late accounts from England, but see no prospect of an accommodation. General Gage’s account of Bunker’s Hill is returned, and corresponds pretty much with ours, as to killed and wounded. You will please to forward the enclosed for the Commissary-General, with all expedition; and believe me, Sir, your very humble servant,

GEORGE WASHINGTON.

To Governour Trumbull, Connecticut.

COLONEL JOSEPH REED TO JOSEPH TRUMBULL.

Camp at Cambridge, October 5, 1775.

SIR: By express the evening before last the General received despatches from the Congress, wherein, among other things, he is desired to lay before them an estimate of the expenses of the Army during the winter. As your department includes the most considerable branch of expense, he requests you would, with all expedition, give him your sentiments on this subject, for his government in answering this despatch. It is not supposed to be absolutely necessary to fix the number of men, as you can take any given number upon which the estimate may be made, which will increase or diminish according to the number actually employed.

I must refer you to the Governour for what little news since you went away. Poor Doctor Church is certainly ruined.

I am, in haste, and expecting your earliest answer, your most obedient and very humble servant,

JOSEPH REED.

To Joseph Trumbull, Esq., Commissary-General.

GENERAL WASHINGTON TO THE COUNCIL OF MASSACHUSETTS-BAY.

Head-Quarters, October 6, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: On the 29th of August I did myself the honour of addressing you, on the complaint of the Quartermaster, respecting wood for the Army. The recess of the House of Representatives prevented any steps being taken upon it. I must now beg leave to recall your attention to my letter of that date, as the evil is increasing and more alarming as the winter approaches. Little or no wood is brought in, and it is apprehended the owners keep it back to impose an unreasonable price.

The communication at Winnisimit Ferry, which was opened for the relief of the unhappy sufferers at Boston, is now turned into a convenience for the enemy. A whole week has sometimes elapsed without a boat being permitted to come out, and there have been many irregularities there, which the distance and my other engagements have prevented my attending to. Before I gave any order upon the subject, I thought proper to communicate my intentions to you, that if there were any special reasons against the proposed alteration, you may have an opportunity of making me acquainted with them.

By an estimate laid before me by the Quartermaster-General, I find it will be impracticable to provide sufficient barracks for the Troops before the season is too far advanced, without appropriating many of the houses in and about Cambridge to this use. Many of the inhabitants who had deserted them are now returning, under the protection of the Army. I feel a great repugnance to exclude them from what is their own; but necessity in this case, I fear, will supersede all other considerations. I must beg the General Court to act upon it.

I am, most respectfully, Gentlemen, your most obedient humble servant,

GEORGE WASHINGTON.

The Hon. James Otis, Esq., President, &c. To be communicated to the Hon. House of Representatives.

GENERAL WASHINGTON TO THE COMMITTEE OF PORTSMOUTH, NEW-HAMPSHIRE.

Cambridge, October 5, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: I am to acknowledge the receipt of your favour of the 2d instant, informing me that the Ship Prince George, Captain Emmes, from Bristol to Boston, with flour for the enemy, by a mistake of the Captain, and the spirited conduct of some of the inhabitants, was now in your possession.

I cannot but consider this as a most providential event; the state of this Army being alone defective in that article. It would therefore highly conduce to the publick interest, and to our relief, to forward it hither as soon as possible; which, I apprehend, may be done with safety and ease by water, as far as Salem or Marblehead. In the mean time, I will communicate the matter to the Continental Congress, for their direction, as to the compensation to be made the captors, and the determination of what property arises by the capture, and in whom vested.

Whatever expenses may accrue in complying with the above request, and whatever risk may be run by the carriage by water, I will engage; but, as I do not learn there are any of the enemy’s ships on the coast, I hope the risk is very small.

I am, &c.,

GEORGE WASHINGTON.

To H. Wentworth, Esq., Chairman, &c.

P. S. One Mr. Fisk, from Salem, who left Boston the day before yesterday, informs that a sixty-four gun ship, a twenty, and two sloops, with two transports of soldiers, having taken on board two mortars, howitzers, &c., sailed on yesterday. As the design is probably to batter some Town on the coast, I thought it proper to give you the earliest notice, and it may be advisable to detain the flour a few days, till their destination can be known.

PORTSMOUTH (NEW-HAMPSHIRE) COMMITTEE TO COMMITTEE OF SAFETY.

Committee-Hall, October 7, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: On the 2d day of this month, the Ship Prince George, of which Richard Emmes is master, put into this harbour from Bristol, bound to Boston, loaded with one thousand eight hundred and ninety-two barrels of flour. Upon notice of her arrival, Lieutenant Thomas Pickering, with a boat and hands, by order of Captain Titus Salter, went on board, and finding the said provisions were intended for the use of Gage’s Army, he took her into possession, and brought her up to this Town, and unbent the sails, and applied to this Committee, on the 3d day of this month. Messrs. T. Sherburne, P. Long, and G. Wentworth, all of this Committee, were appointed to unload her; and as the Town is in great want of flour, they were desired to make sale of fifty barrels for cash, and to supply the fort therewith; but before they had accomplished it, the vote was reconsidered, and ordered that no part of the cargo should be taken out till the advice of the Committee of Safety for the Province was taken thereupon. And we wrote, at the same time, to General Washington, advising him of the capture; to which we have received the enclosed answer, by which he requests the whole may be sent up to him, as the Army is in want of it, and he will be accountable for it. We also represent to you, that this Town is destitute of flour; that not a barrel is to be bought, at any rate, for the supply of the forts and inhabitants; and at least six hundred barrels should be reserved for their use, and to be sold for the cash only. Your advice is requested by us in respect to the disposal of this cargo, and we would wish it as speedily as possible, for our government. You will perceive, by General Washington’s letter, that an armament is fitting out at Boston, upon some expedition, and, as he suspects, to bombard some Towns on the coast; we are not without great suspicion that the enemy have an intention upon this Town. With the advice of Captain Worthen, we have thought proper to order Captain Robert Parker to enlist forty-four men immediately, to be stationed at the fort on Seavy’s Island, for the present defence of that fort, for one month; which we hope will meet with your approbation, as we have been induced thereto wholly for the publick safety. We have appointed John Penhallen, John Wendal, and George King, Esqs., to wait upon you, and to confer fully with you on such matters as may regard the general safety.

I am, in behalf of the Committee, Gentlemen, your most obedient servant,

H. WENTWORTH, Chairman.

To the Honourable Committee of Safety for the Colony of New-Hampshire.

*