CORRESPONDENCE, PROCEEDINGS, &c. NOVEMBER, 1776.

would be deeply and injuriously affected should the Congress at this time consent to a compromise between any State and the forces to be raised by such State. From the resolves of your House it should seem that you apprehended your State would be obliged in their individual capacity to make good the bounty of land hereafter to be given to the soldiery ; whereas it was the intention of Congress to provide such land at the expense of the United States. I have it therefore in charge from Congress, to request you will reconsider your resolve on this subject, and give such instructions to your Commissioners appointed to repair to the camp as will enable them to carry into execution the views of Congress ; and also,to inform you, that the Paymaster-General has been furnished with a sum of money for the purpose of paying the bounty of twenty dollars ordered by Congress to such soldiers as shall inlist to serve the United States during the war.

I have the honour to be, with much esteem, gentlemen, your most obedient humble servant,

JOHN HANCOCK, Pres't.

Honourable Convention of Maryland.

Colonel William Smallwood was appointed Brigadier-General by Congress, October 23d.

GENERAL MERCER TO DR. SHIPPEN.

Perth-Amboy, 4th November, 1776.

DEAR SIR : The bearer, Dr. Wallace, has been here in quest of you and necessaries for the sick of the Maryland troops. If you have as yet received no instructions from Head-Quarters, or from General Greene, relative to the Hospital, it is my opinion that the charge of all the sick on this side of the North River devolves on you, and that all the stores, assistants, &c, belonging to that department, on this side, are entirely at your disposal ; but to prevent disputes it may be proper to inventory whatever has been brought from New- York, or is in Dr. Morgan's care. If the speediest measures are not pursued for the comfortable accommodation of the sick, now winter is set in, many lives must be lost in a way shocking to humanity. I am well satisfied that nothing of this kind will happen where you take the lead.

Yours, with great esteem,                       H. MERCEH.

To Dr. William Shippen, Jr., Director-General of the Hospitals.

ROBERT H. HARRISON TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

[Read November 14 : Referred to Board of War.]

White-Plains, November 4, 1776.

SIR : By command of his Excellency. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your favours of the 24th ultimo, and to inform you that he esteems the plan you propose to lay before Congress for preventing more rations being drawn than may be due, well calculated to answer the end. That respecting the sick seems to him not entirely perfect. The Captains or commanders of companies are prohibited from drawing pay for such sick as may be discharged from the Hospitals as unfit for service. If during their stay, and before it can be known whether their case will or will not admit of their return, it should become necessary to make up a regimental pay abstract, in what manner are the officers to make up their rolls ? Are they to include the sick or not? As this is a case that may and must of necessity frequently happen, it appears to his Excellency that the intended regulation should be more general, and restrain the officers from including in their pay-abstracts or rolls all the sick they send to the Hospitals, and the pay due 'em previous to their going. In such case those who are discharged as unfit for service, may receive their pay as intended, and those who return to duty can obtain what was due them, when the regiment was paid, by applying to the Paymaster with the officers' and surgeon's certificates, or be included in a subsequent abstract. The inconveniences and abuses which are designed to be remedied by those regulations, his Excellency does not apprehend to arise so much from necessity as incident to the nature of armies, as from the imperfect institution of the present, and the great mixture and diversity of troops composing it, and also from the inattention of the officers, in whose appointments but too little regard has been had in choosing men of merit and honour.

The defenceless state of Pennsylvania, as communicated by the Committee of Safety to your honourable body, is a matter of much concern to his Excellency ; which is not a little aggravated by the part too many seem ready to take in favour of the enemy. He trusts, however, the defection will be too inconsiderable to threaten any alarming consequences.

Before the receipt of your letter his Excellency had wrote to the commanding officer of the Virginia regiments at Trenton, directing him to march them forward toward General Greene's post, and there remain under his command till further orders, unless special instructions had been or should be given to the contrary by Congress or for their particular destination.

Agreeable to your request his Excellency has consulted with General Lee upon the best mode for employing the French gentlemen, and of making them serviceable. The result is, that they should be appointed to regiments by Congress, according to the ranks they have been pleased to give them, and with the same pay as is allowed other officers in such cases. Their want of our language is rather an objection, but it is hoped they will obtain a sufficient knowledge of it ere it be long to be of great service, and that in the interim their advice and assistance in directing of works may be of use where they may be stationed.

With great respect, I have the honour to be, gentlemen, your most obedient servant,

ROB. H. HARRISON.

ROBERT H. HARRISON TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

[Read November 14 : Referred to the Board of War.]

White-Plains, November 4, 1776.

SIR : This will be handed you by Messrs. Robillard L'Anfin and Bordes, two French gentlemen who, with others, lately arrived at the eastward from Cape François. They were introduced to his Excellency by the enclosed letter from James Bowdoin, Esq., which contains all the information his Excellency has of them, and which, by his direction, I transmit you. They have come, it seems, to offer their services to the States, and will make known their views and expectations to Congress.

I have the honour to be, with great respect, sir, your most obedient servant,

ROB. H. HARRISON.

H. GLEN TO ELISHA AVERY.

Schenectady, 4th November, 1776.

SIR : Last niglit about twelve o'clock I got an express from Johnstown, that there was no flour for the troops, and unless I sent flour immediately, the troops ordered up that way would come back. This I expected, as I mentioned to you yesterday. I immediately sent off an express to Nestickayouna, and luckily got nine wagons there, and some few in town, and Major Fonda sent me five, who have rid all night. I got off by two o'clock eighty barrels of flour, which makes me feel very happy by what I did, when I beard the troops were to come back for want of flour. There must be some mistake, and a grand one, of Major Fonda. He told me he had engaged to supply all the Militia as he knew of, this route, and no flour when only part of the Militia was to go up. Making of contracts is of dangerous nature : the making of them is the least, but the performing is the principal matter.

By the sudden alarms and demands for flour, makes the merchants rise with their flour. As the quantity I had engaged is within a trifle forwarded to Forts George and Edward, and the quantity sent this day for Johnstown, and as there is some considerable to be made yet in town, and some ready, the merchants don't choose to let me have it. Their general cry is, " I will have as much for my flour as the merchants get in Albany ;" and indeed, they tell me for certain, you have given twenty-four shillings. You will be pleased to let me know this day, or to-morrow, what you give at Albany, and if I must give that, you will all along give what you give at Albany.

I am, sir, your humble servant,

H. GLEN.

To Elisha Avery, Esq.