Gentlemen,

An armed Schooner, two Row Gallies & a small Brigg¹ passed the Cheveaux De­ frize & are ought of Sight up the River this Morning. They can have very few if any Men on Board; but they may be able notwithstanding to distroy Effects which may be found in Stores on the Banks of the River. I therefore give you this early Notice of this Movement that you may Order out small Parties to such Places on the River at which there are any Public Stores or other valuable Effects—this I am sure will se­cure them. I woud advise that proper Care be taken to defend Kingston Landing. The few Pieces of Artillery you have ought to be taken to the most suitable Place for that Purpose. Our Galley² moved up the River some Miles before the Enemy.

If we had Round Shott for our 24 lb'r we might make this small Fleet very un­ easy in the River but this we have not, nor do I know any nearer than Albany to which Place I begg you woud send for 100 of that Size & 200 for 4lb'rs. Three Waggons will bring the whole. I wish [to know]³ how soon I may have them; they are essentially necessary; indeed I believe I may venture [to] say

Sir James Wallace who commands this Musquito Fleet woud not have ventured to pass the Cheveaux Defrize had we been able to use our 24 lbr. whose Axle Tree was [broke] at the Time but is now repaired.

I have no late Accounts from the Enemy below. Genl. Putnam just now writes me that he hears they have Landed & are about moving up, but dont mention on which Side the River; his Letter implies on this. I sent a Party out yesterday to look in Forts Montgomery & Constitution; they are not yet Returned. Capt. Wooster⁴ who went in with a Flagg returned yesterday Evening; he was received on Board a Ship about a Mile this Side Fort Montgomery; he thinks they were destroying the Works there & at Fort Clinton as from the Smoak he judged them to be on Fire. Genl. Vaughan⁵ Commands there; Genl. Clinton was Absent. Vaughan's Aid De Camp answered my Letter by informing the Prisoners were sent to N. York, that any Thing I wanted to send them might be sent on Board the Advanced Ship & from thence woud be forwarded to them Directed to Mr. Geo. Clinton Fishkill. No List sent me but all Colo. Du Bois's Officers missing are Prisoners with Major Lush, Colo. Allison & Mc­ Claghry.⁶ The later has seven wounds but none dangerous.

I am distressed for want of Horse Men. The Duty is too hard for Capt. Wood­hull's small Company. Capt. Salisburry's Company of Light Horse (a few to attend you as Expresses) must immediatly Join me for which please to given him an order as I have not at present Time to do it. The Communication being now cut off be­tween Genl. Putnam & me & before I had a proper Supply of Ammunition, I must begg you will forward me to the Artillery Park Shawangonk 10,000 Catridges for Small arms of different Sizes.

I am this Moment favoured with your Letter of Yesterday. The Militia of Shawan­gonk are now with me. I have sent a proper Guard there from another Quarter for  the Artillery, which in my Opinion is much better than to leave Men of the Neigh­bourhood for that Purpose.

Colo. Snyder's Regiment⁷ may continue at Kingston to throw up the necessary Works to defend the Landing & Town. The rest of the Reinforcement from the North­ward must immediatly join me. Were the whole to continue with you they woud not be able to meet the Enemy shoud they pass by and land near Kingston; & shoud they take their Route by Land which is most likely with my Present Force which consists only of the Militia of this Quarter of the Country: two small Continental Regim'ts & Colo. Southerland's Regt.⁸ consisting of 130 Men—Out of these I have strong Guards along the River Shore who have Orders to keep Pace with the Vessels now in the River & throw themselves between them & Kingston Landing shoud they go that high up. I am perswaded it is not only for the Safety of Kingston, which I have much at Heart but for that of the Country in Genl. that I shoud have my whole Force collected to one Point, as in that Case I shall be able to meet & oppose the Progress of the Enemy or at least throw myself in between the Enemy & such Places as may be an Object with them to gain which shall be my constant Care to do. I am [&c.]

From many Circumstances I am perswaded the Enemy are about moving. Genl. Clinton's being out when my Flagg was down yesterday—This small Fleet coming up the River confirms me in this Oppinion And I believe it will be by Land agt some of our Stores & ravage the Country.