cannot refrain from expressing our wishes that, if their present contumacy should continue, your Majesty may adopt such measures as will convince them “that the sword is not borne in vain,” and that inclination, not means, has hitherto been wanting to ensure that attachment and obedience to this Country which might reasonably have been expected as the fair result of gratitude and interest. To accomplish this necessary end, and in defence of our happy Constitution, your Majesty may at all times be assured of our best assistance.

Given under our common seal, this eighth day of September, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five.

SAMUEL OLIVER, Mayor.

NEW-YORK FIREMEN TO THE PROVINCIAL CONGRESS.

New-York, September 8, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: We, firemen of the City of New-York, beg leave to lay our state and condition before you; that we cannot serve two masters—to be drawn out in the military service, and to tend our fire-engines. We desire the same privilege as is granted to us by the act of the Legislature.

We are willing to serve as firemen; and if a general attack should be made upon our City, we are willing and ready to be drawn out with the rest of the citizens; and if that is not agreeable to the honourable Congress, we must lay down firemanship and turn out as soldiers.

We, the subscribers, are officers and foremen of the several engines.

To the Honourable Provincial Congress.

GENERAL SCHUYLER TO JOHN HANCOCK.
[Read September 18, 1775.]

Isle-aux-Noix, September 8, 1775.

DEAR SIR: General Montgomery, having received the enclosed information on the 25th ultimo, and being justly apprehensive that the enemy’s armed vessels might get into the lake, unless an immediate movement was made to this place, resolved to proceed with what force he could carry, of which he advised me by express, which I received at Albany, where I was attending at the Indian conference on Sunday, the 27th ultimo. I arrived very much indisposed at Ticonderoga on the 30th, and left it on the 31st, after having given the proper orders for bringing up the artillery, &c., &c. On the 4th instant, I joined General Montgomery at Isle-la-Motte, where he had arrived the preceding day, having been detained by adverse winds and rainy weather. On that day we moved on, and arrived at this place; and, agreeable to a request that had been made us, we fired three cannon, to give notice to the Canadians of our arrival, who were to collect on the occasion. On the 5th, I drew a declaration, (copy of which is enclosed,) and sent it amongst the inhabitants; and as we judged that going to St. John’s weak as we were, (our numbers not exceeding one thousand,) might have a good effect on the Canadians, and encourage them to join us, we resolved upon the measure, and accordingly landed our provisions, baggage, &c., and early on the 6th embarked, and without any obstruction proceeded towards St. John’s. When we arrived in sight of, and at the distance of about two miles, the enemy began a fire from their fortress, but without doing any damage; we approached half a mile nearer, and then landed, without opposition, in a close deep swamp. After being formed, we marched in the best order we could, in grounds marshy and covered with woods, in order to approach and reconnoitre the fortresses. Major Hobby and Captain Mead, of the Connecticut forces, being on the left, and a little advanced, were attacked in crossing a creek by a party of Indians, from whom they received a heavy fire; but our troops gallantly pressing on them, they soon gave way and left us the ground. In this rencounter we lost a Sergeant, a Corporal, and three Privates killed, one missing, and eight wounded, three of whom are since dead. Besides these, Major Hobby was shot through the thigh, but not dangerously; and Captain Mead received a slight wound through the shoulder, as did Lieutenant Brown in the hand. Our surviving wounded are in a fair way of recovery. Night now coming on, we drew our men together, and cast up a small intrenchment to defend ourselves in case of an attack in the night.

In the evening, a gentleman, whose name I am not at liberty to commit to paper, came to me, and gave me the following account. That there were no regular troops in Canada but the twenty-sixth Regiment; that all these, except fifty at Montreal, were at St. John’s and Chambly; that there were then at St. John’s about one hundred Indians; that there was a considerable body with Col. Johnson; that the fortifications were complete and strong, and plentifully furnished with cannon; that the vessel was launched, and had one mast in, and the other ready to raise; that she would be ready to sail in three or four days, and is to carry sixteen guns; that he does not believe our Army will be joined by one Canadian; that they wish to be neuter upon the occasion; but if we should penetrate into Canada it would not displease them, provided their persons and properties were safe, and we paid them in gold and silver for what we had; that, in the situation we were in, he judged it would be imprudent to attack St. John’s, and advised us to send some parties among the inhabitants, and the remainder of the Army to retire to Isle-aux-Noix, from whence we might have an intercourse with La Prairie.

He told me that in the afternoon’s engagement five Indians were killed and four badly wounded, besides several others the condition of whose wounds he did not know, and Captain Tyce, of Johnstown, who was wounded in the belly.

On the 7th, in the morning, having been undisturbed through the night, excepting by a few shells, which did no other damage than slightly wounding Lieutenant Mills, I called a council of war of all the Field-Officers present, to whom I communicated the information I had received. I enclose a copy of their opinion, which being perfectly consonant to my own, I immediately ordered the Troops to embark, and are retired to this place without any molestation, where we propose to secure ourselves in the best manner we can, so as to prevent the enemy from going up the lake, and also to enable us to take the advantage of any events that may happen in Canada, from whence I hope to hear in a day or two from Colonel Allen and Major Brown, who went to deliver my declaration.

I cannot estimate the obligations I lie under to General Montgomery, for the many important services he has done and daily does, in which he has had little assistance from me, as I have not enjoyed a moment’s health since I left Fort George, and am now so low as not to be able to hold the pen. Should we not be able to do any thing decisively in Canada, I shall judge it best to move from this place, which is a very wet and unhealthy part of the Country, unless I receive your orders to the contrary.

The sloop we hear is in the river, and has on board, besides provisions and other stores, three pieces of field-artillery and two mortars; and we are joined by three hundred Connecticut Troops, and four hundred Yorkers, so that we are about seventeen hundred strong, with five pieces of cannon and two mortars.

I am, dear Sir, with every sentiment of respect and esteem, your most obedient humble servant,

PHILIP SCHUYLER.

To the Hon. John Hancock, Esq., &c.

CHARLOTTE COUNTY, ss.

Peter Griffin, soldier in Captain Babcock’s Company, and Colonel Easton’s Regiment, saith that on Saturday, the 12th instant, he set out from Crown Point, with Lieutenant Watson, on a scout down Lake Champlain; that on Sunday last he fell in with Captain Remember Baker, in the Schooner Liberty; that he was chosen by Captain Baker to go with him to Canada; that on Monday last, at daylight, he, with a little St. François Indian, was landed by Captain Baker a little below Windmill Point, on the west side of the river Sorel; that from thence they proceeded on the west side of the river to a place at St. John’s about five hundred paces from the fortifications in the woods, where they arrived at about six o’clock in the afternoon; that he saw the intrenchment to the south side of the vessels