Dutchess County, Pawling’s Precinct, September 20, 1775.

SIR: These are to desire you to acquaint the Congress that the above gentlemen were chosen by the respective Companies, as their Officers, in Pawling’s Precinct; and now they stand ready, as soon as commissioned, to act under the influence and direction of the Continental and Provincial Congresses.

Per order of the Committee:

HENRY CARY, Chairman.

GENERAL SCHUYLER TO GOVERNOUR TRUMBULL.

Ticonderoga, September 20, 1775.

SIR: Your Honour’s several letters of the 26th and 28th ult., and 11th instant, I have received. A very severe fit of illness, which attacked me before I left this, had brought me so extremely low, that it was thought necessary I should return here, in order, if possible, to recover my health. I find myself, though very weak, yet much better, and hope soon to be able to rejoin my Army, which is now besieging St. John’s; from which place all the savages are retired, at the request, I suppose, of the Six Nations, who have sent Deputies to Canada for that purpose. I hope soon to give your Honour a favourable account of our operations. Our sick, especially of the Troops of your Colony, multiply with an alarming rapidity. I discharge such as are able to get home, and the remainder I send to Fort George, where I have established a hospital. I shall be happy, Sir, if I can find a place for Lieutenant Halsey. His disappointment did not arise from any order or arrangement of mine.

I am surprised at the impropriety of Mr. Phelps’s conduct, in the application he has made to your Pay Table. I shall order all the accounts to be discharged as soon as the Paymaster-General returns here from the Army, whom I expect in a very few days, and as soon as I am furnished with the accounts to annex the warrants. Major Hobby and Captain Mead, who were wounded, are out of danger. The loss of two such very good officers distressed me much.

I am, with sentiments of esteem, your Honour’s most obedient and humble servant,

PHILIP SCHUYLER.

To the Honourable Jonathan Trumbull.

P. S. Be pleased to forward the enclosed letter to General Washington by the first safe hand.

GENERAL SCHUYLER TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Ticonderoga, September 20, 1775.

DEAR SIR: The day after I did myself the honour to write your Excellency from Albany, I set out for this place, and arrived here on the 30th ult., much indisposed with a bilious fever; next day I followed General Montgomery, whom I overtook on the 4th instant, at the Isle-la-Motte, he having been detained by adverse winds and rainy weather. On that day we moved on to Isle-aux-Noix, (twelve miles south of St. John’s.) On the 5th I drew a declaration, (but was so ill that it is not such as I could wish, copy of which, No. 1., you have enclosed,) which I sent into Canada by Major Brown and Mr. Allen; and as we judged going to St. John’s, weak as we were, (our number not exceeding one thousand, and the little artillery we had not come up,) might have a good effect on the Canadians, and encourage them to join us, we resolved upon the measure, and landed our baggage and provisions, except for four days, and early on the 6th embarked, and without any obstructions proceeded towards St. John’s. When we arrived in sight of it, and at the distance of about two miles, the enemy began to cannonade, but did us no damage. We approached half a mile nearer, and then landed, without opposition, in a close deep swamp, which extends to very near the fort. Here we formed, and marched in the best order we could towards the fort, to reconnoitre. Major Hobby, of Waterbury’s Regiment, with a detachment, flanked the left wing, and was something advanced before the main body, when he was attacked in crossing a deep muddy brook by a party of Indians, from whom he received a heavy fire; but our men pushing on, they soon gave way and left us the ground. In this rencounter we had a Sergeant, a Corporal, and three Privates killed, and one missing; eight Privates wounded, three of which died the ensuing night. Major Hobby shot through the thigh, Capt. Mead through the shoulder, and Lieutenant Brown in the hand. These gentlemen are all out of danger. Night coming on, and the swamp almost impassable, we drew our men; together, and cast up a small intrenchment, to defend ourselves in case of an attack. In the night, a gentleman (Mr. . . ., whose name I can only mention to your Excellency, not having even ventured it to the Congress, and therefore beg you to erase the scored part of the letter after perusal) 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, and that there was a considerable body with Colonel 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 that our Army will be joined by one Canadian. That they wish to be neuter on 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 amongst the inhabitants, and the remainder of the Army to retire to the 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, and enclose a copy of their opinion, No. 2; which being perfectly consonant to my own, I immediately ordered the Troops to embark, and we retired.

On my return to Isle-aux-Noix, I immediately began to fortify the place, and to throw a boom across the channel, until my artillery should come up. On the 9th, I received a letter from Canada, without signature, but which I knew to be written by Mr. James Livingston, (copy enclosed No. 3.) As I had through other channels a corroboration of the intelligence contained in the former part of his letter, I resolved, as I had not yet my artillery, to detach five hundred men into Canada, and gave orders on the 9th for their embarkation on the 10th, with an additional number of about three hundred, to cover their landing and bring back the boats. Copy of my instructions to the commanding officer enclosed, No. 4.

For the event of this intended expedition, see the paper No. 5, which was drawn and delivered me by one of the party, and from what I can learn is just this. This body returned on Monday, the 11th. On Tuesday, the 12th, I found I had upwards of six hundred sick; Waterbury’s Regiment being reduced to less than five hundred. General Montgomery (for I was too ill to leave my bed) perceived, however, with pleasure, that the men were unable to bear the reproach of their late unbecoming behaviour, and taking advantage of this happy return to a sense of their duty, on the 13th, I issued the orders contained in the paper No. 6. The 14th proved rainy, and retarded the embarkation of the cannon. On this day Colonel Allen arrived, and made the report No. 7, and I found myself so much better that I had hopes of moving with the Army; but by ten at night my disorder reattacked me with double violence, and every fair prospect of a speedy recovery vanished. Great part of the 15th rainy; the embarkation much retarded by it. On the same day I received the letter of which No. 8 is a copy. On the 16th I was put into a covered boat, and left Isle-aux-Noix; and as it rained part of the day, I do not suppose that General Montgomery could move until the 17th, which proved fair.

The mode of the intended attack on St. John’s, &c., as judged best both by General Montgomery and myself, was