I have found as I had expected that this country is in inconceivable agitation, the confederates are making immense preparation for the next spring and in spite of the rigours of the season they continue the campaign. They besieged Montreal which has capitulated and are actually before Quebec which I think will soon fall also. They have seized several of the King's vessels filled with provisions of war and food. They are perfectly entrenched before Boston; they have even built a small Navy: they have unbelievable spirit and good will. It is true they are led by some wise leaders. They lack three important things: A good Navy, provisions and money; They agree with me. I am going to tell you word for word about 3 special conversations I had with M. Franklin and 3 other good men who compose the Privy Council. ² I entered into their intimacy as a private individual through the channel of an honest Frenchman of whom I am sure and who has got a long way into the confidence of the deputies. This Frenchman is named Daymons. ³ I commend him to you. He is city librarian. Everything you send me will arrive at my address and my packets will be marked AB and will be given me.

I made no offer to them, absolutely none, promising only to give them all the service I can without compromising myself and without vouching for events in any fashion, and all this through my friends and without giving them any secrets. They asked whether France would aid them and at what cost. I told them I thought France wished them well, if she would aid them that that might well be; on what terms, that I didn't know ー but that if it happened it would be always under fair conditions and equitable ones; that, for the rest, if they judge it expedient, they make their propositions ー that I have good friends, that I promise to present their requests without anything more. They asked me whether it would be prudent to send an empowered deputy to France. I told them I imagined this would be precipitous even hazardous; that everything is known about London in France and about France in London, and that the step would singe the English beard; that if they could trust me with something perhaps I would have replies that could decide their conduct, that otherwise I could not counsel them in any way, that I was a private person, a curious traveller, but I should be charmed if by means of my knowledge I could render them any service. That I would not expose them, neither I nor anyone; that matters of such consequence were too delicate to be thoughtless about, especially having no right or power, that I guarantee only one thing: not to betray their confidence.

There are only 5 in the privy council, whose names I shall give you at the end of my letter. Everything they do is well done and has force without the sanction of Congress which is very numerous and into which have slipped several false brothers. They have discovered one recently who evaded punishment by flight. ⁴ I often have interviews with them as a private person. Each comes by dusk by different routes to a marked place. They give me their confidence, after telling them that I promise, offer and can reply nothing and after warning them several times that I act as a private well-wisher.

Here is the result of our interviews, which they asked me to give to my acquaintances the same as all the confidences we shall have in the future, and even over the state of their affairs without asking me to whom and how and where I address myself, regarding me as a private person in whom they have confidence.

1st Their affairs are in good state and of this I am sure, having emissaries in more than one place and whom I pay for information. They hope to open the campaign with success; I have just this minute learned that the savages of the Five Nations have sent their chiefs to the general assembly, that they wish to be neutral, but if conditions require they will fight for the Americans. They are powerful, to be feared and were won through gifts. ⁵ Lord Dunmore, Commanding in Virginia succeeded in getting a considerable detachment; he published a proclamation to free the slaves; he has seized Norfolk and fortified it. Virginians aided by Carolinians militia have fought him three different times, have retaken Norfolk, ruined the fortifications, and obliged Dunmore to retire to the King's vessels ten or twelve miles from the city where they are going to attack him if the ice permits.

The royalists have taken the road to New York to block it. Gen. [Charles] Lee has gone there with 5000 men. ⁶

