Letter from Colonel Nicoll to John M' Kesson: Has had a good deal of conversation with some of the Highland Regulars, one in particular, who wished for a reconcilia

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King' s Bridge, September 29, 1776.

DEAR SIR: I returned last night from Morisceany, which place I have been at for three days last on command. I had a good deal of conversation with some of the Highland Regulars, one in particular, who told me it was disagreeable to him to take up arms against us, as he had a number of friends amongst us and wished heartily for a reconciliation, I asked him how many of the Highlanders got killed in the skirmish the other night. He told me there were four killed and one missing, which he expected we had taken prisoner, His account of Major Hatfield was that he was wounded just above the eye, and he thought was in danger of losing his eye. I don' t think that there is above fifty Regulars kept on Montorzor' s Island. They mount but twelve sentinels in the day, and double them in the night, There is kept, I suppose, above five hundred on the island next to Montorzor' s, according to their tents and movements.

Captain Lamb and about four hundred of our prisoners, taken at Quebeck, have got to Elizabethtown. They were sent away upon the parole of honour, to return when demanded, and not take up arms without a change of prisoners.

Mr˙ Taylor has come from the lines to-day, who acts as Brigade-Major to General McDougall, and says our people surprised a party of Regulars in a house near their lines, and got a chest of medicines.

I know of no movements in our army nor our enemy' s. We have got our lines well fortified — our people chiefly under cover, so as to be comfortable. Two large mortars, from Boston, of solid metal, were day before yesterday carried to Fort Washington.

I am, sir, your sincere friend and humble servant,

ISAAC NICOLL.

To John McKesson, Secretary.