Dear Gen^l

I have been hon^d: with the receipt of your two favours of y^e 8^th and immagine be­fore this you have rec^d: mine of the Same date containing the disagreable intelligence of the loss of fort mountgomery after a most Spirited defence & of our evacuating Peeks Kill in Consequence thereoff—I congratulate you on the bravery of your Troops in attacking & putting to flight the british army, & regret the unfavourable Circum­stance that prevented its terminating in a Compleat Victory

last monday Gen^l Parsons¹ with about Two thousand Troops marched down & took possession of Peeks Kill & the passes in the high lands he has taken a number of Cattle horses & Sheep which were Collected by the Enemy—The Enimy have burnt the buildings & barracks at the Village² & Several dwelling houses & other buildings at Peeks Kill—they have demolished Fort mountgomery & Constitution—& are re­pairing Fort Clinton—yesterday about forty Sail passed up the river Crouded with Troops—and are now at anchor above Poughkipsie the wind not favouring³—we were on our march after them when I met the agreable intelligence of the Surrendry of Gen^l Burgoine & his army as prisoners of war, a Copy of which is enclosed; & there­ upon I do most Sincerely Congratulate your excellency—I have halted my Troops & am now Considering what ought to be my next movement—have Sent to Gov^r Clin­ton for his Opinion on the Subject—& ordered Gen^l Parsons to Spare no pains to find the Situation & Strength of y^e garrison at Kings bridge in order to direct my fu­ture Operations most advantagiously I have about Six thousand Troops who are Chiefly militia I understand that Gen^l Campbell⁴ was Killed at Fort mountgomery & Several Field officers & others of inferior rank The Enemy's loss by the last accounts I have been able to get is very Considerable not less than a thousand killed & wounded—The Two Continental Frigates & the row Galley⁵ which lay above Fort mountgomery were burnt to prevent there falling into the hands of the Enemy for which I am very Sorrey as one I belv. might have been saved—

I have the unhappiness to Inform you that M^rs Putnam after a long & tedious ill­ness departed this life last Tuesday night—with the highest esteem & respect I am [&c.]