall, before they could force a passage that way into the Country. Genl. [John] Burgoyne sent a Trumpet yesterday, with a letter to Genl. [Charles] Lee, wishing a composition of these unhappy Differences, &c. ー & says the Parliament will certainly give up all Right or Pretense of Taxation, if that will do; & wishes a conference. This Letter is sent to Pro[vincial] Congress for their opinion, & further to appoint a Person [whom they] can confide in, to attend the Conference, & hear [what] passes, if they Judge it best to have a Conference. Majr. [Horatio] Gates is arrived & we are geting into order & regularity very fast. Last Night our People at Roxbury fired the remainder of Brown's Buildings on Boston Neck, & have drove the Enemy's Guards Back to their Lines. I am, most respectfully Yours,

Fessenden arrived Express from Philadelphia last night.