[Extract]

. . . We are kept in great anxiety by the extraordinary manoevre of Genl Howe, his going to sea with his Army; we can as yet only guess at his intentions. he was seen last fryday about 50 miles to the southward of these capes, & perhaps may be in chesapeak by the time you receive this; tho we think, if he has any wisdom left, he shoud go to the northward to co­operate with Burgoyne, whose genius, at present, seems to have the ascendency in his department. Our people there are still in a panic & Burgoyne's thoughtless activity is well calculated to keep it up. our only com­fort is, that the further he penetrates, the more surely he may be ruined; when they recover their senses. The Enemy have taken one of our finest frigates from us; but I believe we have one of theirs in return . . . .²