On the 31st. Ultimo, in my march hither, I was favored with Your Letter of the 23d. August via Niagara and Yesterday by the way of New York, I had the pleasure of receiving Your two Others of the 9th. & 17th. October.

I Join in Opinion with You, that wherever the Navigation will admit of it, a Vessell is every way preferable to Batteaus; and I am very glad You ordered Colonel Bouquet to build One; So Soon as I knew Your Intentions, Which was thro' Major Walters Some time ago, I ordered the latter to furnish Colonel Bouquet, with all the naval Stores he might require, And What the Magazine of Niagara was deficient in, to have recourse to those of Oswego, Where I likewise Sent Directions, to furnish whatever they could.

A Small Blockhouse Such as You mention at Leboeuf, is full sufficient there; indeed Since the Capitulation, by which Detroit is to be in our Possession, all our posts within that Communication may be small, and the number in cash very few.

I thank You for the Sketch of the Road, & River You have Sent me; the Communication, by water I See is very indifferent.

There is no Guarding against the Treachery of the Indians; So long as they have any Connections with the French, We may Expect that they will Scalp or Carry off any Single man, or Small party that will Expose themselves to their Villainy: but I am Apt to think, that So Soon as we are in possession of the Detroit, Your Communication will be entirely free and safe; As then they will have no body at Whose Door to lay their Guilt, and must Expect the punishmt. due to their Crimes, Which upon Conviction they must meet with; And by Such treatment only could it be possible to deterr them from Evil, and keep them within due Bounds.

Thus You See Sir, we perfectly agree in our way of thinking concerning these Savages, who doubtless cannot be trusted; indeed there need not a more glaring proof of it, than that Inhuman breach of the Capitulation of Fort Loudoun, of which I had not received any Accounts from Authority, till that You have now transmitted me in the Extract of Colonel Byrd's Letter; and tho' I Saw it in the publick papers I was willing to hope it was without foundation: more particularly so, as I had Conceived no Idea, that one of the King's Forts could Yield to a Parcel of Miscreants, without Artillery, or Apparatus Capable to Reduce it, if properly Defended: the little Carpenter in Whom Colonel Bird Seems to put so much Confidence, was I am afraid a great Instrument in Advising the Commanding Officer to this inconsiderate Step; And I am very glad that You have Cautioned the Colonel to beware of him.

I See with pleasure that Major Rogers had Joined You, and that You had Sent him on with Capt. Campbell; the party You sent with them is full Sufficient to Carry my Instructions into Execution; And You will find, that the Strength of the French at the Detroit, is not by half so Considerable as reported nor will Capt. Campbell, I am Apprehensive find that place so destitute of Provisions: by the Accounts the French gave me of it, the Climate is extremely temperate & healthy, and the Country Abounding in Game and Fish.

Under the present Circumstances of Affairs, if the Season will not allow of Garrisoning the Posts of Michillimakinack, St. Joseph & others, I Shall be under no Anxiety for them, as that of the Detroit will Sufficiently Answer every purpose.

The Same Reasons make me likewise less Anxious at the backwardness of the Provinces in furnishing the Quotas You very Justly demanded of them for the Winter; At the Same time they are not the less blameable; for were these Quotas Absolutely necessary, it does not Seem likely they would have been furnished.

The Fifty or Sixty men You propose to take from Niagara to make up this Deficiency, may well be Spared from thence; may even if You Should require a hundred, You can have them; my only reason for leaving So large a Garrison there now, being to Compleat the Works of that Fort, whenever the Season will permit to Carry them on.

What I mentioned to You concerning Messrs. Vaudreuil & Levis Complaints, was mere matter of Form: I believe they are all pretty well Adjusted now.

Colonel Montgomery returned Some time ago but left Major Hamilton with four Companies of the Royal at the Congarees; Which, together with one Thousand Men, the latter writes me, were raising in September, must, I should think Secure that Colony against any Danger from the Indians: however if Any Application is made to me for further Succours, I am prepared to Assist them with Some Light Infantry, which I Shall send thither upon the first Notice, under the Command of an Experienced Officer: the Light Infantry of the 17th. is to be of that Detachment.

Governor Dobbs Letter to me Contains only his fears for Georgia and Carolina, Which I Cannot think in Such imminent Danger, provided the People of those Provinces will Exert themselves with a becoming Spirit, and not Suffer themselves to be butchered without Resistance: Enclosed is a Copy of his Letter & my Answer.

Ensign Duplessis fate Sufficiently Evinces the bad Consequences resulting from a neglect of following a Cautious Councill; but I hope he will be found again.

You may rely on Presqú Isle being properly and Sufficiently Supplied from Niagara with Provisions, and every thing else that can be had from thence.

On my Arrival here I met with Capt. Bayard Who was Sent Express to me from Halifax with the disagreable Accounts of the Death of Governor Lawrence, on the 19th. October, after a very few days Illness.