General Schuyler to Benjamin Franklin

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Albany, August 23, 1775.

SIR: Yesterday I had the honour of receiving your favour of the 15th instant. The powder which the respectable Committee of your City has sent is already arrived here. You and they, Sir, are equally entitled to my best thanks for this mark of attention, I shall, with great pleasure, order a considerable quantity of lead to be convoyed to Philadelphia immediately.

We have struggled through that variety of difficulties which is ever attendant on a want of method and regularity; and although we had not craft to move two hundred

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men when I arrived at Ticonderoga on the 18th July, and had then to repair mills, and send for carpenters to this place, it is with pleasure I can inform you we are now able to move about thirteen hundred, with twenty days' provisions, and that we shall very soon make an attempt on St. John' s, weak as we are in artillery, which I suppose will not exceed six nine-pounders. I have two flat-bottomed vessels among those we have built; they are sixty feet long, and capable of carrying five twelve-pounders each, but I can unfortunately mount only one, as I have no carriages.

I am, Sir, with the most respectful sentiments, your obliged, obedient, and very humble servant,

PHILIP SCHUYLER.

To the Honourable B. Franklin, Esq.