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Sr  Immediately after the departure of Lieut Fook late of the Lizard, with Duplicates of Genl Carletons & my dispatches which were sent by the Hunter Sloop, intelligence was received from St Ann's of Ships being in the River & all the Pilots we could procure, for the Navigation between Quebec & Montreal were got in readiness to conduct them to three Rivers without Anchoring here. Accordingly on the 27th Ultmo from break of Day, the Transports from Ireland which came under the Convoy of the Captains [Robert] Fanshaw & [Thomas] Wilkinson in the Carysfort & Pearl (with a most propitious Gale for Old England) successively arrived. And as many as we had Pilots for, sailed on without stopping, towards Richlieu, near to which the Triton Frigate was then stationed to regulate their passage thro' the rapids. Afterwards as the Winds failed some of the Troops moved up by land along the River side supplying themselves on their March, with Provisions out of Vessels placed for that purpose; and for facilitating their passage over the Mouths of the several Streams which disembogue into the St Lawrence between this & the Town of three Rivers.

The Pilots which brought them up to this Bason, having forthwith been sent back; on the 2d Inst from Spithead (Convoy'd by the Captains Dalrymple & Pownoll) in the Juno & Blonde began to arrive; And under the careful & judicious inspection of Capt Lutwidge of the Triton, the whole thereof in succession (as likewise the Ordnance Vessels) also passed the rapids aforesaid such few Ships only excepted, as drew too much Water & moreover such as contained the two Regiments of Brunswic, which are stationed here. The Troops of which Dukedom are remarkably healthy & justly admired for their Martial Appearance & strict discipline.

Both the Fleet of Transports, having thus; greatly to the honor of their conductors got thro' a very long & latterly a very critical Navigation without a single untoward Accident; the Blonde & Triton Frigates having been properly lightened; also passed the Rapids of Richlieu on the 8th And made a most respectable appearance at Three Rivers; which added to that of the Ld Howe & Bute Armed Ships commanded by the Captains [Thomas] Pringle & Parry & of about Eighty sail more of various denominations in the very heart of Canada has been of great advantage to His Majestys Service: in impressing (as may shortly appear) the Canadians & Indians with Wonder, and as, has already appeared, the Minds of the rebels with fear & astonishment.

To give their Lordships the best account I can of the late defeat of a great rebel Detachment or rather Corps near the Town of three Rivers I send you a Copy of a Letter; written upon that occasion; from Capt [Henry] Harvey of the Marten Sloop: whose prudent & spirited behaviour in various critical & Watchful situations since he & Capt [Robert] Linzee chased the rebel Craft up the River the Day Quebec was relieved cannot be too much commended The Rebel Detachment in question; which is said to have consisted of 2500 expected to have to do with 4 or 500 of ours only; crossed the River in the Fifty Batteaus & was under the command of one they call a General now a Prisoner on board the Blonde, as are 2 or 300 more on board Transport ships (or being Wounded) in the Hospital on Shore, where they are treated with great care & tenderness. As their resistance was feeble our loss only amounted to two killed and Ten Wounded: theirs was much more considerable in both respects.

Capt Pownoll of the Blonde having with the utmost care & ability put things in the best Order possible for the purpose, the second & third Divisions of Transports, Artillery Ships &c &c under the guidance of Capt Pringle with the Lieuts Hayne, Edgar, Cumming & Butler, subordinate to him on that important Service, joined the Martin Sloop & the first on the 14th in the entrance of St Peters Lake, as did the Armed Schooners, Magdalen, Maria, & Brunswic, commanded by the Lieutenants Nunn, Starke, & Longcroft. And I send you a Copy of Capt Harveys Letter of the 16th that their Lordships may know how rapid our progress has been, in consequence thereof: the numerous rebels having evacuated all their Posts with the utmost precipitation on the Fleets appearance; their favorite & strong one at the Mouth of the Sorel (without firing a Gun) not excepted. Flying abouta Days March before Genl Burgoyne (who to lose no time had put himself at the head of some Grenadiers, light Infantry & Canadian Volunteers) and burning sinking or otherwise destroying their five Schooners many Batteaus a floating Battery Cannon Provisions & Stores: They have reduced the Forts of Chamblee & St Johns (at which last they left Twenty two pieces of Cannon) to Ashes, together with the fine dwelling House of Colo Christie situated in the close Neighbourhood of the last mentioned Fort ー The General having with unremiting diligence got near that strong place when the hindmost of the fugitive Rebels set fire to it ー Nor is it supposed they will be either able or willing to make any long stand at the Isle aux Noix which is situated at this end of the lake Champlain. Those who fled from Montreal compelled some of the Merchants of that place, to part with sundry of their Goods to a very considerable Amount, some of them leaving for the Owners Congress Dollars or other Paper by way of Payment: others not even of that airy Currency ー

The Rebels being thus in Six Weeks reckoning from the Day His Majestys Ships under my command arrived here, quite expelled from this Country; after a resistance on every occasion hithert[o] as flimsy & absurd as were their Motives for taking up Arms against their Sovereign: It now remains finally to expell them from Lake Champlain And their instigators at Philadelphia will now begin to recollect the Day of the Month, on which their proposed Conquest of this Province was resolved.

The business of the Navy in this River being now almost over, I have a singular pleasure in hereby assuring their Lordships that the Zeal, Vigour & Unanimity of His Maj's Servants on both Elements, Animated as one Man in their Countrys Cause, have to the best of my observation & retrospect on this expedition equalled those of the most spirited Years within my remembrance & the respectable Names herein mentioned who mostly served during the last War do well deserve the future Confidence of my Lords Commrs of the Admiralty.

Mr Robert McEvoy first Lieut of this His Majts Ship whom I beg most earnestly to recommend on this occasion has the honor of (herewith) waiting on their Lordships And is accompanied by Major Le Maitre who carries Genl Carleton's Dispatches I am &c