[Extract]
Duplicate N^o. 4.—
My Lord

I was honoured with Your Lordship's dispatches of the 10^th. 11^th. & 12^th. of March.—¹

In my last letter, transmitted by His Majesty's Ship Andromeda, I had the honour of informing Your Lordship that from the dispersed situation of the Fleet on other necessary Services, the Admiral could not with certainty inform me when sufficient Convoys for the intended Expeditions could be assembled, and that I had therefore determined, agreeable to the King's Instructions, to Evacuate this place and proceed to New York, from whence the latter could be much better fitted out than it was possible to have done here.²

The Admiral having acquainted me that the Troops could not be taken on board nearer than Newcastle,³ which is Forty Miles distant from hence, and as such a March could not be undertaken with less than the whole Army, I found it impracticable to Embark the Forces in order to proceed to New York by water, as there are not Transports sufficient to receive the whole at once, and therefore a great part of the Cavalry, all our Provision Train and all those persons whose attachment to Government has rendered them Objects of Vengeance to the Enemy, must have been left behind. 

I am to add to this, that if we should afterwards have been detained by contrary Winds, Mr. Washington⁴ might have seized the opportunity of making a decisive push at New York, all reports from thence seeming to indicate an intention of that sort. 

These reasons, My Lord, have induced me to resolve on Marching through Jersey. 

I am prepared to expect every obstruction that can be thrown in my way, but am not apprehensive of any great delay, and I secure New-York by this March. 

I have Embarked all the Baggage of the Army in such Transports as are here, the Stores to a considerable amount, and the greatest part of the valuable Merchandize necessary for the Troops, which had been imported since His Majesty's Forces took possession of this Town. 

In these Vessels also, a refuge has been provided for those people, whose sufferings in the cause of Government, gave them a claim to every protection we could possibly afford them. 

I hope to arrive at New York in about Ten days after I leave this, by which time the Admiral will probably be able to inform me when the Ships, destined to Convoy the different Expeditions will be assembled. . . .⁵ I have the honour to be My Lord [&c.]