Gentn Inclosed are Coppys of a Letter from Colo [Benedict] Arnold and a List of Military Stores at Ticonderoga &c

You Cannot fail to Observe that Mr Arnold for the Defence of this Colony is endeavouring that such Ordnance as he Judges Can be Spared from that Quarter should be transported to the Army in this Colony

this Step is taken in Consequence of Order given him by our Committee of Safety perhaps this may appear to You extraordinary; but we trust you will Candidly overlook such a mistake (if it is one) being made in the hurry and Confusion of War and we most Solemnly declare to you that this Congress and the inhabitants of this Colony are at the utmost remove from any Disposition or Design to make any the least infraction upon or usurpation of the Jurisdiction of any of our Sister Colonys and if any of those Cannon &c taken at the Lake Champlain Should happen through the Exertions of Enterprising Spirits to be brought within the allowed Limits of this Colony and Come to our use we shall hold ourselves accountable for them to the Representation of the Continent; and whenever they shall inform us that they are more needed for the general defence at any other part of the Continent then in this Colony we shall Endeavour that they be removed thither with the utmost Dispatch.

As to the Expediency and policy of endeavouring to maintain those old Fortresses near lake Champlain, or abating them and erecting others in some other places upon the Same Lake or abandoning those Posts and bringing off all the ordnance and warlike Stores in those parts we Conceive that the advice of the Continental Congress ought to be obtained and we have therefore addressed them in the most pressing manner being of opinion that the maintaining a post there is absolutely necessary to the defence of your and all the New England Colonys

Gentlemen and Brethren Could You have seen the horrid Devastation and Carnage in this Colony Committed by Ministerial Troops those sons of violence ー who have got some footing in this Colony ー the breach of a most Solemn treaty with Respect to the inhabitants of Boston when they had Surrendered their Arms and put themselves wholly in the power of a: military Commander Relying upon his Faith then pledged that they should immediately Depart the T[o]wn with their effects as Stipulated which was no sooner done then they were not only Refused leave to Carry out the most valuable part of those Effects but their persons Detained under the most idle pretences and Suffered only to Scatter from their prison a few in a day hardly to be seen or noticed ー we say Gentn Coud you see and Realize these Sceens of Distress you Could not refrain one moment from doing Every thing in Your power to prevent the like Distress from happening to your metropelis, And availing Your selves of every Article which our Enimys Can improve with the least advantage to them for effecting the like Desolation horrers & insults on the inhabitants of your own City and Colony or which might enable you to make the most effectual defence

have you not Gentlemen divers of those articles as it was under your hand if you should delay securing them until they Should be out of your power and within a few days you should behold those very materials improved in murdering you and your selves perishing for the want of them will not yr Chagrin and regret be intolerable Brethren Pardon our importunity It is our own case, We behold Castle William and realize the ample Warlike Provisions and apparutus thaerin held by our enemies to our infinite and inexpressible Mortification We wish to heaven that you may be timely admonished by the consequences of our own Delays