The Virginia Gazette

Extract of a letter from Brigadier General Arnold, dated Holland House, March 26, and 28.

"You doubtless expect news from me: I can write you very little. I expected before this to have had a reinforcement of three or four thousand men, but have not received one thousand. We have been some time busy in collecting materials for batteries; one of four guns on Point Levy I expect will be opened in two or three days, which will command the shipping, and great part of the town; and one on the height of Abraham of eight guns, one howitzer, and two mortars, which I hope will have the desired effect; in case they fail, we have ladders, &c. for a storm. The frigate in the harbour is bending her sails, I am apprehensive with intention to give us the slip as soon as the ice will permit; to prevent which we have one gondola with a twelve pounder mounted, and are preparing another of the same strength, which I am in hopes will command the river. We labour under almost as many difficulties as the Israelites did of old, obliged to make brick without straw. However, we hope matters will soon take a favourable turn. The season remains very severe here; we have near five feet now on the ground, and in most places sufficiently hard to bear a man and horse; though under the snow the frost is entirely out of the ground. We have four hundred sick and wounded in the hospitals. Capt. Schillinger, of Long-Island, and Mr. Sabin died a few days since; the latter was the first volunteer who arrived here after the repulse with a company. I am so far recovered of my wound, that two days since I rode 14 miles on horseback, and walked five more, reconnoitering, which fatigued me so much I have hardly been able to walk since.

March 28, Three days since I had advice that a party of sixty men were landed at St. Pierre's, 10 leagues down the river, and that they had seized a convoy of provisions coming to the camp, with two commissaries. I immediately sent Major Duboys with 80 men in pursuit of them, who came up with a party of 100, attacked and killed two, wounded two others, and took 38 prisoners, most of them French, who are just arrived here. Major Duboys wrote that he had intelligence of 250 men being in arms below. Col. Nicholson has joined him with 70 men, and are gone in pursuit the enemy, and will, I make no doubt, give a good account of them. The inhabitants are generally in our favour, and many of them have taken up arms for us—or rather for themselves."