Dear General.

I had the Pleasure to receive your Letters by Lieutenant [John] Brooks of the 6th Battallion of Pensilvanians, from Isle-aux-Mottes. I am perfectly satisfied with your leaving Isle-aux-Tites, & think from Your's & every other Account, that the Post you now Occupy is much preferable. Point-aux Fers is an Object that should employ your Serious Attention. Should it be Possible for the Enemy Secretly to get Artillery, & a post Fix'd there, while you are to the Northward of that remarkable Spot, it might prove a great Annoyance to your Fleet, remember how exceedingly you ought to Guard against the possibility of ー the Enemy's possessing any Narrow Pass in your Rear; a Caution, which you so-much approved, in the Orders, & Instructions you received.

The Row Gallies are all three at this Place, and Fitting with the Utmost diligence. G1 Waterbury is indefatigable, & promises to Sail without the smallest unnecessary Delay; your best Pilot should be sent by the return of The Bearer to Conduct them down. ー You wrote to General Schuyler, to Apply to Governour Trumbull for Capts to Command These Gallies. The Governour has sent Four; by this, we are incumber'd with Double Officers, as you appointed Three, before you left Tyonderoga. What is best to be done in this Difficulty? I shall Endeavour to Pacify all Claimants, until I hear from You. a Good many Seamen are procured, & will be sent in the Gallies. I have Order'd Commissary [Elisha] Avery, & Mr Deacon Rood of Onion River, to Acquaint all the Inhabitants upon both sides the Lake, that what Cattle, Sheep, Garden Stuff, or Hoggs, are sent to You, shall; upon your Certificate, be paid for in ready money, upon the presentment thereof to Me.

Inclosed is a Copy of a Letter I have Just receivd from Dr Franklin. The Tobacco is not yet come, it shall be sent to you in the First Row Galley ー would it not, now & then be proper for a Row Galley or Gondola to Cruize a little to the Southward, above Point Aux Fers, to protect boats &c passing to the Fleet? ー The Enemy are Subtile, and quick at Expedients; they may endeavour to Impose False Friends upon you; your watch word, should never be given until Sun Sett, and all boats, at Day light, kept at a proper Distance, until their Crews are examined.

In Obedience to your request I wrote very fully Yesterday in my Publick Letter upon the Subject you so Earnestly mention'd. I fancy when my letter is received, the Congress, & your Friends will be convinced, that every report to your prejudice is Founded in Calumny, & should meet with the Contempt, & disregard it so Justly deserves.

A Fourth Row Galley will be quite plank'd up by Saturday night; your Barge is here, and most elegantly painted & Finish'd. She will be sent by Capt [James] Arnold; The prvovisions I now send, will last much longer than will be necessary for the Supply of the Fleet, until the First Row Galley Arrives, Even if the Inhabitants upon the Lake do not send you any Fresh Provisions &c.

I hope to be able to send all the Cloathing you demand by Capn Arnold. Rum goes by this Conveyance, and all the Hard bread baked at Crown Point. ー Commissary Avery has my orders to write, & to Obey all your Orders. ー the Swivels will come with the Galley; Gunners are very Scarce; but you Shall be Supplied.

I would Feign send you some Intelligence from Authority, of the Proceedings of The Armies at Long Island; but neither General Sch[uyler] or myself, have received any Letters from General Washn; that are particular upon the Subject. By private Letters, it is clear the Enemy lost upwards of 1400 Men in the three Repulses they met with, in their Attack upon our Lines, Wednesday the 28th Ult; and Commissary Trumbull writes that we are still in possession of Our Lines upon Long Island, and the City of New York. It is beyond a doubt that our people have behaved with the Greatest Spirit & that the Enemy have suffer'd Greatly & must View our Troops in a very respectable light I am [&c.]

P S When you receive an Order to send a Flag to the Enemy; or have an Opportunity by the return of one of theirs, send them the Act of Independence Inclosedー