one of the orders of the Congress, about choosing the warranted or non-commissioned officers, and said Gilbert entered a complaint to said Committee of Blooming Grove, of which he himself is a member, and obtained a citation for said Rumsey, and served the same the day of trial, which day he could not attend, as he was engaged for the space of ten days before that to go to Warwick that day to do business of consequence that could not be omitted; neither could said Rumsey come to trial on so short a notice, as one of his material evidences was in New-York at that time. Said Rumsey sent said John Vail, who informed said Committee of his circumstances, but they, not thinking proper to adjourn, met and proceeded to try said Rumsey, and voted themselves that Rumsey’s notice was too quick to be then tried, but the discontented party thinking it their most proper time to try him when he was not there to vindicate himself. All informed the said Committee that they were evidences, and would not appear again; at which said Committee gratified them, and on their verbal words condemned Rumsey, and adjudged him unfit to wear a commission; but said Committee must not have known that all those men were equally prosecutors, or they would not have condemned the man without one legal witness, and stopped the commissions coming to the other officers who were legally chosen, and no complaint entered against. Said Committee ordered a second choice, at which we attended, where said Little and Zachariah Dubois were returning officers, who did proceed to take in the poll in a very irregular manner, as the men that pretended to vote for them were but few in numbers, and did not choose to appear with so small a party of the Company, and we declined voting a second time, until we had further orders from this honourable House, as we thought we had gone according to their direction in our first choice; but these few who were discontented with the first choice had procured several voters out of other Companies, and some that did not live in the County, who all voted once, and some, it is said, twice, as it was not in the power of the officers to know who had voted, or how often, as they were not less than eight or ten deep, all crowded around the table from different parts of the country; by which means they voted in Dr. Silas Peirson Captain, and other Lieutenants to command, as contrary to order and our inclination, and said they would return the same accordingly.

That your petitioners humbly conceive the said proceedings not only to be a manifest wrong to the said Captain Rumsey and said law, but a violation of the rights of your petitioners and others, the electors of our neighbouring Companies, whose discontented parties are encouraged by their success, and now following their example, to the great annoyance of peace in our Country. Your petitioners, therefore, humbly pray this honourable House to take their case into consideration, and to give them such relief therein as to this honourable House shall seem meet; and your petitioners shall ever pray.

Field-Officers in two Regiments of Minute-Men in DUTCHESS County, NEW-YORK, SEPTEMBER 2, 1775.

Colonel, John Van Ness; Lieutenant-Colonel, Cornelius Humphrey; Majors, Robert G. Livingston, Jun., and James Reed; Adjutant, Reuben Hopkins; Quartermaster, Joseph Ketchum, Jun.

Colonel, Jacobus Swartwout; Lieutenant-Colonel, John Bailey, Jr.; Majors, Malcom Morrison and Henry Schenck; Adjutant, Joshua Carman, Jun.; Quartermaster, Henry Godwin.

GILBERT LIVINGSTON.

Return of the Captains and Subalterns of the Companies in Colonel VAN NESS’S Regiment of Minute-men.

NORTH-EAST: Captain, Hugh Rea; First Lieutenant, Daniel Wilson; Second Lieutenant, Nathaniel Mead; Ensign, Phenix Rice.

RHINKBECK: Captain, Harman Hoffman; First Lieutenant, Andrew Heermanse; Second Lieutenant, George Sharp; Ensign, James Adams.

RHINEBECK: Captain, John De Witt; First Lieutenant, Felix Heermanse; Second Lieutenant, John Steenbergh; Ensign, Jacob Kip.

AMENIA: Captain, Increase Child; First Lieutenant, John Lloyd; Second Lieutenant, William Blunt; Ensign, Josiah Morse.

CHARLOTTE: Captain, Smith Sutherland; First Lieutenant, Zaccheus Marshall; Second Lieutenant, Uriah Sill; Ensign, Stephen Haight.

PETITION OF JOHN McKINNEY TO NEW-YORK CONGRESS.

To the Honourable Members of the Provincial Congress, at this time convened in the City of NEW-YORK:

The Petition of JOHN MC KINNEY most humbly sheweth:

That your petitioner, with his wife and family, are under the greatest distress of mind, at the confinement and misfortunes of Captain John Kendall, who has for some time past been married to your petitioner’s daughter, who is very lately brought to bed, and now lies in so truly deplorable a manner that her life is much despaired of, and that in great part attributed to her husband’s present unhappy situation. That your petitioner is unspeakably concerned at the said John Kendall’s being under the censure and displeasure of this honourable Board, but does not mean to vindicate, in the least, any misconduct he may have been guilty of; only means hereby to hope his own and family’s present unhappiness may be speedily alleviated by your feeling consideration. That your petitioner has been many years an inhabitant of this city; has, with great care and trouble, brought up a large family; is a freeman and freeholder, and would willingly become the said John Kendall’s security that he shall in future behave himself in a becoming manner; that he shall not take up arms, or otherwise behave offensively against the Continental Army, nor shall go on board any of His Majesty’s ships of war, or otherwise your petitioner is willing to be bound as this honourable Board shall see reasonable and requisite. Wherefore, your petitioner earnestly prays that the premises may, in the most convenient time, be taken into consideration by this honourable Board, that his security may be taken for the future good conduct of the said John Kendall, and be thereupon discharged from his present confinement; for which great favour your petitioner, with his family, will ever most sincerely pray, &c.

City of New-York, September 2, 1775.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM A GENTLEMAN AT ALBANY, DATED SEPTEMBER 2, 1775.

By an express arrived last night, we hear there has been some skirmish, near St. John’s, between a reconnoitering party of our men in a boat, and a boat of Regulars, Canadians, and Indians. The General’s letter on the occasion mentions that the Captain of our party was killed (one Baker) and a number of whites, and two Indians of the enemy were slain; that General Montgomery, with twelve hundred men, set off the first of the week for St. John’s, and were to muster on the Isle-aux-Noix, until joined by General Schuyler, who, with about as many more men, has by this time arrived, so that within a very few days it is possible the blow will be struck which shall determine the fate of three Provinces. And here I must wait, an idle listener to news, merely because hard necessity ties me down, as our men cannot yet march for want of their campaign equipage.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM ALBANY TO A GENTLEMAN IN NEW-YORK, DATED SEPTEMBER 5, 1775.

Before you get this you will hear of the unhappy affair of Captain Baker, near St. John’s. It seems Baker bad often been sent out by General Schuyler, to make observations,

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