[Extract]
My Dear General

I this moment Returned from Still Water where I have been To give Some Directions about Conveying the provisions forward to our Troops in Canada  immediately upon the Receipt of The Letters which I forwarded to your Excellencey I Draughted a Number of Men for the Batteaus from the Regiments here being well Convinced that the Men appointed for that purpose would not in a year Carry forward provisions Enough to Last our Troops a month, I sent off all the Batteaus to half Moon, (the Night the Express arrived) well Loaded with Pork  our Men tho unacquainted with the River carried up the Batteaus & Returned again Early in the morning  I had them immediately Loaded & Sent off againn when I had ordered them Constantly to Make two trips in 24 hours I thought best to proceed up the River to See whether it went from there without being Delayed by the Indolence of Such Rascally Batteau men & waggoners as we are Cursed with in this City. when I arrived at half Moon (about twelve miles from hence) Early on the 15 Inst to my Surprize I found three hundred Barrels (which I had sent forward) Lying on the Beach without any teams to Carry them to Still Water about twelve Miles further  I Enquired for the waggon Master & was Informed he was at his own House About Six Miles off  I Immediately wrote him of the Necessity of his Exerting himself  at this time I heard of Some waggons ready to Enter the Service at New City  I immediately ordered the Commissary there to Send for & Employ them, ー I then proceeded the Same Day to Still Water  there I found Some Batteaus Setting off with one oar and a paddle  Some indeed had Neither  Some of them making one trip to Saratoga Falls in a Day & Some but one in two days Though the Distance is but Sixteen miles & the water not half so Rapid as between this & half Moon. I immediately Draughted a number of water men from Colo Winds Regiment for the Batteaus  ordered a party to make proper oars & Paddles and with assistance of the overseer there Contrived matters So that two trips may be made in twenty four hours (at least Double the Number they have heretofore made)...