of the Crown, or other peaceably disposed subjects of His Majesty; or, if any bodies of men shall be raised and armed in the said towns, or any military works erected, otherwise than by order of His Majesty, or those acting under his authority; or, if any attempts shall be made to seize or destroy any publick magazine of arms, ammunition, or stores, in all or either of those cases, it will be my duty to treat the said town as in open rebellion against the King.

I am to request that your Excellency will be pleased to let the above instructions be publickly made known in the town of New-York. At the same time, you will assure them that I shall be happy in granting the town every protection in the power of His Majesty's ships under my command. I am, sir, your most obedient and most humble servant,

H. PARKER.

To His Excellency Governour Tryon.

SAMUEL STEVENS TO NEW-YORK CONGRESS.

Charlestown, Cumberland County, N. Y., December 18, 1775.

SIR: I am requested by some of the people of the County of Cumberland, to acquaint you, as Secretary of the Congress of the Colony of New-York, that the major part of the inhabitants of that County are desirous that the Congress do not make out commissions to any person or persons in either of the regiments of militia in that County, until a candid representation be made of the minds of the people with respect to the several nominations and appointments made by their County Congress and Committee of Safety, except it be to those persons who were chosen by the people of the several towns in June last, by order of the County Congress when upwards of forty members were present. They recommended that the County be formed into two regiments of militia, for which purpose, order that the inhabitants of the respective towns in each regiment meet, and make choice of one captain, one lieutenant, and one ensign, in each town; that the said officers should afterwards meet and make choice of proper persons for field-officers of each regiment, which was accordingly done; and the people in general are as well satisfied as the nature of such a proceeding will admit of. I suppose there may be a few disaffected persons, who expected to have been chosen to office. The persons made choice of in the lower regiment for field-officers were, viz: James Rogers, Colonel; Eleazer Pattison, Lieutenant-Colonel; and one Mr. Lovejoy, Major. Upper regiment: Simon Stevens, of Springfield, Colonel; Joseph Marsh, of Hartford, Lieutenant-Colonel; and Benjamin Wait, of Windsor, Major. A return of the proceeding was delivered to Major William Williams, and by him to be delivered to the Congress at New-York, that the commissions may accordingly issue, if the choice were approved of by the Congress. I understand that about fourteen or fifteen of the said Congress met some time in September, and made a new choice of field-officers, and left out the most of those chosen first; at which time they made choice of a standing Committee of Safety, and then dissolved themselves as a Congress.

I am informed, that at a meeting of the said Committee of Safety, about three weeks ago, consisting of fourteen members, amongst other things, nominated another set of gentlemen to be field-officers of the militia and minute-regiment; so that if they are all commissioned, above one-third of the men in the County will be officers. The two last choices have created a great deal of uneasiness in the County. I intend shortly to pay you a visit.

I am, sir, in haste, your humble servant,

SAMUEL STEVENS.

GENERAL MONTGOMERY TO GENERAL SCHUYLER.

Head-Quarters, December 18, 1775.

MY DEAR GENERAL: I have been near a fortnight before Quebeck, at the head of upwards of eight hundred men; a force you will say not very adequate to the business in hand, but we must make the best of it. It is all I could get. I have been so used to struggle with difficulties, that I expect them of course.

I hope the troops will be sent down as soon as possible, for should we fail in our first attempt, a second or a third may do the business before relief can arrive to the garrison. Possession of the town, and that speedily, I hold of the highest consequence. The enemy are expending the ammunition most liberally, and I fear the Canadians will not relish a union with the Colonies till they see the whole country in our hands, and defended by such a force as may relieve them from the apprehensions of again falling under the Ministerial lash. Were it not for these reasons, I should have been inclined to a blockade till towards the first of April, by which time the garrison would probably be much distressed for provisions and wood.

With anxious wishes for the recovery of your health, and best respects to your family if you be returned home, I am, my dear sir, your very affectionate and obliged humble servant,

RICHARD MONTGOMERY.

To Major-General Schuyler.

GENERAL WOOSTER TO GENERAL SCHUYLER.

Head-Quarters, Montreal, December 18, 1775.

DEAR GENERAL: General Montgomery informs me that you desired me to send you an account of the number of men that I discharged between Albany and Ticonderoga. Therefore I would inform you that I did not discharge any men, but only gave them a furlough—and that to the Connecticut troops only—to pass to New-England, as the term of their inlistments were not expired, and I imagined they might be very serviceable there; and as the Captains are Paymasters to their own companies, by act of Assembly of the Colony of Connecticut, they are all returned home, and without doubt have settled their pay-rolls with the Committee of the Pay-Table appointed for that purpose.

Sir, I must beg leave to enforce General Montgomery's request, for the Paymaster or money to be sent forward, or we shall be overwhelmed with mutiny and disorder,

I am, dear General, your most obedient, humble servant,

DAVID WOOSTER.

To General Schuyler.

GOVERNOUR COOKE TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

Providence, December 18, 1775.

SIR: I am favoured with your Honour's letter enclosing the resolutions of the Congress relating to the Continental army, and beg leave to assure you that every assistance in my power shall be given to re-establish it. The militia of the Province of the Massachusetts-Bay and New-Hampshire have cheerfully supplied greater numbers of men than were required of them for the defence of the lines, and I think it probable that three-quarters of the old soldiers will reinlist before the militia are discharged.

I gave orders some time ago for the delivery of Mr. Smith's trunk to Mr. Simon Pease, and am informed by him that he shipped it to Philadelphia by Capt. Anthony, who sailed about eleven or twelve days ago.

This letter will be handed to you by Messrs. Penet and Pliarne, who arrived here about ten days ago from Cape-François, in a vessel sent by the Colony for powder; they were well recommended to us, and I gave them a letter to General Washington, who hath prevailed upon them to lay their proposals before the Congress. I hope their visit to North-America will be an introduction to such measures as may be attended with happy consequences to the United Colonies.

I am, with great esteem, sir, your most obedient, humble servant,

NICHOLAS COOKE.

To the Honourable John Hancock, Esq.

GENERAL WASHINGTON TO GENERAL HOWE.

Cambridge, December 18, 1775.

SIR: We have just been informed of a circumstance which, were it not so well authenticated, I should scarcely think credible. It is, that Colonel Allen, who (with his small party) was defeated and taken prisoner near Montreal, has been treated without regard to decency, humanity, or the rules of war; that he has been thrown into irons, and suffers all the hardships inflicted upon common felons. I think it my duty, sir, to demand, and do expect from you an eclaircissement on this subject; at the same time, I flatter myself, from the character which Mr. Howe bears, as a man of honour, gentleman, and soldier, that my demand will meet with his approbation. I must take the