They are persuaded that they cannot maintain themselves without a nation to protect them from the sea, that only two powers are in a position to help them: France and Spain, but they know the differences between them. I also made them feel the superiority our King has over Spain. They are convinced, they are even resolved (perhaps have been for a long time) to implore his majesty but they want to wait until the campaign can be open because many people lean towards the King still, who has not yet done them enough harm. They would perhaps see with uneasiness a foreign nation mingling in their affairs. They want to win them over and make them feel the need for aid; in that I think them prudent. They expect their cities to be destroyed and their homes burned which would make them abhor the leopards. They have sent without consulting me a brigantine to Nantes called John or St. John, captain Charles Forest, ⁷ addressed to M. Jean Daniel Schweighauser. This vessel will carry my letter. I am embarking a man of whom I am sure, I shall also find another way of writing to you but it is important that no word escape you. Here are the requests they pray me to present for them. The ship is full of flour and other productions of the country which they want to exchange against other things of another nature; as the cargo being imported will exceed that being exported they pray that the difference will be sent to Santo Domingo to the place and persons indicated to them and that the payment will be made in commodities of the country as they are without money. If means can be found to pass the same sort of merchandise into different parts of Santo Domingo, my correspondents will go there to get them at their own peril and risk; They wish two men capable of building fortifications. If this comes about they will go to seek them in Cape Francois which is the surest route by which to get them here, because if by mischance they are captured they would risk nothing, the people of these hot countries often come to regain their health. Here for the present are their requests, they will pay the costs, and they have begged me to make them known to my connections. I would offer them my few talents for the purpose but I cannot stay in one place and am obliged to run all day.

You receive news from me as often as possible and I shall give you by letter everything that happens. They are themselves so persuaded of the good will of France toward them that they prayed me if I had several good friends to tell them what they are thinking which I promised them without anything more. If you judge it proper, send our ship soon. Time presses. My messenger has orders in case of pursuit in coming and going to throw the papers in the sea. You can with complete confidence reply to me through him at the address marked in the heading of my letter.

I beg you, for me, to write to M. Buff on, merchant at Havre, to reclaim two trunks which must have been sent to his address, they are valuable to me because this country is expensive. I am obliged to make secret expenditures and I economize money only for myself. If you can recover them please have them sent to Nantes to M. Tessier's our agent at Nantes and my correspondent, who will see them aboard. If they are not at Havre please write to Chevalier de B———— to start a search for them promptly. I should tell you that M. Daymons has just received a letter from M. Pie Depere of whom I spoke to you in Europe, dated from Ft. Dauphin, which tells him four cargoes of merchandise are enroute. I have the honor of telling you that I have urged nothing, vouched for nothing, absolutely nothing; they have great confidence in me and I am in the most secret matters. They have not even asked me to whom or where I appeal, in any way.

Everyone here is a soldier. The troops are well clothed, well paid, and well commanded. They have about 50,000 men hired and a greater number of volunteers who do not wish to be paid. Judge how men of this character fight. Reply to me as soon as possible to send off the ship and try to have it bring my trunks. I have confidence in the one who carries my letter; without that I would not write to you so openly. You can write to me freely by him. He is aboard ship as passenger. I have thought of going myself to inform you about everything but I haven't dared to. Make a reply to all the parts of my letter and send instruction for me because matters are so delicate that with all the good will possible I walk trembling although I am obliged to go forward because time presses. I have told them nothing which could make them believe I am in correspondence with the minister and I act as a private person, but I believe (and I have strong reasons for this) that they imagine I have not come directly from Anvers in the winter without good reasons. They have only the more confidence in me and treat me with flattering regard. I am enclosing to you a little note that the Privy Council sent me this morning by Daymons, a steady man and one of great use to me. I made the reply that you shall see after telling them that this is between person and person and after receiving from them the strongest assurances that they do it only to communicate their doubts and beg me to enlighten them as much as a man can who neither takes part in nor understands affairs of state.

I know everything of the greatest secrecy that takes place and their deliberations are communicated to me and by flattering them and giving them a free hand I can do as I please. They have all said they are fighting to become free and that they will succeed at no matter what price, that they are linked by oath and that they will cut each other up rather than yield that they know well that they cannot maintain themselves at sea and that only France is in a condition to protect their commerce without which their country cannot flourish, that they are ignorant whether in case it comes to propositions France would be willing to have for awhile exclusive trade with them to pay it back the costs that their cause will occasion, that they could not pay for a neutrality even a little help in case of war between the two nations and of an unalterable attachment ー things they are never deficient in.

I replied that it does not concern me that they are prudent and wise, that they should discuss their interests but that he who requests does not always make the law. They are more powerful than one might think ー it surpasses one's imagination and one is surprised. Nothing dismaying them, plan accordingly. The news is that two French officers arrived at camp with proposals to make. ⁸ They asked me what I thought about it. I replied that I knew nothing about it, that it seemed strange to me, that France is very powerful and far from offering, she does not always grant, what is asked of her.

