Inclosed is the Copy of a Letter I have just received from my Friends Messrs Harmar & Lewis of Philadelphia. You will oblige my be informing me immediately whether the Bills mentioned have yet been presented, & if they have not pray keep this Letter always before you & if any of the Bills should come to hand examine well the Endorsement, if it is not conformable to Captain Robinsons handwriting inclosed, and you have reason to suspect Fraud, pray delay the Acceptance a few Days and give me immediate Notice & I will place an opposition in your Hands which will authorise a stoppage of the Bill, but if Capt Robinsons name is Fairly written, let it pass giving me an acct of the Date & place of his Endorsement so that I may discover when & where he arrives.

The vessel which brought this Letter is the [sail?] Capt Fradin belonging to Mr Dacosta he left Phila to keep his Crew from deserting the 1st July but did not leave the River ’till the 18, some days after he left the City he heard the Americans were successful against Kniphausen & returned in his Boat to see the Prisoners come in, part had arrived before he got up, so he himself only saw 400 come in, but he was assured there were 700 besides killed & Wounded, he brings no further detail. When he got to the mouth of the River he received a Letter from Mr Morris informing that the french army was at last arrived but without saying where this however agrees with the account we had by the way of pain of Mr de Ternay having arrived at Rhode Island. pray communicate this to Doctor Franklin, Mr Deane & Doctor Bancroft.—

I am ever my dear Billy Your sincere & affectionate