you and the rest of my friends must excuse me for not writing often the disbanding An Army within half a cannon shot of the enemy and fixing another in its place is not only a new manouvere but one that causes much trouble and some anxiety the far greater part of this business is happily finish'd for the particulars I refer you to the last page. last night an express from Col. Arnold dated the 14th Instant acquainted us that he and his troops remained in their cantonment round Quebeck in health and spirits the garrison of that town Keeping close within their Walls ever since the unfortunate repulse of our people the 31st ultimo the express mett some of our reinforcements near Montreal and heard that others were with all expedition marching into Canada so there is good reason to hope matters will recover their former prosperity in that quarter one only loss and that is not so easily repared the General Montgomery born like Wolfe to blaze and I, Sir, to Lament his Death we shall find time hereafter the present must be employed to revenge it I Know no man but [Charles] Lee capable of commanding in Canada Arnold is excellent were he able to act but splinter'd bones must have time to heal he is a most persevering hero but I wish he had told us in his letter of the 14th how it far'd with himself which I think is the only thing that materialy concern'd the publick that he omitted to mention General Wooster had not sent any the smallest succour from montreal when the express left it the 21st Instant

every intelligence from Boston for this week Past agrees that G[eneral Henry] Clinton is gone by Tryson's request to N.Y. a Mr White who left Boston on Saterday confirms the information in my humble opinion he is certainly gone there, the folly of attacking the head of the snake [William] Howe now sees and only wants a plausible excuse to change his ground depend upon it the ministerial push will be to regain the possession of the river St Lawrence & Hudson & as sure as our artillery makes the town of Boston uneasie to its present garrison so surely will they leave it. I have conversed with some of the oldest and most observing inhabitants of that place and they asure me it is not probable that the Bay between us & them will be froze up this winter their remark is if it is not dosed by the last of Jany. it is not likely it will be so for the rest of the winter the rain last night and present th[ere] will entirely break up the bay the General writes to the Congress upon the subject of powder & send them an exact state of our magazine when that has been considered you will think seriously of the disposition to be made of the continental armies (should the force of the enemy be directed as I suspect) and whether it would be prudent to dislodge them from here before you are prepared to meet them elsewhere entirely to subdue may be a task our troops are unequal to & if equal to the necessary corresponding circumstances may not favor us to assault the town of Boston by the only approaches that now present themselves would be putting our affairs to a most unnecessary hazard remember pompey and Brutus were ruined by precipately giving the advantage to vetran troops sufficiently to defend the continent is in the power of the Congress to risk all for a victory must and will be the ministerial mandate to their General, therefore avail yourself of numbers and if your enemy must fight suffer him only to do that where: the situation and circumstances are apparently on your side

strain every nerve to get Quebeck before May day for that in your possession & well garrison'd cuts off the enemy from all prospect of penetrating Canada on that side Hudson River by a strong Camp being taken on the properest ground between that and the East river and a good fort somewhere in the narrows above the highlands to Command the Channel will prevent the enemy from entering our Country that way: and throw them into the same difficulties they have already experienced at Boston

should they persist in their diabolical desolating plan to the Southward it can have no effect but to irritate the continent more violently against them the entire devastation of The flatt country of Virginia & Maryland advance them not one step toward the reduction of the united colonies if they over[offer] a regular campaign in either of those colonies or to the Southerd of them one half of their troops will be in the hospital and the rest fall a prey to our army I look upon it therefore to the highest degree probable that the future efforts of the enemy will be directed to recover the provinces of New York and Canada of course there must be the main strength of our opposition ー

I write this surrounded with business I know it is full of little errors but those your friendship will correct I only mean to give my sentiments of the General outlines of the War perhaps I may mistake the matter my intention is good & I have exerted the best of my judgment & experiences for the opinion I have given, if you please I should when you think proper desire you to shew this letter to Mr Robt Morris & Mr T[homas] J[efferson], they are men of very sound and I believe most impartial judgment and are to be confided in.