mortars, and two eight-inch brass mortars, and two eight-inch howitzers, to Ticonderoga, to be forwarded to Fort George.

You may depend on my sending the cannon from this place as soon as possible. There are three thirteen-inch iron mortars, here—beg to know what I shall do with them. I have received large donations of flour, pork, peas, &c., from Albany —near seventy barrels—and I am informed there is a large quantity on the road from that place, and a quantity supplied from Connecticut.

The advice I received from Butterfield, and communicated, in the postscript of my last, of the 23d instant, proves to be premature. I have good intelligence from a batteau immediately from St. John’s, which place she left on the 19th instant, that the Regulars were returned to Chamblee. I am, with great respect, gentlemen, your obedient servant,

BENEDICT ARNOLD.

To the Commitee of Safety, Cambridge.

LETTER FROM THE MASSACHUSETTS CONGRESS TO THE NEW-YORK CONGRESS.

“Resolved, That the following Letter be sent to the Provincial Congress of the Colony of New-York, now sitting in that Colony.”

GENTLEMEN: Enclosed are copies of a letter from Colonel Arnold, and a list of military stores at Ticonderoga, &c. You cannot fail to observe that Mr. Arnold, for the defence of this Colony, is endeavouring that such ordnance as he judges can be spared from that quarter, should be transported to the army in this Colony. This step is taken in consequence of orders given by our Committee of Safety. Perhaps this may appear to you extraordinary, but we trust you will candidly overlook such a mistake (if it is one,) being made in the hurry and confusion of war; and we most solemnly declare to you, that this Congress, and the inhabitants of this Colony, are at the utmost remove from any disposition or design to make any the least in fraction upon, or usurpation of the jurisdiction of any of our sister Colonies. And if any of those cannon, &c., taken at the Lake Champlain, should happen, through the exertions of enterprising spirits, to be brought within the allowed limits of this Colony, and come to our use, we shall hold ourselves accountable for them to the Representatives of the Continent; and whenever they shall in form us that they are more needed for the general defence at any other part of the Continent than in this Colony, we shall endeavour that they be removed thither with the utmost despatch. As to the expediency and policy of endeavouring to maintain those old fortresses near Lake Champlain, or abating them, and erecting others in some other places upon the same lake, or abandoning those posts, and bringing off all the ordnance and warlike stores in those posts, we conceive that the advice of the Continental Congress ought to be obtained, and we have therefore addressed them in the most pressing manner, being of opinion that the maintaining a post there is absolutely necessary for the defence of your, and all the New-England Colonies.

Gentlemen and brethren, could you have seen the horrid devastation and carnage in this Colony, committed by ministerial Troops, those sons of violence, who have got some footing in this Colony, the breach of a most solemn treaty with respect to the inhabitants of Boston, when they had surrendered their arms, and put themselves wholly in the power of a military commander, relying upon his faith, then pledged, that they should immediately depart the Town with their effects as stipulated, which was no sooner done than they were positively refused permission to carry out the most valuable part of those effects, but their persons detained under the most idle pretences, and suffered only to scatter from their prison a few in a day, hardly to be seen or noticed; we say, gentlemen, could you see and realize these scenes of distress, you could not refrain one moment from doing every thing in your power to prevent the like distress from happening to your metropolis, and availing yourselves of every article, which an enemy can improve with the least advantage to themselves, for effecting the like desolation, horrours, and insults on the inhabitants of your City and Colony, or which might enable you to make the most effectual defence. Have you not, gentlemen, divers of those articles as it were under your hand? If you should delay securing them until they should be out of your power, and within a few days you should behold those very materials improved in murdering you, and yourselves perishing for the want of them, will not your chagrin and regret be intolerable? Brethren, pardon our importunity. It is our own case. Don't we daily behold Castle William, and realize the ample warlike provisions and apparatus therein, held by our enemies, to our infinite and inexpressible mortification? We wish to heaven that you may be timely admonished by the consequence of our delay.

JOSEPH HAWLEY TO THE MASSACHUSETTS COMMITTEE OF SAFETY.

Watertown, May 26, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: The Congress have directed a Committee, of which I have the honour to be Chairman, to apply to you forthwith for copies of the commission, and every paper containing the appointment of Colonel Benedict Arnold, to a secret warlike enterprise to the westward; of the instructions given him by you; of your engagements to him in behalf of this Colony; and authority to raise a Regiment to be in the pay of this Colony, if any such authority was given him by you; his orders respecting the ordnance at Ticonderoga, and places on Lake Champlain; and every thing necessary to give the Congress a full understanding of the relation Colonel Arnold then stood, and now stands in to this Colony, and send them as soon as possible to us by Captain Brown. I am, gentlemen, with the greatest respect, your most obedient servant,

JOSEPH HAWLEY.

To the Committee of Safety.

BENJAMIN GREENLEAF TO THE MASSACHUSETTS CONGRESS.

Newburyport, May 26, 1775.

SIR: I yesterday received your letter of the 19th instant, informing me that the Provincial Congress had done me the honour of choosing me a member of the Committee of Safety, and that they requested my attendance without delay. I readily exert myself on every occasion that presents, as far as I am able, to promote such measures as have a tendency to relieve the Country from its present difficulties and embarrassments; but my ill state of health forbids my attending closely to business, and therefore disqualifies me to act in that department with advantage to the publick or myself, for which reason I have to entreat the indulgence of the Congress while I ask to be excused from that service; assuring them I cannot be an indifferent observer of scenes that are now acting; but as I have hitherto attended to our publick affairs as far as my health would permit, almost to the total neglect of my own personal concerns, I shall continue to do so, if my life is spared, until this land obtains a complete deliverance from the hands of tyranny and oppression; but then it must be in a sphere wherein I shall not be liable to so much confinement and solicitude as I must necessarily submit to as a member of that Committee. I am, with respect, Sir, your most humble servant,

B. GREENLEAF.

To Mr. Freeman, Secretary of the Provincial Congress.

COMMITTEE OF SAFETY TO THE MASSACHUSETTS CONGRESS.

Cambridge, May 26, 1775.

The Committee of Safety beg leave to represent to your Honours the conduct of Jonathan Brewer, of Waltham. Said Brewer was recommended to this Committee as a suitable person to take orders to enlist a Regiment on the present establishment, and accordingly received ten sets of orders from this Committee for that purpose. Since that, various complaints have been made to us relative to his conduct. When he gave out his enlisting orders he made proclamation that he had received orders to enlist a Regiment of Rangers, and gave some of his Captains written orders accordingly, directly contrary to the orders he received from this Committee, and in that way drew off men from the companies and regiments, which occasioned great uneasiness and frequent complaints. He has, without any orders or directions, taken into his service two horses—one