The Virginia Gazette

Extract of a letter from MONTREAL, May 17, 1776.

I wrote you last from Deschambault, where we remained four or five days on a very short allowance, and left it with half an allowance of flour, and no pork to serve the men to Trois Rivieres, two good days march. It has since been concluded on to keep no detachment for the present below the Sorel, as the army have been living from hand to mouth for some time past, the supplies of provisions from the other side of the Lakes being but small, and very little to be procured without force, or paying hard money for it. The common people in general, though they will probably take the stronger side, do, I have no doubt from all the observations I have made, wish well to us and our cause, and would be very glad we should succeed. Forty or fifty men of the 18th regiment commanded by Captain Foster, joined by three hundred Indians, and two hundred and fifty Canadians, had (hearing, it is supposed, that this place was in a defenceless situation) come down within twelve miles of this, having made prisoner of a Major Sherburne and three hundred of our men on their way thither; but being informed that a reinforcement was arrived, they have retreated; General Arnold is in pursuit of them with nine hundred men, four hundred of whom he has sent to endeavour to cut off their retreat, while he pursues them with the utmost expedition, with the remainder. Provisions, as I mentioned before, are so very scarce that we are absolutely obliged to seize flour and wheat, pledging the faith of the United Colonies for the payment of the market price.

General Thomas is very ill with the smallpox at Chambly, taken in the natural way.

N. B. There are five instead of three hundred of our people made prisoners. There is a report that General Arnold has beat the enemy, but no account is yet arrived from himself.