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At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Watson, Brook, 1735-1807 to Joshua Mauger

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03902.019 Author/Creator: Watson, Brook, 1735-1807 Place Written: Montreal, Quebec, Canada Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 21 October 1776 Pagination: 3 p. : address : docket ; Height: 22.2 cm, Width: 17.7 cm Order a Copy

Watson, a merchant and British soldier, informs Mauger that he will remain in Canada until 10 November 1776. Mentions Captains Douglas and Abbott. Reports that in October, "the Two Little Inland Fleets first met each other about 10 o Clock in the Morning on Lake Champlain ... " States that the Continental Fleet contained 11 vessels. Relates that a Continental schooner, Royal Savage, was driven ashore and burnt according to the orders of British General Guy Carleton. States that American ships fled from the British fleet before finally escaping to Fort Ticonderoga. Reports that Fort Crown Point, New York, was recently partially burned and abandoned by the colonists and that Michael Francklin, former Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, recently informed Watson of General William Howe's defeat of colonial forces in the August 1776 Battle of Long Island. Reports that he might travel to England on Captain Douglas's ship.

Watson, Brook, 1735-1807
Mauger, Joshua, 1725-1788
Dorchester, Guy Carleton, Baron, 1724-1808
Francklin, Michael, 1733-1782
Howe, William, 1729-1814

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