immediately environ St. John’s, and that they would assist in cutting off the communication between St. John’s and Chambly, and between these forts and Montreal. They furthermore assured me, that they would help our Army to provision, &c.; and that, if our Army did not make a conquest of the King’s garrisons, they would be exposed to the resentment of the English Government, which they dreaded, and consequently that the attempt of the Army into Canada would be to them the greatest evil. They further told me that some of the inhabitants, that were in their hearts friendly to us, would, to extricate themselves, take up arms in favour of the Crown; and therefore that it was of the last importance to them, as well as us, that the Army immediately attack St. John’s, which would cause them to take up arms in our favour.

Governour Carleton threatens the Canadians with fire and sword, except they assist him against the Colonies, and the Seigneurs urge them to it. They have withstood Carleton and them, and keep under arms throughout most of their Parishes, and are now anxiously watching the scale of power.

This is the situation of affairs in Canada, according to my most painful discovery.

Given under my hand, upon honour, this 14th day of September, 1775.

ETHAN ALLEN.

To his Excellency General Schuyler.

[No. 6.]

DEAR SIR: It is with the utmost concern that I have no account from the party of men you were to have sent me. I still guard the River Chambly, which, through my promises to them of your men coming, has increased to near three hundred men. The night before last I took two batteaus, one of which was armed with twenty men, only owing to the Colonel having imprudently taken five artillerymen coming down the river for baggage, in consequence of which was obliged to demand a re-enforcement to defend myself in case of an attack from the fort, which happened according to expectation. I had the good fortune to kill and wound ten or twelve; the rest, being six in number, escaped to the upper end of the little island, about a league below the Fort Chambly. Had I not received a re-enforcement by art, I must have quitted the country, the consequence of which would have been fatal to me. The Canadians desire nothing more than to see a party of your men, and instead of three hundred men now with me, could procure you three thousand. They are at a great expense to me, owing to their want of flour, the dryness of the season stopping the mills entirely. They brought provisions for three or four days. I was under the necessity of keeping them here, at the expense of the Colonists, so as not to lose my ground. I would this night set to blocking up the communication, as beforementioned, were I certain of your men arriving to-morrow, and would engage the taking of St. John’s without exposing your Army. As I have begun a war, must continue, or fly the country, unless you send the support you promised. I am almost harassed to death, as the Major and Colonel can inform you, not having slept six hours this week past, as you know volunteers cannot be kept in regular order. Mr. Duggan, a merchant in this river, gave me a little relief this day, by assisting me with liquor, ammunition, &c., and about sixty men, though I was under the necessity of casting lead into balls. Guns are much wanting, but hope we shall soon have some. Pray God I may be soon relieved from this dilemma, and send a party to our relief. I shall still keep up their spirits with all the eloquence I am master of. May God protect you and the Army, support the justness of the cause, and make you instrumental in uniting this flourishing Province with the United Colonies in America, is the sincere wish of him who is, with the greatest respect, your most obedient and devoted servant,

JAMES LIVINGSTON.

SIR: I hereby send you fifty-nine loaves of bread, and sixteen quarters of beef, conducted by Lieut. Brink, and two prisoners, one of them a considerable merchant in Montreal. They have been through the country to stir up the people to take up arms against us. Accordingly, I sent a party to take them. Yesterday morning I sent a party each side the river, Col. Allen at their head, to take the vessels at Sorel, if possible, by surprise. Numbers of people flock to them, and make no doubt they will carry their point. I have cut off the communication from Montreal to Chambly. We have nothing to fear here at present, but a few Seigneurs in the country, endeavouring to raise forces. I hope Col. Allen’s presence will put a stop to it. I must refer to your Lieutenant, Brink, for the characters of the two prisoners, and their good intentions towards me. Time will not admit me to enlarge upon it.

I am your most obedient humble servant,

JAMES LIVINGSTON.

P. S. A little cash would be acceptable at this juncture, and enable me to furnish what necessaries might be wanting. If I could pay the inhabitants one-half at present, they would wait for the remainder till all matters were finally settled.

JOSEPH REED TO MAJOR FRENCH.

Camp at Cambridge, September 19, 1775.

SIR: His Excellency the General would have acknowledged your favour of the 3d instant, under his hand, but the gentlemen who are the bearers of this formed a sudden resolution, and a pre-engagement abroad did not permit his showing you this mark of his attention.

Captain Willing will deliver you all the letters which have been sent, out of Boston, for you; if any more should come, they shall be carefully forwarded, but at present there is a total interruption of all correspondence between the Town and this camp. The reasons Mr. Wharton can inform you.

The General has directed me to acquaint you that, on the fullest consideration, he is of opinion that your detention is both justifiable and proper. While the appellation of rebel is supposed to sanctify every species of perfidy and cruelty towards the inhabitants of America, it would be a strange misapplication of military rules to enlarge such gentlemen as may think themselves bound by a mistaken notion of duty to become the instruments of our ruin.

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

JOSEPH REED.

PERMIT TO IMPORT POWDER.

Camp at Cambridge, September 19, 1775.

By his Excellency GEORGE WASHINGTON, Commander-in-Chief of the Armies of the United Provinces of NORTH-AMERICA.

Whereas the necessities of the Army under my command, for ammunition, are so great as to require all possible supplies, and Messrs. Clark & Nightingale, merchants of Providence, having represented to me that they will, at their own risk, undertake to procure, from the West-Indies or elsewhere, such quantities as may be purchased, provided they obtain my permission for this purpose, I do therefore hereby make known to all Committees and other persons whatsoever, that the voyage now proposed by the Sloop Fly and the Sloop Neptune are for the above purpose, and undertaken with my privity and approbation, under such restrictions and engagements as the Honourable Governour Cooke, of Rhode-Island, shall think proper, to prevent the same from being perverted to any other purpose than that above specified. And I do recommend it to all Committees and other persons, not only to forbear molesting or intercepting them on the voyage aforesaid, but to give them all assistance and countenance within their power.

ADDRESS OF THE MAYOR, ETC., OF POOLE.

Address of the Mayor, Aldermen, Burgesses, and principal Inhabitants of the Town and County of Poole, presented to His Majesty by Sir Eyre Coote, Knight of the Bath, one of their Representatives in Parliament.

To the King’s Most Excellent Majesty.

Most Gracious Sovereign:

We, your Majesty’s most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Mayor, Aldermen, Burgesses, and principal Inhabitants of your Town and County of Poole, most humbly beg leave to assure your Majesty of our unfeigned duty and inviolable