Isle La Motte September 16th 1776
Dear General,
The hard Gale of Wind yesterday prevented, my sending back Ensign [Clemens] Botsford. This Morning at one OClock Antoine Geroure [Girard] whom I mentioned to have sent to St Johns returned, and gave the following Account vizt. That at Isle aux Noix there are three thousand Troops encamped, and forty Pieces of Cannon Mounted on their Lines. at St Johns are three Thousand Men, one hundred & fifty Batteaux, and he was told by a Frenchman two hundred Batteaux were at Chamblee and a Party of Men sent down tofetch them up that two Schooners were compleated and Maned, one mounting Twelve and the other fourteen Brass twelve Pounders the small Vessels on the Stocks to carry three Guns each One Gondola taken from us and three new ones Built there to mount three Guns each, a Number of flatbottomed Boats and Batteaus to carry one Gun each and a Floating Battery, with two Masts nearly done to carry twenty four eighteen Pounders, and two Mortars, he imagines the whole will be compleated in a Fortnight. he has brought a Pass from the Isle aux Noix, from which and the Distance he had to go the bad Weather and Time he has been gone, I believe he has been no farther than the Isle aux Noix, and that he has been enjoined by the Officer there to give the foregoing Account. had not they been convinced he was in their Interest, I dont im- agine they would have suffered him to return. he formerly lived with Metcalf whom he says is gone to St Johns, now remains at a French House opposite the Isle aux Motte where Serjeant [Thomas] Day, says a Number of Deserters were lately taken, betrayed to the Indians, by the Frenchman, have every Reason to think him placed as a Spy on us I have therefore sent him to you tobe disposed of as you may think Proper. I had promised him Fifty Dollars provided he procured an exact Account of the Strength of the Enemy, agreeable to the Accounts I received from others, from' the Accot of the two Men who have viewed the Isle aux Noix, one of whom I nowsend, the Accounts of this Frenchman must ー be False and a Story formed for him by some of the English Officers.
I have heard nothing of Lieutenant [Benjamin] Whitcomb or Ensign [Thomas] MCoy and am very apprehensive for their Safety as the Woods is full of Indians. ー I am Respectfully Dear General [&c.]