Dear Sir

I wrote you the 14, & 16th Inst From before Quebec which make no doubt you have received ー I have this minute the Pleasur[e] of yours of the 17th Inst & I heartily Congratulate you, on you[r] Success, & hope (As fortune has so far be[e]n favourable & is generally so to the brave) it may in futur[e] be equal to your warmest Wishes ー It was not in my Power before the 18th to make an exact Scrutiny into the Arms & Ammunition of my Detachment, When upon examination great Part of Our Cartridges proved unfit for service & to my Great Surprise we had no more than five rounds for each Man & Near One hundred Guns unfit for Service. Ad to this Many of the Men Invalids Allmost Naked and Wanting every thing to make them Comfortable  The Same Day I received Advice (from my Friends in Town) that Colo McClan [Allan McLean] Was making Preparation & had Determined in a Day or two to come out & Attack Us ー And as his Numbers were greatly Superior to Ours, with [a No field p]ieces the Limits of Quebec are so Extensive I found it imposable Intirly to Cut of[f] their Communication with the Country Without Dividing the Small Number of Men I have (abt 550 Effectives) so as to render them an easy Sacrifice, to the beseaged, I therefore Concluded it most Prudent to retire to this place Untill I receive further Orders from you & Orderd the Main Body to March at 3 yesterday Morning & waited with a small [Detachment] to Watch the Motions of the Enemy Untill the Main Body were out of Danger  they all Arivd here last Night, I have procurd Leather (& sufficient to shoe th[e]m all in a day or two) the Only Articles of Cloathing to be had In this Part of the Country. Inclosed is a Memo of Cloathing Absolutely Necessary for a Winters Campai[g]n which beg the favour of Your forwarding me as soon as posable  should it be troublesome, I have desired the Bear[e]r Capt [Matthias] Ogden to procure them ー & some other Articles the Officers are in want of & beg the favr of your Order to forward them On.

Capt Napier in the Snow & a Small Schooner Passed us Yesterday, & are now at Quebec, the two Frigates were Laid up the 18, their Guns & Men all taken on Shore, they are geting all the Proviss[ions] they Posably Can out of the Country ー & are doubtless Determind to make the best Defenc[e] From the best Accot I can get their Force is abt 1900 Men Vizt

You will from the [a]bove Accot be better able to Judge of the Force Necessary to Carry the Town  if my Opinion is of any Service I should think 2000 very necessary as they must be Divided at the Distance of [3 or 4] Miles [to Secure the Passes effectually.]

And as there is No Probability of Cannon makeing a breach In the Walls, I should think Mortars of the Most Service the Situation For heaving Shells being extreemly Good & I think of Course would soon bring them to Compliance, if not Time & Perseverance must effect it before they Can posably be relieved ー Colo Allen & his Party have been some time since Sent to England in Irons ー Mr Walker I have not heard of ー I have Ordered Capt Ogden To send down all the Powder & Ball on the Road  If he should not be able to procure Sufficient I make no doubt of you forwarding it as soon as posable ー The Inhabitants are Very Friendly & Give all the Assistance they dare to do at Present ー had we a sufficient Force to Blockade the Garrison I make no Doubt of their Coming to our Assistance in great Numbers ー As it will Doubtless take some Time in bringing Down your Artillery, would it not be better if you Can Spare them to send down five or Six hundred Men who Joined to my little Corps will be able to Cut of[f] their Comunicat[ion] with the Country I am dear Genl [&c.]