[Extract]

You are hard to please if you do not consider the evacuation as important news, although I still do not know why and how it took place. I refuse to believe that General Howe abandoned this fortified town needlessly just for the fun of it. I will not ask you what the Ministers think or say about it. Most certainly they will try to put on a good appearance in the face of adversity; it is their role with regard to the public .. But I shall remain unconvinced that they are very happy within themselves. It was to Boston that the major part of their forces was to go, and it was from there that they were to make their most important strikes. Undoubtedly the Insurgents will not be so generous and leave the doors open to them. And now a new plan of campaign must be drawn precisely at the time when the operations were to begin. The result of this event which you consider with such indifference may well be that if the campaign is not a total failure it will be carried with very little vigor and it will be quite an accomplishment if they manage to secure a few positions from which they can attack the Insurgents more successfully another year. I do not know if the latter are lacking anything for their defense, but I have knowledge that they are quite skillful in obtaining all sorts of ammunition in great quantity from a neighbor of ours. 2 Regardless of the precautions taken in order to intercept this assistance, they will continue receiving it as long as they pay as quickly as they have been doing until now according to what I have heard. If you ask me what is the source of their money, I will answer you very simply, Sir, that I do not know. However, they must have plenty of resources since the merchants are so anxious to serve them.