[Extract]

Philad March 15. 1776

You have had much Reason to think the Congress neg[lects] your Camp in the Article of Ammunition, but I hope by the Time this reaches you ー Ten Tons of our last Importati[o]n will be in your Camp ー the Vessel brought but 350 Stand of Arms but they are the best yet imported.ー

... A Man of War & some Tenders lately went up to Baltimore & gave them an Alarm which drove all their Women Children & valuable Effects out of Town but we have heard nothing since ...

Not a Syllable yet from our Fleet it is 4 Weeks tomorrow since they left our Capes ー Should they fall in with Clinton the 12 Men of War convoying the Transports to Virginia it is all over with them ー & we think there is very great Danger of it. My next must certainly give some Intelligence.ー

Now for our own News. The Packet arrived last Week at New York & in her came Passengr Mr Robert Temple (Owner of the late beautiful Farm) below our Lines he came to Town last Night, the Report is that in Papers under his Buttons he has brought a Letter from Arthur Lee advising that the Commissioners are coming out instructed to settle the Dispute to get from us as much as they can, but if Peace cannot be had on their Terms to make It on ours. I mention it to you as a Report for to me it seems so inconsistent with all that we have seen & heard that I do not believe a Word of it. I shall get more certain Intelligence soon of his Business & it shall make a Part of my next Letter. ...

We have had a Vessel Load of Linneus on Acct of Congress arrived within these few Days past but I do not hear a Word of Tents ー what our Army is expected to do without them I cannot conceiveー

Mr Deane of Connectic[u]t is gone to Europe his Errand may be guessed tho' little is said about it. ー The french Vessels begin to find their Way to our Ports two or three having come in this Spring, but their Cargoes are chiefly West India Goods [and] very little Powder merely as a Cover.

Since writing the above I have conversed wi.th some Gentlemen who have seen Mr Temple ー I find he only bring two Letters writ by Dr Lee to himself & that his Information of the Power of the Commissioners is not built on any certain Authority but rather his own Conjectures.