[Extract]

You may recall, Sir, that at the time when parliament gathered the rumor spread that the Americans had marched on Halifax. I had the honor to inform you of this at the time. The Ministers and everyone else believe it. However, this is what happened.

I had the honor to write you in a private letter before I left for Bath that M.[Benedict] Arnold had marched on Quebec and had captured the Point of Levi which is close enough to Quebec so that the city could be shelled from there. M. Arnold, who is quite simply a horse trader, left with fifteen hundred men of the Rebel army near Boston and spreading the rumor that he was marching towards Halifax. He embarked and made sail for the French[man's] bay, landed at Cas[c]o Bay, went up the Kimbeki [sic Kennebec]. He made a portage from the source of this river to Nansacanti, then went down the River of Etchemins to Quebec ²  The obstacles were almost insurmountable; he was abandoned by a third of his party. The Canadians helped him on the way with all sorts of assistance and he finally succeeded with this undertaking. Meanwhile, Colonel [Richard] Montgomery marched on fort Chambly and St. John and attracted to this region General [Guy] Carleton who, going ahead with the elite of his forces, left Canada and Quebec open to M. Arnold whom Colonel Montgomery must have rejoined immediately after his expedition. You will easily follow this bold undertaking Sir, on the maps of Canada drawn by M. D'Anville....

Lord Weymouth acknowledges the treaty with the Landgrave of Hesse Cassel of which you were informed, Sir, by the last Bulletin. He told me, however, that this agreement was not signed yet, but that they had good reason to believe it would be. This minister stated positively that it was a matter of twelve thousand Hessians; that the Duke of Brunswick was giving five thousand of his own forces; that more were expected from a German Prince; that all would be embarked for America as soon as possible; and finally that England expected to have there eighteen thousand foreign troops at her service and at least as many national troops.

These are finally the real means; I would consider them sufficient if the greater part of these forces could be taken to Canada in order to attack the English Colonies on land from the rear, while, at the same time, a considerable fleet with landing troops could threaten the whole length of the American coast. But if the Canadians side with the American rebels, and if the united continent makes a common cause, this campaign will probably be like the last one and furthermore the Germans, who are slaves at home, will become recruits for the Americans. To believe those who know the Americans well and who were brought by their intrigues and their own opinions to study this matter closely, American independence is assured; especially once Canada is taken, the Ministry will no longer be in a position to prevent this misfortune with their plan involving force which they adopted so inconsiderably and carried out so poorly.