[draft] Fort George 28.th Oct. 1776. My dear Friend I have hesitated for some time past, undetermined whither to write to you or not; one while loading you with reproaches, and at another, studying apologies for your conduct; and altho I have so far satisfied my prejudice as to give you another Letter, I must inform you that you are not yet fully justified by all the excuses I can invent, for not favouring me (anxious as you must suppose me) with a Line before now - I request you therefore to clear this Matter up to me, and wipe away all remaining Doubts - You intimated at our parting, a fear for want of subject & I then told you that I should furnish you. Have I not done it? Have you not received four or five Letters from me containing Matter worthy the attention of a Friend, of the professed W:K - x? And should I not have known the consequential Effects? Answer me, and answer me quickly, & explicitly to every requisite, or my resentment will transport me so far as, to petition the Gods to [strikeout] [inserted: resign] you to the Mercy of old Maids, Batts & Screech Owls - You'll say hoy; the Devil; what does he mean by all this? My meaning is DLa, DLa, DLa ,- I shall endeavour to reinforce my almost exausted Patience, a little longer to keep my good opinion of you, in hopes of your amendment; & for the present shall change my - subject for a Martial one - You must, my Friend, undoubtedly have heard related the fatal Catastrophe of our Navy on the Lake, under the Command of General Arnold. On Friday the 11th. Inst. at about 8 oClock A.M: the Enemy have in sight of our Fleet, then lying in Cumberland Bay near the Isle Bell cour, or Volcour, & at 11 the engagement became general & continued with great spirit on both sides until about 5 P.M: when both parties drew off - What loss the Enemy sustained is not yet known. Our loss [struck: is] [inserted: was] about 60 Men killed & wounded; the [2] Schooner Royal Savage was run on shore [struck: by our people] & blown up by our own People, & one Gandola was sunk - The Enemy were much shattered, but lost more of their Vessels - The succeedin day was chiefly employed in repairing the Vessels on both sides, & on Sunday ye. 13th. the engagement was renewed, at a little distance below the Split Rock - We made principally a runing fight of it, but had the misfortune to loose all our Fleet (taken & sunk) except five, which got safe into Ticonderoga, & the Guns [inserted: of two] are since mounted on the Works [inserted: we lost this day but few men] - General Arnold was forced to run his Vessel on shore (being too much wounded to keep above water) & take to the Woods with his Crew, and are all safe arrived to the Army again. From that time [inserted: until lately] the Enemy have lain at Crown Point, to the amount of about 7000 including Canadians, & about 700 Savages, occupying both sides of the Lake, which is in that part narrow; and now a large Body of Indians, their Light Infantry, & Grenadiers are posted at an advantagious place, called Putnams Creek, on the west side, about 4 or 5 Miles nearer towards us, where they have thrown a Boom across the Channel of the Lake, and are [struck: throw] making Redoubts & other Fortifications - Our Army are in hourly expectation of the Attack, which had not happened yesterday - The Indians have taken several of our Men Prisoners, & killed one of the poor wounded whom two others were carrying across the portage between the Landing place [struck: of] at the Nth. end of this Lake, & the saw Mill near the other Lake [inserted: the 2 men were made Prisoners]. The Prisoners [strikeout] have been since sent back to us, as well as all those taken with the Fleet, consisting of Genl. Waterbury, & upwards of 100 Men, but are all laid under a Parole not to take up armas against the King of Great Britain again during the present contest - Intended as a stroke of Policy - Our Works are very strong, consisting of a Breast work of sods, as far as the old French lines extended, on the outside of which is a large ditch & a Glacis; upon the Counterscarp (I believe it is called) a line of Piequets & another small Ditch; from the End of those Lines, and on the N: side for some distance, is an almost inaccessible [Precipice], which requires but little works, [struck: and after] & from thence, swampy & flat, low grounds continue to the Lake, & are extended several Miles toward the Enemy, which for better than a Mile from our Army, is defended by a chain of six Redoubts [inserted: besides the old French Redoubt] 18 feet thick with Sods; the farther most mounting 6 pieces of heavy Metal; from whence to the opposite shore we have [3] laid a Boom, to prevent their Vessels coming up before the Camp; but should they effect that, they will not be able to annoy it much, it being above the elevation of their Guns; and from the 1st. Redoubt they would be commanded, to the last, & also from Mount Independence, which is said to be impregnable, & from whence, to Ticonderoga side, we have made a floating Bridge, to keep up an easy communication; over which 6 Men can march abreast. - Our Army are now about 8000 Effective Men, & the Militia are coming in fast, so that we shall presently be very strong, when it is hoped we shall give Mr. Carlton a severe drubing - It is my opinion that he will winter his Army at Crown Point, Tho' he has expressed an intention to our Men, [inserted: (the Prisoners)] of doing it in Albany - General Burgoin [sic] he says is left sick, expected to die. It is supposed from the number of Tents &c: that his Army consists of about 7000 as I said above, but it is, probably more Near Our Boom lies the Sloop, a Gandola & 2 Gallies - One Gallie was not down with the Fleet, being not ready - The Enemy got possession of only two Gandolas, all the rest of the Vessels lost were either sunk or blown up - Inclosed you have a list of both Fleets, at least the Vessels that engaged. I am informed that the Enemies Navy lies now, about 3 Miles on the other side of Crown Point. Thus my Friend have I given you as full a detail of our Circumstances as I am able to collect - I forbear any mention that is made of Conduct among the Commanders I shall not conclude my Letter now, having not an immediate opportunity of forwarding it, & possibly before one offers I may have other matter of consequence to add; but least I may forget it, Let me beg you to observe the Cautions I gave you before in writing to me Novr. 3d. On Monday 12 Boats with Men approach'd our Boom, one came so nigh that she recd. 4 shots from two of the Redoubts & one Gandola which caused them all precipitately to retire; they however landed at 3 mile Point & left 2 fresh Graves; it is also said, but from what authority I know not, that one Officer was also wounded. Just now an Officer arrived who left the Camp the day before yesterday & says it was there reported that the Enemy at Putnams Creek had struck their Tents - I now think it probable they may be going off [4] By the first opportunity you may hear further from me; for want of one I am obliged to send this by way of the Post from the Camp at New York. I am dr. Billy Yr. Affect. Friend &c: Saml. Stringer P.S. Be pleased to give my best Compts. to Mrs. Scot, & Blanchard, and my sincere Regards to Mrs: & Mr. Jervis; to Col: Jackson my Friend Smith &c &c: [address leaf] Mr. William Knox. Boston [docket] Letter from Doctr. Stringer 28 Octr. 1776.