You will know all that happens and will not have false news from me. Combine your wishes in my letters, I repeat that my man is safe. He is a passenger on the ship. I have done nothing indiscreet and everything is covered with an impenetrable veil of secrecy.

No one can gain their confidence ahead of me or get around them as I can. I can reveal to you all their deliberations as I know them all but actually they consist of the means of procuring munitions.

I have not written you for a long time. It is not my fault. I had a terrible trip. I was at sea 100 days. I thought I should perish twenty times. I was reduced daily to two biscuits, worm-eaten, a bit of dried beef and foul water in small amounts and nothing more and taking in more than 40 tons of water every 24 hours. Watch the underlined parts of my letter.

In case the ship returns loaded you would do me a great service if you can without danger mark ten or twelve bundles of merchandise with the letters AB. That would help me and would cost little. I am obliged to have expenses and I spare money only for myself.

I shall write to you often by Santo Domingo where I have a safe man and my close friend. I do my best and I shall be very unhappy if I do not satisfy you. You know my attachment for you and you do not doubt that I remain ー your humble and respectful servant ー

PS  I have just learned that the Royalists little by little are evacuating Boston where there is food only for a month and none can be received. Everything is intercepted and even the inhabitants as well as the troops are reduced to the most frightful extremity. If you could do me the pleasure of sending me a study of mathematics with a treatise of fortifications and attack and defense of fortresses by M. de Vauban ⁹ this is something I need and cannot be found here. I work day and night, happier if I should succeed. I begin to speak good English.

Here is the note that I just told you about. I have the original in English written by the hand of these gentlemen:

Here is my reply; if this succeeds they told someone (from whom I know everything that happens) that they would regard me as one of their members and would do nothing without my advice. They regard me as their liberator.

Reply of M. de B. to the note of the Privy Council:

I have just learned this moment that they have captured two richly laden transport vessels, but also they have lost one of their corsairs. ¹⁰ They shall have in the month of April more than 30 ships armed (with a dozen to forty cannon). They have left the English flag and have taken as arms a rattlesnake and which has thirteen of them as well as an arm carrying 13 arrows to represent the 13 provinces of the continent. Royalists have sent American prisoners to London. Gen. Washington who had sent a summons to get them back, having received a rough reply, announced that if any harm is done to the prisoners, he will make reprisals on almost 3000 he has and almost all officers and it is agreed as I have just learned that if that happens no harm will be done to the English prisoners but that they will hold back no longer and that minute will ask for foreign assistance. You will know sooner than I what happens to these unfortunate people. Let me know ー that would have a good effect. Boston is being besieged.

You will receive two letters from me but rather indifferent ones, by two ships which are going to France without letting me know. They told me they looked on me as a man coming to help and aid them but also if I am to render them any service I should know with what men I am dealing and how they are to be known and that they regard me as one of their members. I know all that through a good emissary and one whom I cannot do without. They asked me today whether I have acquaintances in Miquelon. I said no. They are very anxious to pass provisions through there, because they have good facilities to go and get them here.

Here are the names of the savages who have sent their chiefs to the assembly and have formed an alliance with the Americans to wit:

Tuscaroras, Onondagas, Senecas, Mohawks & Cayugas.

Here are the names of the Privy Council to wit:

[Benjamin] Franklin, [Benjamin] Harrison, [Thomas] Johnson, [Jr.] John Dickinson, [John] Jay.

In folding my letter the paper tore a little. This so you won't worry. I am sure of my man. Two Frenchmen came here yesterday leading a large convoy which has, they say, brought a good provision of powder. ¹¹ I will not write to you by the two vessels which are going to Europe and of which I told you. I thought that useless having nothing more to tell you.

Address the brigantine St. John, Captain Charles Forest, at M. Jean Daniel Schweighauser's.

Another will leave for the same port within 12 days, and I shall write by it. If that succeeds all will be well.