Letter from General Gates to General Schuyler

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Tyonderoga, July 19, 1776.

SIR: I have this morning received a letter from General Waterbury, at Skenesborough. He says the Militia are not any of them arrived from the eastward, but that he has heard of their being upon the march, and hopes they will soon arrive at that post. The General has employed a party in clearing Wood Creek, and another to erect a small work upon the hill to the eastward of the saw mill. He complains for the want of tools, and particularly felling axes. Not one gondola is arrived since that which came with us, (the 4th instant,) from Skenesborough, and I am assured by the officer who came from thence yesterday, that we cannot expect more than two by this day se' nnight. So you must be much deceived in expecting that Mr˙ Schuyler would get five finished every week.

Sixty carpenters are now employed at Skenesborough: they must be very ill attended to, or very ignorant of their business, not to do more work. At this rate our superiority upon the Lake will be of short continuance; and I hope you will not deceive yourself, or the Congress, by fancying otherwise. General Waterbury tells me the saw mill at Cheshire' s is not yet got to work, on account of a mistake in the irons. They were obliged to send the irons to Skenesborough to be altered. That is now done, and the mill expected to get soon to work.

Your letter of the 17th, is just come to hand, from the German Flats. I shall immediately send you all the Indian goods here. General Arnold will get them collected today, and send them without delay by the best person we can find to make despatch, to Herkimer' s. He must take his directions in regard to the route from Lake George to the Flats, from the commanding officer at Fort George, as I know nothing of that road.

I am, sir, your most obedient humble servant,
HORATIO GATES.

To General Schuyler.