Dear Sir On the determination to quit Boston, We Were employed from the Eighth Instant to the 17th in Embarking the provisions and Stores, which we with great trouble and labour Effected, Except leaving the four

Sea Morters and about twenty ps of Iron Cannon which were Spiked, ー We

Ei:ncbarked on the 17 Instt at the Long Wharf, Handcocks Wharf, and

Hatches Wharf in good order, and without any appearance of an Attack from the Rebells; there were traverses thrown up near liberty tree, & on the

Wharfs; and the retreat was covered By the Granedrs & light Infantry; the detachments on Charlestown hights, came off at the same time. Several familys have embarked with us, among .whome are the Commissioners, Mr

Letchmore, Mr Fitcher, Mr Logdes, and several others with whome you were not so well acquainted, those peoples Situation is realy deplorible

On the Night of the 16 Instt the Rebells threw up a Work on Forsters hill, from whence we Expected they wou'd Cannonade the Ships going down; but they did not fire a Shot, And from all appearence they seemed well pleased with our Departure, and that their town is not destroyed, which they were given to understand woud be the case, if they gave us the least interruption in our Embarkation; I am sorry to say our Soldiers & Sailors commited many irregularities for a day or two before we Embarked, by breaking into houses & destroying a great deal of Valuable furniture ー particularlly that Value furniture of Mr Smiths, the house in which you took leave of Genl Howe. I had the pleasure to deliver Your house with every thing in it in good order to Mr Bulfinch, about an hour b~fore we Embarked, and have no doubt but Mrs Apthorp is now in it, I gave her Son Thomas Apthorp a bill on you for the Years Rent you agreed to pay her amounting to Sixty pounds Sterling. It was lucky for her I remained in it, by that means her furniture was preserved.

The Works at Castle William was blown up the twentieth at Night and the Block-houses and Barracks burnt, and that Island rendered intirely useless to the Rebells

The whole fleet are now in Nantasket Road fiting for Sea and its said we will proceed to Halifax in a day or two, We are greatly Crouded in the transports and very short of some Species of Provisions, and if some Victualers do not very soon Join us, we shall be in a bad way. I believe there never was Twenty three British Regiments in such a Situation as we are at present.

I am Embarked in a small Store Ship with Captn Handfeild & family Captn M[a]rr (both brothers Assistants) & two More Officers; We are kept busy from Morning to Night, and I cant help saying my Situation is very different from what your good intentions ment or I Expected, could I have forseen what I have met with since your departure, I woud never have been in this department; but its too late now to look back.

Mr Haldimand is very well & embarked with his Regiment, on board a fine large India Man. this bustle seems to please him, and he makes his way very well

The Rebell privateers continue to insult us, five of them appeared off the light house Yesterday in sight of our fleet, and they have taken Several Ships within this last Month, in short I do not see any great alteration for the better since the departure of Admiral G[rave]s who was' so obnoxtious.

This ー Letter goes by the Lord Hyde Packet, which is said will Sail tomorrow. I give it in Charge to Mr Thompson 2 a Gentleman of New England, who came .in to. us last Winter and is a very Genteel Young Man, he is well informed of 0 everything passing here, and can gfve you much Satisfaction in those Matters. I have therefore taken the liberty of Introducing him to you-We have not had any late Arivals from England, a Sloop came in Yesterday which had 19 Weeks passage from the Downs. have had but One Letter from you (dated the 2d Septr) since your Departure, which makes me very anxious. '1 hope you have got all mine. I never miss an oppertunity.

How Glad I am you wrote for Mrs Fairchild She is lucky to be out of this Screap I hope I shall soon hear of her & Watsons safe arrival; Old Juba is still alive and Embarked with me, between my Man John & I, he does not fare badly-I have not heard from New York these five Weeks, nor do I know any thing of your Affairs there or in Mereland. we have no Communication with the Southern Provinces; Chamier tells me will send you bills for £200 by this Packet, and Mr Nicol paid me the other day Sixty three dollars on Accot of his note to you which Money I gave to Mr Haldimand as he was in want of so much.

A Man of War is Just now come in from Virginia, 12 days passage, 3 they say they are all in Arms in that Country, and Confirms the Accot we had of Lord Dunmores having burnt N orfolck ー Genll Clinton has left that for North Carolina

About 3 Weeks ago I sent my Phaeton, Horses, Chair, & yr Sulky by a friend to Jamaica to be sold for produce, which I desired he wou'd take with him to London, and deliver it to your Nephew, Mr Haldimand for my Accot I hope he will Excuse my taking this freedom with him as I did not know any Merchant in London to whom I could have Con~igned it. It was lucky I sent thelil off, I shoud otherwise have lost them, Capt Reid who came here with Porter & Coal for the troops and was a Pensacola acquaintance is the person by whom I sent them, I have given him a direction to Mr. Haldimand.

Genll [James] Robertson is very well and desires his Compliments, he & [Sir James] Grant go off tomorrow to Halifax with the first Division of the fleet. What wou'd I give for one hour or two Conversation with you, I could tell you many things I cannot write. God grant I may some day have the happiness to see youー

I must beg you will remember me to [Dietrich] Brehm, I long to hear from him, I know nothing of our Regt but that [Stephen] Kemble has got a Majority, I hope he has got a Company. I am not uneasy for my self I know you will take care of me when promotion comes to my turn. Its Mortifying to see a number of boys getting Majoritys in this Army, and I can have no Chance, I may well say I serve here for five Shillings a day only.

I was so lucky to get Brehm twenty. Guineas for his horse about a Month ago. Its so much out of the fire I will send him a bill on Mr Ross for it-

I do not know if you'll be able to read this Letter I write so inconveniently in a crouded & lumbered Cabin, be my situation as it may, I will not let slip any oppertunity of writing to you, being with the greatest Respect &

Esteem Dr Sir [&c.]

Fran Hutcheson

I rejoice every day you are releived from so disagreeable a Service as you wou'd have had here