[draft] No 2. Fish Kills upon Hudson River March 12. 1777 - My dearest Lucy After amost fatiguing Journey on account of the extreme badness of the roads We arrivd here [struck: Yesterday][struck: illegible] [inserted: last evening] To Hartford the roads were tolerable, there we [were] oblig'd to leave the slay and part of my baggage particularly my knives and forks plates and dishes - I also left some at Springfield at which place I have order'd a field Waggon to be built to be with me I shall direct the person who brings it on to call at the places where I have left any of my things to pick them up and bring them on to me - I have arrived as [strikeout] circle of Reports where to be sure there are many but the most considerable is of an acction that happen'd near Spank town where our people attack'd a foraging party [inserted: defeated them] and kill'd and wounded five hundred this is so well authenticated that I am inclin'd to believe it - I never suffer'd half so much in parting with you my dearest Love as now, I have almost [struck: been] blush'd to my self at my [struck: own] total absorbtion of thoughts with respect to you - constant in my mind and clearly interwoven in my heart you are ever present with me and even the great objects in which I'm about to be engag'd does not seperate in the least your [2] much much lov'd Idea - I am too unhappy to even express myself that I am oblig'd to be absent from you and nothing but the great command of my country [struck: should] could oblig'd me to it - The small pox is spreading thro Connecticut and will and only spread its influence to your place, this gives me pain but I hope my Lucy will have the fortitude of chearfully to take the advice of him who loves her more than Life which is that You with your little image be innoculated immediately - Doctr Rand will provide you some clean commodious building at Cambridge where you may have it conveniently - it will admit if no delay - and take care my love that you drink no wine or cyder or sit by the fire while you have it coming out for either of these circumstances will most inevitabley make you have many more than a [struck: Country] contrary conduct - [struck: I wish you to complete] Suffer me to conjure you by every tye that bind us together not to put off to a distant day this [struck: what] Important affair - I wish you well thro' it and would put the wish in a pious form upon paper were I sure you would not continue to laugh at me for my [struck: piety] Religion. Complete the affair respecting the attachment of the Land and Consult Mr Bowdoin with Respect to eastern affairs - this is making you quite a woman of business - There is also another affair I most devoutly wish you to do and that is to get your Aunt Betty with you [struck: and I must by you to it] There[3] is a post office set up here which is a post of Communication between head Quarters and you write me by every post & [illegible] my brother to do the same & the Colonel [struck: You will] As the upper part of a map [struck: consti] inevitably constitutes the North point so I think the upper part of a Letter may be said to be the north part of it - so then if you will refer to the first page of this Letter and to the North west part of the same you will see No 2 - which denotes the [text loss] which I have written to you since I left Boston [text loss] always continue to number my letters so y[text loss] be able to see whether any miscarry - Give my [Love] to Mr & Mrs Jarvis [illegible] and believe Me to love you as much as is possible for a Mortal to do H Knox Mr Freeleigh desires his Love to you [address leaf] Mrs Lucy Knox Boston H Knox [illegible] [docket] March 12th 1777.