My Lord,

After a most tedious Passage of nine Weeks, we safely arrived on the 12th instant off Staten Island in the Harbor of New York. We had contrary Winds for the much greater Part of the Way; and, from a Belief that the Army continued at Halifax, we went round thither as to the Place of Rendezvous. Near Newfoundland we fell in with the Tartar Frigate and her Convoy, bound to Quebec; and off Halifax we met with the Renown, of 50 guns, with several Transports, having on board the Scotch Troops from Greenock. Your Lordship will have heard of the Capture of four of these Transports and of Col. [Archibald] Campbell their Commander. At whose Door this Adventure must be laid, is above my Inquiry: People here are very free to guess, and very ready to say; that the naval Part of the Armament has been so conducted, as if it were meant to effect as little real Service as possible.

The Army here is in high Spirits, and, in such good Health, that, in the Number of about 9000 Men, not above 12 are indisposed. They shew the utmost Ardor to attack the Rebels. I am sometimes afraid the Soldiers hold them too cheap. A certain Degree of Disdain it may be right to indulge;but an Excess of it, in the case of an obstinate Resistance (which, from the Numbers of the Rebels, amounting to near 30,000, is not improbable), would occasion a Disappointment, that might end in Despair. Your Lordship would have been entertained with a View of the Eagle entering into New York Harbor. A little before our Arrival off Sandy Hook, we heard a brisk Canonade, and could see the Smoke rising over the Point of Land, which lay between us and the Town. We soon found, that it was occasioned by the Phoenix and Rose Men of War, with three Tenders, who had been ordered to force their Passage up Hudson's River, in order to cut off Supplies and to keep it open for Genl Burgoyne's Troops, which, with a thousand Indians, are expected soon to come down from Albany. The Batteries fired 194 Guns, and only one Shot took Effect upon a Tender, with very little Damage. The Ships returned the Fire very briskly. They had no sooner passed along in this bold Defiance of the whole rebel Force, which the. Rebels themselves had pronounced impossible; but the Eagle came full in view, saluting and saluted by the Ships in the Harbor, with general Acclamations from the several Crews, and from Detachments of the Armyspread over the Hills and along the Shore. A nobler Scene, heightened as it was by a beautiful Landscape and by the finest Day I ever knew, could not well be exhibited. We learnt afterwards by a Deserter, that the lnutility of their boasted Batteries, together with Lord Howe's Arrival, had thrown the Rebels into a visible Panic, and occasioned Express after Express for Reinforcements of Men. For greater Security, they have likewise removed the Bulk of their Powder and Magazines into Connecticut. The two ships are very safe about 10 or 12 Miles above the Town. As an Instance of the Hardiness of our People, I cannot help mentioning, that a Sailor sate upon the Top Gallant Yard of the Rose, under the Fire of all their Batteries, in a daring Bravado, and passed by unhurt.

The People of the Army begin to be impatient for the Arrival of the Hessians and the other Reinforcements. They are cantoned in several Quarters over Staten Island, and, by the Assistance of the Fleet, are postedin Security. The Operations will probably commence soon after the Hessians disembark. 'Tis feared, that, in the Conflict, the handsome Town of New York will perish by the Rebels; and it is asserted, that the Connecticut People would have set it on Fire before this Time, but for the Provincials of this Country. The New England Folks desired to relieve the New Yorkers (who defend their own Town, and, because it is their Property, wish to preserve it) immediately after the Passage of the Ships. The Truth is, they are all extremely jealous of one another; and some of them have openly declared, that they can consider themselves as little better than in an Enemy's Country. The Connecticut People would destroy New York for a double Reason ー the one, as a Rival would be demolished, which they have ever hated; and the other, as the King's Troops would be deprived of a convenient Station. There is great Reason to believe, from some Communications to Govr Tryon, and which in Conversation he has mentioned to me, that when the Troops give them one signal Defeat, Numbers will declare themselves immediately, upon such a positive Proof of Protection. At present, they are obliged upon every Account of Prudence and Safety, to conceal their Sentiments and Determinations Those, who either have not been so discreet, or being more eminent in Station have been more noticed and suspected, have been obliged to fly for their Lives. Many have escaped and are escaping daily to the Camp; and others have retired to Woods and Swamps, where they are hunted like Game, and, with a Barbarity unparalleled except among the Savages, have been shot and murdered. The Madness of this People, excited by their own Publications, and by others from England, and especially by some late Speeches in Parliament, Dr [Richard] Price's Pamphlet, &c. is inexpressible. It is unnecessary to tell Your Lordship, that they have declared themselves Independent States, and proclaimed His Majesty, with every Aggravation of Insolence, an ungrateful Tyrant. Your Lordship will have also heard of the Demolition of the King's Statue, and several Pranks of that kind, which are now but common things with these deluded People. A Clergyman, who in his Sermon only exhorted the People to Moderation as it became Christians, without entering in the least upon Politics, was dragged out of his Pulpit as an Enemy to America, tarred, feathered, and carried about half naked upon a rough Pole in so rude a Manner, that he was obliged to submit to a certain Italian Operation for the Preservation of his Life. I need not add, that Affairs are as yet very unripe for peaceful Negotiation.

