Robert R. Livingston to John Jay, 27 November 1775
[Fort George 27 th Nov r 1775] 1
Dear John
I am now on the borders of lake George where we have been detained this day & part of yesterday by a head wind & extream severe wheather. It is almost impossible to conceive the difference we found in the climate in half a miles riding After we got over the mountains, within the reach of the winds that blew from the lake it was like leaping from Oct r . to Dec r .–we hope to leave this tomorrow & have prepared tinder boxes & axes for an encapment on the shore, as we can hardly expect as they tell us to get over in one day & hope to experience the pleasure of laying on hemlock beds. They laugh at us here for having brought but one blanket with us, but we hope to make it up in fire–This morning & part of yesterday I employed in going over the ground where the french received the first check from Sir W m . Johnston, & this afternoon I went to see the remains of fort William Henry, & the french lines part of which are still vissable. No fort could have been more unfortunately scituated as it is commanded by almost all the ground about it, yet it appears that the defence must have been pretty gallant: since the approaches were begun at a distance yet they held out till they got within twenty yards of the fort, every gun, but one of which were dismounted–You remember how the capitulation was violated & the horrid Slaughter of those brave fellows by the Indians under the command of Lecorne. 2 I could hardly stir a step with immagining that I walked over the grave of some unfortunate victim to the ambition of princes–We have little hopes of getting farther than Ticonderoga, as the lake is already frozen to Crown point, & the cold of last night & this day has I dare say extended it not a little– 3
We met upon the road great numbers of the Connecticut & Vermont troops most of whom as we are informed have gone home. It gives me great pleasure to find that Montgomerry 4 has contrived to gain the affection as well of the New England troops as our own. They speak of him in the highest terms–You can not conceive at the distance you are, the difficulties they have. He & his troops have had to strugle with difficulties which I am amazed they should ever get over–By the last accounts we have from Montreal, we hear that Montgomerry had raised ^ ordered a ^ battery ^ to be raised ^ at the mouth of the Sorrel & got a Gondola from the lake into the river S t . Lawrance by which means he has stoped nine vessels loaded with Stores from going down, & I am in great hope they will be taken– 5 Carleton is said to have escaped by land to Quebeck, where we hear he has about 700 men chiefly of the Royal Emegrants, (in which our Stephen Watts is enlisted) & they are employed below Quebeck in distressing the inhabitants who are favourable to us– 6 Arnold we hear is at point Levi waiting for assistance from Montgomerry who writes me that he will go down immediately if ^ he ^ can get his men to follow him in which we hear he is like to succeed– 7 He proposes to secure the channel below Quebeck & advises that some able gen l . be sent to take the command, and recommends Lee 8 as he expects a pretty severe attack in the spring–I wish he would stay himself as I know [no] person of more prudence & conduct in our service, but I believe he finds that the provision made for a second in command, will not support one at the head of an army. He says nothing of this to me but express a warm desire to return to his farm & mill I hope you have seen Harry. I have great satisfaction in the commendation he receive from all who have served with him, Both his Coll: & lieutenant Coll. have resigned, so that I hope he will receive the rank to which he was before entitled, & has now earned–If he is still with you I pray you to take him by the hand, you will find amidst his roughness, many good qualities. 9
There is one subject on which I wished to speak to you had I had the pleasure of seeing you–They talk of sending the new levies to Boston, I think we should by no means consent to it, for many reasons that I dare not commit to paper but which will suggest themselves to you–If you are not tired of politicks I would just mention to you that under the notion of soldier baggage there are two compleat suits of cloathing at Montreal for each Soldier, which have never yet be unpacked. Now I have great doubt whether by the capitulation they can be entitled to these? if they are, whether they may not be purchased of the soldiers for our Northern army at a cheap rate, indeed we may afford to pay well for them as the transportation will amount to nearly their value–If the cong ^ ress ^ have many other should take any order with respect to this matter, I should be glad to if they would send off an express to stop them here– 10 Hitherto I have only asked your attention to those matters which your love of your country make it your pleasure to attend to. I could wish to detain you by the less important concerns of private friendship, which I never feel so strongly as when absence & solitude acquaint me with the movements of my own heart–but Pain 11 already considers me as impolite, let me hear from you, & direct to the care of Walter Livingston at Albany– 12 God bless ^ you ^ & remember me ^ to ^ any body you think fit–Farewell–Yours Most Sincerely
Rob t R Livingston Jun r
P:S: I just hear doubtful whether Carllton has escaped his vessels have made too fruitless Attempts–Montgomerry has marched to join Arnold, most of our troops enlist, all those that Woster had with him stay amount to about 300.