[Extract]

General [John] Thomas arrived here on Thursday [March 28], and will move in a very few Days ー As the Season is so far advanced that it might be possible for the Enemy to reinforce Quebec before he could reach it, unless he goes by Water, we have both concluded that it will be most prudent to take as many Batteaus as may be necessary to convey the Troops, Baggage, Artillery and Stores down the Sorrel and St Lawrence: besides the Dispatch which this will give, it will relieve the Men from the almost insuperable Fatigue of a March of two hundred Miles, in roads that will be extremely deep, and also save the heavy Expence of the Land Transportation, nor can he do without a Number of Batteaus in the St Lawrence to bring provisions from Chamble ー For all this Service .about seventy Batteaus may suffice, and we shall then have about an equal Number left in the Lakes: a Number much too small, under the Situation that our Affairs will in all probability soon be in, in Canada ー ...