St: Albans New York 21st. October 1777
(Copy)
My Lord,
My letters of the 15th. Instant which You will herewith receive were intended to have been sent by the Bristol, who is stopped to proceed with the Convoy directed by Your Lordship's Letter of the 10th:—In consequence of it I have left the Command up the North River with Captain Symons1 until the Return of General Vaughan, when it is intended to evacuate every thing there, as Sir Henry Clinton for the Defence of this Place will now stand in need of every Man left under his Command.
The Proceedings of the second Expedition up the River Your Lordship will see by the inclosed Copy of a Letter from Sir James Wallace,2 And one also to Sir Henry Clinton from General Vaughan.3 The Wind having hung to the Southward ever since, has prevented our hearing anything farther from them; But as it last Night shifted, and now blows strong from the North West, It is reasonable to think we shall have them down, the Object of their going up the River seeming to be now over, without giving Credit to the whole of what we hear respecting General Burgoyne's Army.
The two Battalions of Anspach were embarked before Sir Henry Clinton and I left Verplanks Point, and with this Wind may be hourly expected down. The 17th: Dragoons, with the Convalescent[s,] Recruits, Chasseurs and Artillery will be embarking without loss of Time, and shall proceed (as they are ready) in seperate Convoys, which from Experience I have had of large ones, I consider the surest and most expeditious way for them to join You. The 7th. 26th: and 63d. Regiments are embarked with General Vaughan.
Some of the Horse Ships are got up to York and the rest of the Thames's Convoy are within the Hook, so that we shall not be in any want of Transports for the Embarkation, [nor] shall Expedition be less wanting to forward them. This gives me an Opportunity of doing the Justice I owe to Lieutenant Tonkin4 the Agent, whose Assiduity and Resources are felt upon every Occasion where his Services are called for.
I have the Honour to transmit You this Dispatch by Captn. Kennedy, who is charged with [Sir] Heny: Clinton's to Sir Willm: Howe by an Armed Vessel of Colonel Shirreff's,5 the Haerlem having been necessarily employed up the River—I have the Honour to be [&c.]