When we first heard at Philadelphia of Clintons having saild to Rhode Island, Mr Gerry and myself joynd with Coll Whipple of New Hampshire & Mr Ellery of Rhode Island in a Letter to Genl Washington and proposed to him the sending Gen Gates or Greene with a suitable number of Brigadiers to take the Command in the Eastern Departmt. [In] his answer which we receivd in this place he tells us he has orderd M Genl Spencer & B Genl Arnold to repair thither who he hopes may be sufficient to head the yeomanry of that Country & repel the Enemy in their attempts to gain possession of that part of the Continent. He [adds] that he will if possible, send some other Brigadiers, and says Gen Wooster is also at hand. I wrote to you after my Arrival at Philade & inclosd a Resolution of Congress relative to the procuring of cloathing in N E for the Army. In another Letter I gave you a hint which I think of great Importance if the Measure proposd [be] practicable. I hope both these Letters were duly receivd by you. You cannot, my dear Sir, do me a greater Kindness than by writing to me. I suffer much thro want of Intelligence from N E; I pray you therefore let your Letters to me be very frequent. I am very cordially your friend, By a late Letter from London written by a Gentn upon whose Intelligence I greatly rely a Treaty is on foot with Russia to furnish Britain with 20 or 30,000 troops. Levies are making with all possible Industry in Germany & in Britain & Ireland from where it is expected that 20,000 will be raisd. It [is] indeed to be supposd that, as usual, a greater Appearance will be made on paper than they will realize. But let us consider that they realizd in America the last year 35,000 and do without doubt . . . . . . . they lose because they are able to do it, we may then set down their actual force in America by May or June next at least 55 and probably 60,000.