those brave troops serving there—an honour due to their bravery and merit, to have an opportunity of defending a country which their valor has rescued from slavery; three from Pennsylvania and New-Jersey, of which two are under marching orders; and the remaining three to be raised to the eastward, viz: one in your Colony, one in Connecticut, and one in New-York; as you see by the enclosed resolve.

As the arrival of the troops in due time will greatly conduce to the preservation of that country, and defeat the designs of our enemies, and, as the month of February, which is fast approaching, is the best, indeed, the only time before Summer, of crossing the Lakes, the Congress rely that you will, according to your usual zeal, exert your utmost endeavours to have the battalions from your Colony raised and sent forward with all possible expedition.

I am, gentlemen, your most obedient, humble servant,

JOHN HANCOCK, President.

A battalion to consist of eight companies; each company of one Captain, two Lieutenants, one Ensign, four Sergeants, four Corporals, a Drum and Fife, and seventy-six Privates, Adjutant, Quartermaster, and Surgeon.

REPRESENTATION OF THE FIELD-OFFICERS OF THE PENNSYLVANIA BATTALIONS.

[Read January 11, 1776.]

The Field-Officers of the four Battalions to be raised in Pennsylvania, beg leave to represent to Congress: That considerable inconveniences will arise from the battalions consisting of seven battalion companies, that number not answering for subdivisions, and rendering all the manœuvres more difficult. They, therefore, request that another company may be added to the battalion; or, if it should be thought that would increase their number too much, that the battalion companies be reduced to sixty-eight men each, in which mode there may be eight companies to a battalion, and a company of light-infantry, without increasing the number of men to be raised by the present establishment of Congress.

Arthyr ST. CLAIR,

JOHN SHEE,

ANTHONY WAYNE,

LAMBERT CADWALLADER,

WILLIAM ALLEN, JUN.,

JOSEPH PENROSE,

JOSEPH WOOD,

HENRY BICKEY.

LORD STIRLING TO NEW-YORK COMMITTEE OF SAFETY.

Elizabethtown, January 12, 1776.

SIR: As the Continental Congress have put me under orders to march the two New-Jersey regiments, in their service, to the city of New-York, I must beg the favour of you to request the Committee of Safety for that Province to provide for their reception and quarters, and that they will be so obliging as to inform me when these will be in readiness.

The one hundred fire-locks, which the New-York Congress have promised to furnish for my regiment, I hope are ready, and that they will forward them to me as soon as possible.

I am informed that the enemies to American liberty are very busy on Staten-Island, and that some dangerous movements are now going on among them. My situation here renders it convenient to me to disarm them, or to take and secure such as may be thought worthy of so much notice. When it is intimated to me that such a measure is necessary, it will be executed.

You will see the absolute necessity of the utmost secrecy being observed in all these matters.

I am, your most humble servant,

STIRLING.

To the Chairman of the Committee of Safety, New-York.

P. S. I must beg the favour of a copy of this letter being returned to me.

THOMAS WICKES TO NEW-YORK COMMITTEE OF SAFETY.

Huntington, January 12, 1776.

SIR: We are to inform you we received the powder sent over by Colonel Drake, but Mr. Smith has not yet come, or sent for it. As there is a number of commissions wanting, please to convey them to us by the bearer, Mr. Platt, or some other safe hand, viz: John Buffit, Captain; Isaac Thompson, First Lieutenant; Zebulon Ketcham, Second Lieutenant; Joseph Ketcham, Ensign, for the Fourth Company: Plait Veal, Captain; Michel Heart, First Lieutenant; Isaac Dennis, Second Lieutenant; Jacob Conckling, Ensign, for the fifth company, all of the First Regiment.

We are, sir, your humble servants,

THOMAS WICKES, Chairman.

To Pierre Van Cortlandt, Esq., Chairman, &c.

GENERAL CARLETON TO GENERAL HOWE.

Quebeck, January 12, 1776.

SIR: The 5th of December, Mr. Montgomery took post at St. Croix, within less than two miles of Quebeck, with some field artillery; his heavy cannon were landed at Ca-prouge; at the same time Arnold's party took possession of the other avenues leading to the town, and prevented all communication with the country. The 7th, a woman stole into town, with letters addressed to the principal merchants, advising them to an immediate submission, and promising a great indulgence in case of their compliance. Enclosed was a letter to me, in very extraordinary language, and a summons to deliver up the town; the messenger was sent to prison for a few days, and drummed out.

To give more efficacy to these letters, five small mortars were brought to St. Roque's, and a battery of five cannon and one howitzer raised upon the heights, within about seven hundred yards of the walls. Soon after, Arnold appeared with a white flag, said he had a letter for me, but was refused admittance, and ordered to carry back his letter.

After every preparatory stratagem had been used to intimidate our wretched garrison, as Mr. Montgomery was pleased to call it, an assault was given the 31st of December, between four and five of the morning, during a snow storm from the northeast. The alarm was general. From the side of the river St. Lawrence along the fortified front, round to the Bason, every part seemed equally threatened. Two real attacks took place upon the lower town: one under Cape-Diamond, led by Mr. Montgomery; the other by Mr. Arnold, upon the part called the Saut au Matelot. This, at first, met with some success, but, in the end, was stopped. A sally from the upper town, under Captain Laws, attacked their rear, and sent in many prisoners; Captain McDougal afterwards reinforced this party, and followed the Rebels into the post they had taken. Thus Mr. Arnold's corps (himself and a few others excepted, who were wounded and carried off early,) were completely ruined. They were caught, as it were, in a trap; we brought in their five mortars and one cannon. The other attack was soon repulsed, with slaughter; Mr. Montgomery was left among the dead.

The Rebels have on this assault between six and seven hundred men, and between forty and fifty officers, killed, wounded, and taken prisoners. We had only one lieutenant of the navy, doing duty as a captain in the garrison, and four rank and file, killed, and thirteen rank and file wounded; two of the latter are since dead.

You will be pleased to transmit a copy of my letter to the Secretary of State, by the first opportunity, for His Majesty's information, &c.

GUY CARLETON.

MOVEMENTS OF THE BRITISH FLEET AT RHODE-ISLAND.

Providence, January 20, 1776.

On Friday, the 12th instant, Captain Wallace, with all the vessels under his command, consisting of twelve sail, came up the river from Newport, and at four o'clock, in the afternoon, landed about two hundred and fifty men on the Island of Prudence, where about forty or fifty of our men were stationed, under the command of Captain Pearce. They were soon fired on by the enemy, which was returned with much spirit; but Captain Pearce, finding the enemy greatly superior in number, retreated, and with his men went off the Island; he had one man wounded and taken