JOSEPH JOHNSON (A MOHEGAN INDIAN) TO NEW-YORK CONGRESS.

New-York, June 21, 1775.

To the Honourable the Provincial Congress of the Colony of NEW-YORK, the humble Petition of JOSEPH JOHNSON, a licensed Preacher of the Gospel amongst seven different Tribes of NEW-ENGLAND INDIANS and the ONEIDAS, humbly sheweth:

That your petitioner bath for several years been engaged amongst the, Indians—for some years as a schoolmaster amongst the Oneidas, and since that time in preaching the Gospel to several different Nations of New-England Indians, and to the Oneidas, and in endeavouring to persuade the Indians to a civilized life, and to embrace the Christian religion. Also your petitioner humbly sheweth, that a number of New-England Indians, of seven different tribes, having become poor and few in number, were adopted by the Oneida Nation, who gave them a tract of land to settle on. That your petitioner, with a number of the said New-England Indians, removed to the Oneida country to settle on the lands given to them, and were very kindly received, and had got corn-fields planted and gardens made: That false reports were lately spread to the, westward that your petitioner, and the New-England Indians who were with him, had removed to the westward, in pursuance of a design formed by the people of New-England to settle in that western, country, and that they might thereby have an opportunity of gaining the favour of the Upper Nations, and bring them to their way of thinking: That the New-England Indians were afraid that ill disposed persons, whose hearts might be full of jealousy and prejudice, might induce Some of the distant Indian Nations to credit such false reports, and set them at variance with, and cause them to fall on and take up the hatchet against the new settled Indians: That therefore the New-England Indians, with the consent and advice of the Oneidas, thought best for their safety, and the peace of the country, to return for the present from whence they came, until the present troubles shall be ended That most part of the said New-England Indians are returned, and that your petitioner, with three others of the said Indians, are now on their way to the eastward, intending to proceed by the way of New-London, which is near their former place of abode: That your petitioner and his three companions, sensible of the present troubles and difficulties in every part of the country, are fearful of travelling without a passport or a letter of safe conduct, which, may afford them peace and protection in their journey, and are also so poor and destitute that they are utterly unable to pursue their journey without the charitable aid and relief, of the benevolent and the humane. Your petitioner therefore humbly prays that a passport, or a letter of safe conduct and protection, may be graciously given to him for James Shattock, John Shesnck, Samuel Tallman, and himself, to pass to New-London, in Connecticut, and also for such small sum to aid them in their journey to New-London aforesaid, as to this honourable Congress in their wisdom shall seem meet. And your petitioner, on behalf of himself and his: above named companions; as in duty bound shall ever pray, &c.

JOSEPH JOHNSON.

To the Honourable the Provincial Congress of New-York.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM A GENTLEMAN AT NEW-YORK TO HIS FRIEND IN EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND, DATED JUNE 21, 1775.

A worthy young man, an Indian Preacher, with three of his tribe, just arrived from the Six Nations, were with me this morning. They are come to wait upon our Provincial Congress, now sitting in this City, with the news that the Indian Nations are determined not to act against the Colonies. They also inform me that even the Canadian Indian are our friends. The Continental Congress Have recommended it in the warmest manner to all the Colonies, to observe the twentieth of next month as a Continental fast. A regular Army of seventy thousand men is to be immediately raised. All ranks of people are in arms. Seventeen regular companies are already formed in this City, who have no pay, and provide themselves with uniforms, arms, and ammunition. Should the unhappy contest continue six months longer, it is very probable that we will have near two hundred thousand bold, resolute men, disciplined to as great perfection as any of His Majesty’s Troops. The Provincial Army, at present at Boston, consists of twenty thousand men, and increases daily. Gen. Wooster, the chief commander of the Connecticut Troops, is soon to encamp near the City with two thousand men. It is a gross calumny to say that we are aiming at independency, for our political principles are the same that raised the house of Hanover to the throne; and were your Ministers to adopt these principles, we would immediately lay down our arms.

ALBANY (NEW-YORK) COMMITTEE TO THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS.

[Read before Congress, June 26, 1775.]

Albany Committee Chamber, June 21, 1775.

To the Members of the Continental Congress:

GENTLEMEN: Mr. Dirck Swart, a member of this Board, who is just returned from Crown Point, brings the following intelligence: that one Mr. Hay, who lives about ten miles up Lake Champlain, came down to Crown Point, who told Colonel Arnold and others that he had been to Montreal for some flour; that Governour Carleton had him seized and confined for several days; that by the interposition of the English merchants of that place, he received liberty to return home; and that the merchants who procured him the pass from the Lieutenant-Governour, desired him to go down to Crown Point and Ticonderoga with all speed, and communicate to the commander of those fortresses that the French Caughnawaga Indians had taken up the hatchet, but that they refused to go out upon any scouts until nine of their men, who were then out, returned; and that Governour Carleton was giving them presents daily.

We are very sorry to inform you that, from a number of corroborating circumstances, we have but too much reason to believe the above information to be true, and more especially as the Troops, which amount to about six hundred men, suffer no persons coming up the lake to pass St. John’s if they can avoid it, where they are building floating batteries and boat?. Mr. Swart also acquaints us that Mr. Hay said that Governour Carleton had asked, the English merchants to take up arms against the Yankees, to make use of his own phraseology; that the merchants refused; upon which he told them that he would set the Town on fire; when the merchants said he was welcome to do so, and added, they would carry as much fire as himself. Mr. Hay also desired Mr. Swart, if he should happen to meet Mr. Pierce, he should request him not to proceed, as the English merchants in Canada conceived it unsafe for him.

The forces above named are in no proper state of defence, principally owing to the scarcity of powder; of which article we have not yet been able to send up more, with the supply we have received from New-York, than three hundred and fifty pounds; which quantity is altogether insufficient to answer the purposes intended, and of little service in case of an attack. We can farther inform you (his City is not half supplied (nor frontier inhabitants) with either powder or arms, for which applications have been, and daily are making to; us; and as we have no prospect of any farther supply from New-York, we beg to be assisted, if possible, from the lower Governments, with all the despatch possible.

We should also desire that the command at the forts might be settled. Colonel Hinman, we understood, would have taken the command; but by his appointment from Governour Trumbull, his orders are only to reenforce the garrisons and command his regiment; upon which Colonel Arnold refused to resign. We therefore conceive it highly-necessary that a matter of such importance should be settled with all speed. The above we are also informed by Mr. Swart, who was present and heard each read the other’s instructions.

We thought it our indispensable duty to acquaint you of these matters, and therefore send them to you per express.

We are, gentlemen, your very humble servants. By order of the Committee:

SAMUEL STRINGER,
Chairman pro tempore.