My Dear Colonel,

I intended to have devoted yesterday to answer your kind Letters by last monday's post; but unexpected business intervened, which prevented me and this day I find my obligation increased by the receipt of yours of the 1st Inst ー I must now content myself with assuring you that I am very sensible of your Friendship, and acquainting you with the occurrences in this part of the world; the only return in my power for your kindness. Genl Washington having intelligence that Genl Clinton with a body of troops had sailed from Boston, & suspecting their intention was to make a lodgment in N.York; dispatched Genl Lee, to prevent it. Lee arrived there last week with 1100 men; & on the same day in pops Clinton, who had been seperated from his fleet in a snow storm. finding Lee there, he & Tryon assured the town upon their honor that the troops were not destined for N York & nothing hostile was intended agst them. Lee knowing the cue of the Ministry & all their agents, continued to call in more forces. this day he sent us an e[x]press that one of the transports full of soldiers was arrived & several others seen at the hook. however as Lee had 4000 men, it is immagined Clinton will comply with part of his honorable engagement, & attempt nothing agst N.York; but proceed to Virga which place, some Gentlemen (in pretended confidence) were assured, was the original destination of the fleet so that perhaps old bess will not long remain lean. Clinton's pretended rendezvous is at Hampton road, where he is to be joined by a fleet from England with 5 Regiments. his present force is supposed to be 6 or 700 men. I fear your want of Arms & good Genls will make this little army very formidable to you. We have not yet apply'd to Congress for yr Genl Officers, nor do we know where they will be got; those that are good for any thing seem to have their hands full to the North & Eastward. whenever they are appointed, you may be assured I will not fail to put in a good word for my young friend Landon. Had we not been deceived in our intelligence respecting the 30 tons of powder, Boston in all probability, wou'd now be in our possession; but alas! for want of that necessary, the favorable season has passed away, without anything being effected; & now the nest must remain probably till next winter. however we have now in hand 117 tons of saltpetre, 13 of powder & 300 stand of arms; the utmost dispatch is using to manufacture the Saltpetre, which will soon enable us to answer all demands, wch are now very great from all quarters; but we expect in the present scramble for the 13 tons, to get one or two for Virga Our affairs in Canada are in as a good a situation as we cou'd expect since our unfortunte attempt upon Quebec. we have no doubt of having a sufficient force there to render a good acct of Carlton before he can be reinforced. Capt Manly of the Lee, now of the Hancock, is daily taking some of their supply transports; in return for which two Ships loaded by the Congress to procure military stores, have fallen into the Enemy's hands.

I find Ld D[unmore] is endeavouring to perswade the settlers on the Rivers to remain quiet, & not remove their stocks & provisions. no doubt till he is enabled to come & ease them of them all. tis strange that this monster, & the rest of his infernal tribe shou'd expect to be credited by a single person; after the innumerable instances of cruelty, rapacity, & perfidy, fresh in every ones mind, which they have exhibited in every part of the world. The Minsterial scheme agst [Stephen] Sayre & others was this. The workmen leaving the docks, demanding higher wages, applying to the American friends to supply them with money to convey them out of the Kingdom; was all under the direction of Ld Sandwich, in order to bring the Americans under the penalty for inveigling the King's workmen out of the Kingdom. It was about to take effect when One more honest than the rest of his fellows, disclosed the whole affair to the Alderman ² ー This failing, their next plan is, to make one Richardson a native of this City whome they have made an officer in the Guards, swear away the life of Sayre, & it is apprehended [of] the other also. Is it possible that any one can expect any thing good from such abandoned Villains? from them & [all] their hellish plots Good Lord deliver us. Our best respects to sabine Hall, & believe me Dear Col. [&c.]

To Col. Landon Carter of Sabine Hall
Richmond County Virginia