Nathaniel Wales, Jun. and Others, to The Speaker of the Assembly of Connecticut

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New-York, May 23, 1775.

SIR: We arrived in this city last evening, and have the satisfaction to inform you that the Committee of New-York have complied with the direction of the Continental Congress, as to furnishing our forces at Ticonderoga with provision.

The Provincial Convention of this Province are now sitting, but have not got through the business of examining certificates, &c˙; we have not therefore as yet laid our appointment before them. We have had a personal conference with Mr. Pierce, an eminent English merchant of Montreal, express to the Continental Congress, with intelligence of a most interesting nature. He informs us that all the French officers of Canada are now in actual pay under General Carleton. That St˙ Luke le Corne, who was Superintendent of all the Indians in Canada while it was in the hands of the French, and is father-in-law of Mr˙ Campbell, who is Superintendent under His Majesty, has sent belts to Northern Tribes, as far up as the Falls of St˙ Mary and Michilimackinack, to engage them to take up arms against the New-England Colonies, but the event of that embassy is not yet known. That a similar application has been made to the tribes nearer to the frontiers of the English settlements, but with little success, as not more than forty Indians could be found that would engage in the measures; that the plan of operations in Canada is to procure the savages to join with the Canadians in hostilities against the rebels of New-England.

Mr˙ Pierce gives it as his opinion that the Canadians, viz: the plebeians, will not, but with the utmost reluctance, engage against the Colonists, but that the nobles are our bitter enemies. He also says that General Carleton was expected at Montreal in a day or two after he left that place, which was the eleventh May instant, and that he was to take up his residence there for this summer.

We are now about to take up lodgings in the heart of the City, where we shall have an opportunity of conversing with the citizens, and learn their true spirit. The Provincial Convention of New-Jersey meet this day; we propose to wait on them some time this week.

We can at present give you no just account of the state of the cause of liberty in this City, but hope, from the little information we have already had, that there will not be so general a defection as we apprehended.

We are, with due respect, your most obedient servants,

NATHANIEL WALES, JR˙,
THADDEUS BURR,
PIERPOINT EDWARDS.

To the Honourable William Williams, Esq˙, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Connecticut.