men and as many Indians at Mr. GilHland’s; they were secured and brought up here.

The Indians. I have set at liberty, but lest any insult should be offered them, I have ordered an officer and a small party to attend them to Albany; and to convince them, that no evil was intended them, I have desired them to call on you, and that you should make them a present, which I beg you to do, and call on Mr. Livingston for the money to pay it.

The sentiments thrown out by Mr. White and the other white men, are of so dangerous a nature that it may possibly be imprudent even to let Clement and Bone return to the Mohawk’s country; but of this you are the most proper judges, as you can determine with more precision than I what the effects would be with the Mohawks if they should be detained, and you will act accordingly.

White and the other man I wish to have sent down under a guard to the Provincial Congress at New-York, and I beg that you will please to forward them.

I enclose you copies of two letters from Sir John Johnson; as also the examination of some of the party who look White and his party.

I am, Gentlemen, your most obedient and very humble servant,

PH. SCHUYLER.

To the Committee of Albany.

GOVERNOUR COOKE TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Providence, August 11, 1775.

SIR: Since my last to you, Mr. Ward, one of the delegates, hath returned from Congress. He informs me that some of the Bermudians had been at Philadelphia soliciting for liberty to import provisions for the use of the island. They gave information of the powder mentioned in your letter to me, and were of opinion it might easily be obtained. They were told by the delegates that every vessel they should send to the northward with powder, should be permitted to carry provisions to the island. Whether their situation will not probably prevent them from bringing the powder, I submit to your Excellency.

Mr. Porter and Mr. Harris are both here. To Mr. Porter, who can fully inform you in the matter, I refer you.

I have forwarded about thirteen hundred pounds of lead, which is all that can be procured at present, that article being extremely scarce among us. In my last to you I mentioned that I thought it might be brought from Ticon-deroga with more ease than it can be procured in any other way, and am still of the same opinion.

I have given orders to the Committee of Safety to purchase all the tow-cloth that is to be bought in the Government, but am afraid the quantity will be small, the scarcity of coarse linens in the Colony having occasioned a great use of that article in families.

I am, with great esteem, Sir, your Excellency’s most obedient humble servant,

NICH. COOKE.

General Washington.

GOVERNOUR TRUMBULL TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Lebanon, August 11, 1775.

SIR: Yesterday twelve o’clock received your letter by Major Johnson; immediately gave the necessary directions. Some companies I ordered to New-London, others to New-Haven; Colonel Webb, with the companies that way, if not marched, to take his station at Greenwich. Same day at eleven o’clock, received a letter from Brigadier-General Wooster, dated the ninth, at the Oyster-Ponds on Long-Island; he had with him four hundred and fifty men, besides militia, designing to preserve the stock at that place. The ships were then plundering Gardiner’s Island; the people on the island had left it. He applied to me for three hundred pounds of powder; before I had made my answer and order for the powder, (which I gave notwithstanding our exhausted condition,) on receipt of your’s inserted an extract from it for his observation.

I am informed a quantity of powder for the camp is to be at Hartford this evening, and more to follow soon. We have none lately arrived, which is daily expected. I request your direction that of the next quantity that comes to Hartford, there may be lodged there so much as you shall judge expedient; if what is expected do arrive in the mean time, shall have no occasion to use your allowance.

I am, most respectfully, Sir, your most obedient very humble servant,

JONATHAN TRUMBULL.

His Excellency General Washington.

New-York, August 16, 1775.

The following is the best account we are able to collect of the late expedition of the piratical Regular traitors to the English Constitution and the British Colonies, in plundering Fisher’s, Gardiner’s, Plumb, and Block Islands, of Stock, Provisions, &c.

The design of the Regulars to plunder these islands having been communicated to the inhabitants and proprietors by the Congress of New-York, and other intelligences, as early as Tuesday, the eighth instant, there was time to have taken off all the stock, and some was actually taken off; but some differences having arisen between the proprietors and the Committees, concerning the expense of the business, before any thing could be determined the ships of the enemy appeared in sight. Despatches were immediately sent to alarm and assemble the people on the Connecticut and Long-Island shores, who, notwithstanding the utmost haste they could then make, were too late to prevent the execution of the felonious design of the enemy; who, on Friday, the eleventh instant, approached Gardiner’s Island, with the following vessels and forces, viz: seven transport ships, two brigs, two men-of-war, one snow of ten guns, one armed schooner of seventeen men, and two hundred Regulars, as reported by the sailors, landed on the island, and, assisted by ten villanous Tories from Southold, &c. took off the following stock, &c:

By the account of Benjamin Miller, the overseer, one thousand sheep, thirty hogs, thirteen geese, three calves, one thousand pounds of cheese, and seven tons of hay, were taken off, and much damage done to gardens, fences, fowls, &c. When they went away, they left on the table half a guinea and a pistareen.

The following letter was left by the commanding officer, and gives reason to suspect that the expedition (as to Gardiner’s Island) was preconcerted with the proprietor or manager. The following is an exact copy, viz:

“SIR: As we have got loaded all the vessels, I can’t come to your house, according to promise. I send you account of what I have got off your island, viz: sheep, eight hundred and twenty-three; fat cattle, fifty-nine; cows, three; calves, three—one of the calves got away; the cheese I will lake account of. Send me some pigs, fowls, potatoes, and ducks, and some bread; and when you come to Boston I will secure your interest to you, if in my power. I am very sorry it is not in my power to come to your house; but so good a wind we can’t slay. The hay you must send an account of by Captain Lawrence Sir, I am yours,

ABIJAH WILLANT.

“August 11, 1775, 12 o’clock at night. ”

Besides the before-mentioned stock from Gardiner’s Island, we are informed that the same crew of freebooters took from Fisher’s Island twenty-six fat cattle, and about one thousand sheep; also from Plumb-Island, fourteen fat cattle. At this last island they had only one prize wood-boat and a transport brig. On their arrival and landing on one side of the island, they were fired upon by about one hundred of Colonel Wooster’s Provincials, who had landed on the other side. But it being represented to the commanding officer, that the island was nearly surrounded by a number of the enemy’s armed vessels, who would be likely to cut off their retreat, they fired but one volley, which did not appear to have done any execution, and then retired to the main land, when the fourteen cattle were taken off.

After these exploits, three more transports appearing in sight, on Tuesday morning the Rose and Swan, sloops-of-war, sailed to meet them, in order to make a descent upon and plunder Block-Island; the success of which attempt we have not yet heard.

It is the opinion of good judges, that only two hundred Provincial Soldiers, well posted on either of these islands, would have repelled the attack made upon it by the Regulars.

We have advice from Huntingdon, on Long-Island, that on Wednesday morning, the ninth, forty volunteers from