[Extract]
Dear Sir

Your Excellency's Favour of the 17th Instant was last Night delivered me by Mr Bennet.

If I had with me the Remonstrance of the Field Officers against quiting Crown Point. I should attempt to point out the Insufficiencys of each of the several Reasons they gave against the removal of the Army to Ticonderoga and which would at the same time shew on which I founded my Opinion of the propriety of the Measure but as the paper was left at Albany I shall curiously enter into some Observations ー The little time I have for reflecting on the Subject; the constant Interruptions from the Indians; Indisposition of Body and my Inability to convey my Ideas with that perspicuity the Subject merits, I hope will plead for the Inaccuracies which you will discover. Crown point is a peninsula which projects from the West side of Lake Champlain and runs down and almost paralell to both Sides of it ー the East side of the peninsula is bounded by the Waters of that part of the Lake, which flow from Skenesborough and Lake George, passing by Tyconderoga in their way; and the North East Corner of the peninsula is distant from the East shore of Lake Champlain about half a Mile or something better, but under three Quarters of a mile. The Northwest Corner of it is nearly, if not quite two Miles distant from the Western shore of the Lake ー If the Enemy should have a Naval superiority, our armed Vessels must retire to the Southward of Crown Point between that and Tyconderoga, or take Shelter under any Fortifications we might have there, In either Case the Enemy may go along the Western Shore; land in the Bay that forms the peninsula and attack any Force that may be at Crown Point from the Rear, or they may land on the East side of the Lake, below Crown point, and as the Country is flat, and in some parts improved, they may possess themselves of the East Shore; between Crown point and Ticonderoga, without any great difficulty, however Strong any Fortifications on the East side, opposite to Crown point, might be and hence all supplies must be cut off unless our Force at Crown point should embark in Batteaus & be sufficiently strong to land and repulse them, and there is little prospect that such an attempt would succeed, considering how infinitly better they are provided than we and what Advantages they would receive from the works they might throw up; besides the Last consideration permit me to subjoin that such is the Nature of the Ground at Crown point (the point faces to the North; fronts the Lake and is indented with small Bays, andabout one Mile broad in a streight line from the North Eastern to the Northwestern point) that the Fort which General Amherst erected there, was so exposed from the Grounds about it, that it required three or four strong Redoubts to cover it ー Redoubts, that were in themselves very considerable Fortifications and built at much expence, on Account of the Scarcit.y of Earth, insomuch as, that all the Fortifi cations ten Thousand Men could make in the Course of the Campaign would be far from formidable.

At Ticonderoga we are not exposed to these Dangers or Difficulties ー The Lake between the Fort and the intended Encampment on the East side of it, does not exceed half a Mile in Breadth ー Let us now suppose that the Enemy are capable of forcing our Armed Vessels to seek Shelter at Tyconderoga ー Nothing then is to obstruct their coming to that place Being come, let us suppose that they would land on the East side of the Lake ー The intended Camp is defended on the North by a large Creek and sunken Country, which effectually prevents any approaches from that Quarter, they must therefore take a Tour of several Miles to head the sunken Country before they can get into our Rear. If they do, are our supplies Cut off? No, ー for we have the communication by Lake George open, should they drive us out of the strong Camp on the East side; I think it impossible for twenty thousand Men to do it. ever so well provided if the Camp consists of less, than even a Quarter of that Number indifferently furnished; such is the natural Strength of the Ground but let us suppose that the Enemy should land on the West side and attempt to [drive] us thence; here we fight on an equal Footing (except what Advantages our Lines and Fortifications may give us) and we can oppose nine tenth of our Army to them; for they cannot prevent the junction of our Troops either way whenever they may please to join ー Let us suppose the worst ー They drive us from the Ground; we loose our Cannon, but they cannot prevent such as do not fall in the Engagement from retiring to the strong Camp. (A bare Inspection of A. good Map, if I had one to send your Excellency would I hope convince you of the Weight of these Narrations.

But if we are obliged to retreat from Ticonderoga will not their Vessels pass our Strong Camp and get between that and Skenesborough? I think it imposible for them to pass The passage is narrow the Channel more so: Our Vessels laying in Line of Battle on the South side of the Camp; their's oblidged to Come up by two at a time, at most: exposed to our Cannon in getting there, and when there at once attacked by our Vessels and our Batteries within point blank Shot.