A Day or two after our Arrival, Lord H. sent up a Flag of Truce to the Town, inclosing a Copy of his Declaration; but because it was addressed only "To George Washington Esq. &c.&c.&c." they would not receive it. This is one Sample of their Vanity, as well as of their Indisposition to treat. I might give Your Lordship many others, which daily occur in their Publications. They make themselves sure of Victory, and affect to despise the Troops. I cannot omit the following Instance of it, which may serve likewise for a Specimen of the Rant and Bombast, which passes for sound Reason and Sense in this Part of the World. "Be assured" (says one of their Writers) "that the Sun, Moon and Stars shall fall, the Ocean cease to roll, and all Nature change its Course, before a few English, Scotch and German Slaves shall conquer this vast Country."

They have set up their Standard in the Fort upon the Southern Point of the Town. The Colors are thirteen Stripes of Red and White alternately, with the English Union cantoned in the Corner.

We can very plainly see their Works and Intrenchments, which appear to be strong. It will be an arduous Task to dislodge them; but it must however be attempted and succeed too, or the Colonies are our's no more.

The Rebels have good Intelligence of all that passes at Home, notwithstanding the Embargo upon Letters. Mr Wm Temple, Brother of Mr John Temple, lately arrived at the Congress with Letters ('tis said) from some great Names at Home, which were artfully canceled in his Cloaths. Himself was heard to declare, that they were inclosed in the Buttons, which were made large for the purpose.

The noted Major [Robert] Rogers is escaped from Philadelphia, and has joined the Army under General [William] Howe.

Lieut. [Edward] Sneyd is taken Prisoner, and is somewhere in Connecticut. Adml Shuldham mentioned him very handsomely at our Table a few Days since: I took the Opport[u]nity of saying, he was related to Your Lordship, and that You had some Concern for his Interests; which Lord H. was pleased to observe with much Attention.²

The People of Berkshire County in Massachusets Bay have opposed the Decrees of the Congress, not from Principles of Loyalty, but from a thorough Hatred of all Subjection and Order. The Congress sent Commissions to Judges and other Officers for the Execution of Justice: The Multitude burnt the Commissions, and declared they would have no Law but the Law of Moses. This was the County, which first opposed the Administration of Justice under lawful Authority.

I fear Your Lordship will be quite tired with a Letter of this Length: I would only plead in Excuse, that You cannot be troubled in this manner very often from hence, and that it was much more difficult to determine what to omit than what to say. Inclosed is an Extract of a Letter from Massachusetts Bay, by which Your Lordship will be acquainted in some Measure with the State of that Province.

With the greatest Gratitude and Respect, I have the Honor to be, My Lord, [&c.]

P.S. We expect Mr. [William] Hotham's Fleet with the Hessians and Guards every Day, and wait for them with Impatience.

P.S. I know not how to aggravate Mr Stanhope's Feelings, which I certainly must, if I write to him what I know respecting his Son. 'Tis a painful Task to me, in the only Letter I may probably trouble him with from hence, to be the Conveyor of unplesant News. Your Lordship has heard, that he was taken Prisoner by the Rebels. At first they confined him; but hearing and believing, that he was a young Man of Family and great Expectations, they released him upon his Parole of Honor, and appointed him a certain Limit. This Parole he has broken, stoled a Horse to facilitate his Escape, and, without knowing the Country, or where any of the King's Ships lay to receive him (if it were right to receive him), he strolled about, till, from Description of him by Name and Person in the Advertisements of the public Papers, he was seized and brought to Washington. He is now in Irons at some Goal in or near this Place; and we are under s9me Apprehensions about him³

Mr Percy, I hear, condnued a very violent Agitator in the Rebel Proceedings, and stirs up the People with a Heat little short of Phrenzy. Such Conduct in such Persons affords too much Room for the Taunts of Infidels:

Tantum Religio potuit suadere malorum.

'Tis truly shocking to cover over human Pride or Violence with the broad Mantle of Religion.