Camp before Quebec January 24th 1776
Gentlemen
I wrote the 14th inst adviseing you of our present Scituation, & that of the Enemy, & took the Liberty of presenting you my Sentiments, on a future Plan of Operation, for which my Zeal for the Public Service I hope will Apologize; Since which I have made an Estimate (which I now Inclose) of such Artillery, Stores, Ammunition &ca which I imagine will be necessary, If it is thought proper to carry on a Seige in form. of this I can be no Judge, As I know not if Powder can be spared from below, or Shot, Shells &c sent up in Season ー The Artillery except a 13 Inch Mortar (at Crown Point) is all in this Country ー I have also inclos'd a List of such Ammunition Stores &c as we have on hand, a List of such Articles as can be procur'd at Montreal, St Johns & Chamblee, will be taken & Sent you by General [David] Wooster ー I had Encouragement from Monsieur Pelisseire at three Rivers of being furnish'd with Shot, Shells, &c in all the Month of March ー
I have this Minute received Advice from him that the want of Coal will prevent his Supplying those Articles before May, as Coal is his only Objection, I have wrote him to procure them at all Events if it can be done to Supply Shells &c by the first of April of which the Bearer Major [Matthias] Ogden will inform, This Measure I hope will meet your Approbation as the Expence of bringing Shells from below will be great and if not wanted here, the Cost will be trifling.
It is very probable the City would Surrender before half or perhaps one quarter of the Shot, Shells, &c in my Memorandum were expended But if they should make an obstinate Resistance perhaps the whole will be necessary A Gentleman now present assures me that the Kings Magazines containing upwards of three thousand Barrels of Powder were all full And that three hundred Barrels, his private Property taken from him by Government, was obliged to be Stor'd in a private Vault. Add to this ten Thousand Stand of Arms, Seven Thousand of which are New & Arrived last Summer, also Seven Thousand Compleat Suits of new Cloathing with a large Quantity of Artillery Stores, Two Frigates with a Number of other Vessels in the Harbour &c &c The above mentioned Articles exclusive of Securing an extensive Country in our Interest & liberating three or four hundred of our Brave Men Appears an Object of the greatest Importance to us under our present Circumstances ー I make no doubt every necessary Measure will be Adopted for reducing the City ー
Yesterday arrived here a Reinforcement of 100 Men from Montreal sixty Men are soon expected, We are still very weak handed of Course the Duty Severe, however the Enemy have not dar'd to Come out, tho' they are double our Number ー Desertions from the Garrison are frequent they are in want of Fuel, and have Attempted to Supply themselves by Cutting down the Houses in St Rogues Suburbs (under their Guns) to prevent which I have burnt most of them with several Vessells they had, broke up, Every Artifice is used by Governour Carlton to procure Provisions and induce the Canadians to take Arms against us, to no effect, tho' Seconded by the Clergy our bitter Enemies ー I make no doubt of Continuing the Blockade until a proper Reinforcement Arrives to make use of more Coercive Measures ー
Major Ogden the Bearer of this to Montreal who Came out with me a Volunteer proposes going down to Philadelphia ー I beg leave to Recommend him as a Gentleman who has Acted with great Spirit and Activity through our fatigueing March and at the Attack in Quebec, in which he was wounded.
General Montgomery on his Arrival in this Country was pleased to Appoint Mr John Hoisted Commissary he is a Gentleman who has been very Active & Zealous in our Cause is a Merchant & Capable in his Department in which I beg leave to recommend his being Continued ー
Our Finances are low we have been obliged to beg, borrow & Squeeze to get money for our Subsistance, and but for Mr [James] Price who has been our greatest Resource we must have Suffered.
I have the agreeable Intelligence from General Wooster that the Paymaster is at home. I am with great Esteem [&c.]