But if the Enemy have possession of Ticonderoga will they not cut off our supplies! Yes. effectually any supplies attempted to be sent by the way of Lake George, but not those sent by the way of Skenesborough or thro the Towns laying in this Colony. on the East side of Lake Champlain between the Camp and New Hampshire and the Northern parts of Massachusetts.

But cannot the Enemy when in possession of Tyconderoga penetrate into this Colony by the way of Lake George and leave our Army in the strong Camp; Yes provided they take their Boats, provisions &c. Out of Lake Champlain on the North side of Tyconderoga and convey them by land into Lake George: the Distance between three and four Miles but as they cannot do this without our knowledge we can move any part of our Army by the Way of Skenesborough to Fort George before they can reach it, but as we have no Naval Force on that Lake, nor any strong Fortifications and if they are superior; and our Army not reinforced by Militia which I should hope would not be the case, we can retire from there to some place in the Vicinity of fort Edward, and bring away all the Carriages from the few Inhabitants that live there and I conceive that they would find it extreemly difficult if not impossible to move only such of their Boats and Necessaries, as they cannot dispense with over a fifteen Mile Land Carriage, even if they should be able to bring a considerable Number of Carriages each carrying four Barrels of pork or Flour (and they can bring no Carriages that will convey more) to transport one Days provision for 10,000 Men and the Carriages can only compleat a trip in two Days.

Upon the whole. I do not only think Ticonderoga infinitly preferable to Crown point for a Stand to be made, but so happily situated for us that I have very little Apprehension of General [John] Burgoyne's being able tosucceed in that Quarter unless there should be too great a Disparity of Numbers in his Favour.

I had almost forgot to Observe that your Excellency from the information you have had seems to entertain an Idea that the Situation of Crown point Is of the utmost importance especially if we mean to Keep the Superiority & Mastery of the Lake and that if its abandoned by us it is natural to suppose the Enemy will possess it and if they do that then our Vessels will be in their Rear, and it will not b"e in our power to bring them to Tyconderoga or the post opposite to it. Your Excellency will pardon me for a fieu Remarks on that passage of your Letter. Crown point lies about forty three Miles from the extreme South part of Lake Champlain. which is at Skenesborough. and about one hundred from the Northern Extreme, which is at St Johns ー The part of the Lake South of Crown point is Seldom in any place above two Miles wide from Crown point to about 1 [8] Miles North of it may be at a Medium about 3½ Miles three and four being the extremes; beyond that for about 56 Miles it is Seldom less than six or more than 14 or 15: but a Chain of Island running nearly parallel to the sides of the Lake lay in the broadest part on and nearly in the Middle so that the Width on each Side is about six Miles.

Let us now suppose our Navy to be in any part of the Lake to the Northward of and out of the Reach of the Cannon that may be at Crown point and there attacked by the Enemy, what assistance can it receive from any Fortifications at the point None surely and if worsted it must fly to the South Side of Crown point for shelter and the Enemy have the entire Mastery of the Lake. If Crown point was totally abandoned and if the Navy was attacked and worsted in any part to the Northward of Ticonderoga whether in Sight of that place or towards the North End of the Lake, the Consequences are exactly the same It must retire to the South of where the Army is. If we abandon Crown point, that the Enemy will possess themselves of it is Certain if they can do it. but if we suppose they can, we must not only suppose they can and will pass our Fleet altho their's should be inferior, or that they must have a Naval superiority ー If they can pass our Fleet any where beyond Crown point, their Army can attack ours at Crown point, if it is there, or at Tyconderoga if there in either Case our Ships will be in their Rear. But supposing, they could and would by some means or otherfrustrate our Intentions in having A Navy in the Lake (which Intention appears to be to prevent any Boats coming up) and pass by it altho superior to theirs Is it probable they will do it? Will they risk the Danger they may run if a fair Wind should enable our Ships to get up with them? Will they risk an Interception of their Supplies and a prevention of Retreat in Case of a Repulse? I think not but if their Navy is superior the keeping possession of the Lake is impossible. and then the Question now is, where is the best place to make a Stand with the greatest prospect of Advantage to us ー I think that place to be Tyconderoga and the Grounds opposite to it I may be mistaken. The only View I had in giving my opinion for removing the Army to these places was, that I thought it would there most advance the Interest of the Cause we are engaged in.

Altho I do not recollect that in the Resolution of the General Officers to move the Army from Crown Point, that it is observed that a small postwas to be kept there; from whence our Vessels might be supplied more readily than from Tyconderoga yet that was determined on...