On this day 250 years ago at Fort Ticonderoga, New York, Col. Anthony Wayne of Pennsylvania wrote to Benjamin Franklin, who represented Pennsylvania in the Continental Congress to report on the status of the Continental Army’s preparations to defend against invasion by the British Army from Canada. Wayne said “We are in high expectation of shortly seeing Burgoyne, who will attempt a junction with Howe, he’ll not effect it without the loss of much blood.” He also explained the army was constructing fortifications but that “our whole force of effective Men may be nearly 3,600.” Wayne

I rest assur’d that if Burgoyne makes an Attack upon Us, that the British Troops will meet a worse fate than when under General Abercrombie in 1758. . . .

We are indefatigable in preparing to meet the Enemy by Water. The superiority in a Naval force on this Lake is an object of the first moment. It has been hitherto shamefully neglected, but now in a fair way of becoming formidable as we have at present three Schooners and one Sloop well appointed and man’d with people drafted from the several Regiments; they carry from 8 to 16 Guns each which together with four Gondolae already built will be no contemptible fleet in the sea. 150 Carpenters from Philada. and Connecticut are arriv’d at Skeinsborough and are now at work in building more Arm’d Boats. The Enemy on the other hand are industriously employ’d in building Vessels of force, Batteaus &ca. at St. Johns they brought with them a considerable Number of Boats with a brass four Pounder in the bow of each. I saw and engag’d several of these boats near three Rivers they are between a Ships long boat and Batteau and carry about 50 or 60 Men.

Our people have receiv’d three days fresh provisions, and have a prospect of being better supply’d, they begin to recover health and Spirits, but are still destitute of almost every necessary fit for a Soldier; Shoes stockings, Shirts and Soap are essential Articles in an Army and not easily done without, yet these cannot be had here on any terms.

I am sorry to have occasion to Write in this manner, but when objects of distress hourly strike the Eye-objects who look to me for relief-I can’t but feel for their Situation tho unable to give them help. Cannot some means be fell on to send a speedy supply of these Articles?

Wayne added in a postscript that

A Mr. Traverse, who was a Capt. in our Service, and has the Appearance of an Honest Intelligent man, has just Arrived from St. John’s. He Informs us that 8,000 Regulars are now there together with 4,000 Canadians, well Appointed Amounts in the whole to 12,000 men; that they have 150 Batteaus ready and three Armed vessels, and that we may expect them in a little time.

Franklin presumably thought that Col. Wayne was being overly optimistic with the approaching British outnumbering the Continentals more than 3-to-1. Captain Joseph Traversé was a French Canadian who joined the Continental Army. He was still in service a year later but I have not determined if he continued to serve after 1777 or if he ever returned to Canada.

Source: “Anthony Wayne to Benjamin Franklin, 31 July 1776,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Franklin/01-22-02-0318. [Original source: The Papers of Benjamin Franklin, vol. 22, March 23, 1775, through October 27, 1776, ed. William B. Willcox. New Haven and London:: Yale University Press, 1982, pp. 539–542.]

On this day in New York City, General Washington wrote Congress about another foreigner who was fighting for America — Captain Bernard Moissac de La Marquisie from France. Capt. Moissac de La Marquisie had joined the Continental Army as an engineer in March of 1776 and had served in Canada. He would continue to serve in New York and help construct Fort Schuyler (usually called Fort Stanwix) in 1777 but I could not determine if he served for the duration of the War.

Source: “George Washington to John Hancock, 31 July 1776,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-05-02-0390. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 5, 16 June 1776 – 12 August 1776, ed. Philander D. Chase. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1993, pp. 525–526.]