Isis, Quebec, August 10th 1776
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My Lord, The Prisoners lately taken at Lake Champlain, the Pearl waited for, being just come down; She sails tomorrow ー By Accounts received from Chambly they go on as briskly as can be expected at St Johns, in putting up the several Frames of Gun-boats, and the two Schooners Maria & Carleton; the latter will be first ready, but I find not so soon as I had reason to believe, by eight or ten days, some of the Artificers being ill of Fluxes ー another armed Brig sent out to General Carleton, by the Treasury Department, is just arrived, her ten six pounders and twenty five Men, will be of Use on the Lake ー Westerly Winds & Calms much prevailing, the long-boats of most of the Transports, have for some days, been employed in staging up Provisions, from one Ship to another, relays of which are placed for that Purpose, all the Way from this to the Mouth of the Sorel: when this Business is compleated, they are to depart for England, some very few excepted ー those below the Rapids of Richlieu first, & that very shortly.
The Apparatus for Lake Champlain, being of very considerable Magnitude, & the Service of very great Importance, General Carleton as I am, is very sollicitous to have the Armament particularly well Officer'd ー I have therefore added Mr Willm Burchell Master's Mate of the Blonde, who is very deserving, & above eleven Years since passed his Examination, to the Number of Officers appointed to serve as Lieutenants, on the approaihing Expedition ー I beg Leave most humbly & earnestly to recommend him to your Lordship, for establishing Rank accordingly: at present he acts as Lieutenant of the Blonde, in the room of Mr James Dacres who has assisted the Quarter Master General ever since the Army entered St. Peter's Lake, in which Situation a Sea Officer has been absolutely necessary in this terra, queous Expedition; Mr Dacres is to have a Command of Consequence on Lake Champlain, upon which he will be second Sea Officer in point of Seniority, with the Pay of a Master & Commander annexed by the General My Lord, I have the Honor most respectfully to remain [&c.]
P.S. The Ship taken down here, And to be re-constructed at St: Johns, is to be called the Inflexible ー The Wind is now Easterly, & We look with Impatience for the expected Victuallers from Ireland; To guard against a Change, or Calms, The Boats are kept in readiness, as alluded to in the foregoing, to convey their Contents upwards, but as yet We have heard nothing of any such Victuallers, being entered the River.
As it is more than probable, that Lieut [John] Schank, with the Ship's Company of the Canceaux, will because of the Lake Service, be detained here very late; I presume your Lordship, will have no Objection to her wintering here, if it should be found necessary, more especially as Mr Schank's Service, may also be very useful next Year upon the said Lake.