[Extract]

Dear Brother Our affairs in Canada are at length brot to a conclusion, and we have now to contend with all the bad consequences, which have been apprehended from the Enemy's being in possession of that Country....Our Army, being 7000 brot off all their artillery, stores, baggage & provisions; having destroyd all the forts; & bridges behind them. they are now at Crown point, where they propose to make a stand against Burgoine's Army, assisted by Canadians & Indians; by keeping the mastery of Lake Champlain, if possible, which is much to be doubted, as he has bro't with him a great number of vessells ready framed. At New York Genl Washington has not 19000 men, & 50 of Howe's fleet are now at the hook, none of the militia is yet come in, & Genl Washington is apprehensive they will not, till it is too late. and there is reason to fear they will never join the army at Crown point for fear of the small pox, or if they do, that they [will] be rendered useless by it. add to all this, that it is certain great numbers in the province of N York will join the Enemy. a horrid plot was lately discoverd in the City, to deliver up our Army to the Enemy by spiking the Cannon, & blowing up the Magazine, & some say to assassinate the Genl We have not yet the particular[s] but many are in goal; they had debauched two of the Genl's guards, one of whome is executed. There you have a full view of the situation of our affairs; from which I dare say you will agree with me, that we are in a most perilous state, from which nothing, but some extraordinary event, can extricate us. ー We have advice, that the crew of one of the ships that sailed from this port last winter, loaded by the Congress, confined the Capt & carried her into Bristol and discovered the signals by which all the other ships were to distinguish their friends from their Enemies upon their arrival on this Coast.² ー I have nothing to ballance this dismal Acct, but that we have taken about 700 of Frazer's highlanders; & that depending on the goodness of our Cause, we have not lost our spirit. ー