Dear Sir

Monday Night [March 4] Two Thousand men under the Command of Brigadier General [John] Thomas took Possession of Dorchester Heights; a vast Quantity of Materials being previously Collected, especially, Chandiliers, & Fascines, our Troops were soon coverd, & long before day, began fo Break Ground to thicken their defences against The Enemys Cannon: ー To Conceal our design, & divert the Enemys Attention, a very Heavy Service of Cannon, & Mortars, began to Play upon the Town between ten, and Eleven, Saturday night; from our Three Fortified Batteries at Cobble Hill, Letchmeres Point, and Lambs Dam; this was continued all that night, and the two Succeeding; The Enemy return'd The Fire constantly, but allways ceased as we did in the Mornings. Our Shot must have made Great Havock amongst the Houses; as I am confident they Swept the Town, what Loss, otherwise suffer'd by the Enemy, we are Ignorant; as neither Townsman, nor Deserter, has yet come in to acquaint us! Monday morning at Sun rise, expecting The Enemy would attempt to Force our New Works upon the Heights, everything was prepared for their proper Reception; and a large Body of Troops were drawn up near Cambridge River, with Orders upon a Signal Given, to Embark on board the Flat Bottom'd Boats, and in Two Divisions push into Boston; but the Enemy disappointed us by remaining Sullen & Sulkey in Boston. suffering Our Works upon the Heights to be carried on without any other molestation, than now, & Then, a Feint Cannonade upon Dorchester N eck; & even this, ceased with the day; for neither side have since Fired a Shott at each other! by monday morning our Redoubts will be Finish'd, & Baracks for 600 Men; so all that Peninsula; may now be called Ours, as the Cannon on the Heights Commands the whole of it; The behaviour of The Enemy since Monday strongly indicates their intention of removing from Boston; as their Heavy Cannon, Powder, &c has been seen, & heard, Transporting from Bunkers Hill, and the upper parts of The Town, to the Wharfs next the Shiping, for several days past; & this morning a Quantity of Beding is Observed putting on board Transports at the Long Warf: ー before we are quite ready to advance our Batteries upon Dorches[te]r point, I suspect the Enemy will Embarque. a few days will shew if am, or am not mistaken; I was disappointed in not receiving yo[ur] High Mightyness's Act of Independency by the Last Post.

The Middle way, the best we sometimes call,

But 'tis in polliticks no way at all;

shew this immediately to my Worthy Friend T. Johnson,
² & remember I have begun to fullfill my Promise to You I am Dear Sir [&c.]