ALS, DLC:GW. Tallmadge addressed the letter to Lieutenant General Rochambeau, but GW’s secretary Jonathan Trumbull, Jr., wrote on the docket: “from Major Tallmadge Intelligence from Ag[ent] Answered—24th” (see GW to Tallmadge, 24 June).

Tallmadge enclosed a letter to him from “S.G.” written on Sunday, 17 June: “I have not the Least Information to Give you since my last (as no Alterations have hapned either in the Navy or Army) except the Arrival of Arbuthnot and Arnold, the former lies at the Hook with 7 sail of the line the Latter has Just returnd in All the Pomp of war at the Head of a very considerable party of Blacks and a Number of Horses Amount 300, which are the Effects of his Plunder for about 6 months Past. Cornwallis is retreating towards Charls Town, And the Poppular opinion is that it will not be Long before he Arrives at N.Y. Every preperation is Making for an Expedition beyond King’s Bridge which Must take place in a very few days after the Date of this Letter, it is said that Arnold is to have the Command. however they will bring out the Most of their Tories. The Russel Man of War has gone to Hallifax to repair, being Much shattered. A Fleet of About Sixty sail of Transports Set sail from the Hook on Thursday Morning last Convoyed by the Confederacy, the Rainbow and a Frigate, a Packet Accompanies them mounting about 18 Guns, They come too without the Hook till four OClock when they came to Sail Again.

“I dined last wednesday with Several Officers from both the Navy & Army when amongst the Number of Toasts that were Given were the following—Cornwallis and the remains of his Little Army—Genl Arnold—upon the Latters being given two Gentlemen ’rose from the Table and said they would not Drink him. There appears to be every prospect of a Scene of Inactivity’s taking place which may last some time unless you Cut out business for them. The Troops were to March from Loyds Neck on Saturday last, I do not know whether it has taken place. There are now lying in Huntington Bay The Kepple of 16 Guns the Argo of 14 Guns the Vaughn Gally a reffugee Sloop of 14 Guns & an Armed schooner. by all means be prepared to meet them at Kings Bridge. The Troops are Encamping Just without the Citty, and some about 2 miles from Brook Line Ferry on the North Side the road” (DLC:GW). For the likely previous letter from this spy, see Tallmadge to GW, 29 May, n.1. British captain John Peebles, then on Long Island, wrote in his diary entry for 10 June that “Genl. Arnold arrived from Virginia with some of his Corps mounted—Arnold has brought his own Corps & Robinsons Corps along with him both very weak from desertion” (Gruber, Peebles’ American War description begins Ira D. Gruber, ed. John Peebles’ American War: The Diary of a Scottish Grenadier, 1776–1782. Mechanicsburg, Pa., 1998. description ends , 447).