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Dear General:

I am honoured with yours of the 22nd by Capt. Warren. I forwarded a letter enclosed from the Marquis to you. He is at Richmond. Wayne and Morgan is this side the river, but have not joined me. According to custom, with the assistance of good heels & a severe retrograde, I escaped Tarleton having good intelligence of his movements. On his way down he had a skirmish presume with Morgan the event of which was Tarleton lost one way or another near 40 men besides horses. He got yesterday to Suffolk where the British rear remained last night. Forty six sail of vessels, fell down from Portsmouth on Saturday last with abt. 2500 troops on board no doubt for to relieve New York which is closely besieged. I am happy to hear of your exertions and am in hopes a continuance of them will secure your persons your property and independence, indeed there is no doubt of it. Late letters taken out of prizes from the South announce their fears of success to the Southward indeed they give up the Idea of conquest. The French Squadron arrived at Boston brought over two thousand recruits, six thousand stand of arms and other effects to the amount of 5 Millions of levres. Thus our gloomy prospects are vanished & I see no prospect of the storm gathering against us. Happy thought it pays me for all my cares, want of sleep and loss of property, which has been very considerable. Should have allowed myself the pleasure of writing you yesterday but had exhausted my paper, which I recruited today.

Col. Wills yesterday returned from a cruize in the rear of the British force which went to South Quay &c. By great address & assiduity he returned with eight of the most infamous refugees attending the British army with all their plunder, two of them were of the party which killed poor Nott. Exclusive of them I have taken fifteen British prisoners without the loss of a Man.

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