Sir

Two Deserters from the Isis came in to the Company of Militia sta­tioned in Gunpowder Neck under the Charge of Lieutenant Thomas they are sent to your Excellency as the Intelligence they bring is of Importance to the United States in General and this in particular I thought in Con­junction with the Officers they ought to be speedily conveyed to You

They say One Half of the Fleet is to go into Delaware Bay and the other to fall down to York River, that the Ships had no Soldiers on Board having landed 18,000 under Genl How — The Half the Fleet in Delaware was to assist the Operations of the Army and the Residue to receive them here in Case of a Disaster they say the 64 Gun Ships have but 350 Sailors to navigate them and 64 Marines that they design to plunder the unarmed part of our Coasts of Provision of which they are in Want that One Half of the Marines and Sailors were sick and that the Negroes were received on Board the Merchant Vessells of which there were several in the Fleet who boasted they would make their Fortunes by selling them in the West Indies that they were kicked and cuffed on every Occasion &ca

I congratulate your Excellency on the Weakness of the Enemy in this State and the little probability there is of an immediate Attack within your Government at the same Time also on the Affair of Bennington the Raising the Seige of Fort Stanwix Burgoins entrenching or perhaps re­treating. I hope I shall upon some future Day have Occasion to do so on their total Defeat and the firm Establishment of Liberty I am [&c.]