so satisfied, as shall restore me to the good opinion of the publick, at least, that I may be left as I was found.

Which would greatly oblige, honoured sir, your most obedient, and very humble servant,

JOHN FOWLER.

To the Chairman of the Honourable Committee of Safety, for the Province of New-York

GENERAL WASHINGTON TO CAPTAIN MANLY.

Cambridge, January 28, 776,

SIR: I received your agreeable letter of the 26th instant, giving an account of your having taken and carried into Plymouth, two of the enemy's transports. Your conduct in engaging the eight-gun schooner, with so few hands as you went out with, your attention in securing your prizes, and your general good behaviour since you first engaged in the service, merits mine and your country's thanks.

You may be assured that every attention will be paid to any reasonable request of yours, and that you shall have the command of a stronger vessel of war; but, as it will take up some time before such a one can be fitted out, my desire is, that you continue in the Hancock, until the end of the cruise. When that is out you will come to Head-Quarters, and we will confer together on the subject of the other ship.

I wish you could engage men at Plymouth to make your complement at least forty strong. It would enable you to encounter the small tenders that may fall in your way, though I would rather have you avoid an engagement, until you have a ship that will place you upon a more equal footing with your enemy. I need not recommend to you to proceed again and pursue your good fortune.

I wish you could inspire the Captains of the other armed schooners ender your command with some of your activity and industry. Cannot you appoint such stations for them, where they may have the best chance of intercepting supplies going to the enemy? They dare not disobey your orders, as it is mentioned in the instructions I have given to each of them, that they are to be under your command as Commodore; and, as such, I desire that you will give them such instructions in writing, as to you will appear proper for the good of the service.

I am, sir, wishing you a continuance of success, yours, &c.,

GEORGE WASHINGTON.

To Commodore John Manly, of the Hancock, Armed Schooner.

[GENERAL WASHINGTON] TO COMMITTEE OF NEWBURYPOKT, MASSACHUSETTS.

Cambridge, January 28, 776.

SIR: The great need this Army is in for good arms makes it necessary to endeavour to procure them in any place where his Excellency thinks they may be had without great inconveniency; he has commanded me, to beg your consent that the arms you was pleased to lend General Sullivan, on his last excursion to Portsmouth, may be sent to this camp, for which the appraised value will be cheerfully paid. Colonel Parsons will deliver you this, and has the General's instructions to send them to Cambridge, provided your honourable Committee have no objections to parting with them. When they know that it will be of the greatest service to the glorious cause we are engaged in, that these arms should be put into the hands of our soldiers, I dare say they will readily comply with his Excellency's request, and give Colonel Parsons an order for them, which will very much oblige the General.

I have the honour to be, &c.

To Jonathan Jackson, Esq., Chairman, &c.

[GENERAL WASHINGTON] TO THE COMMITTEE OF PORTS-MOUTH. NEW-HAMPSHIRE.

Cambridge, January 28, 776.

SIR: Colonel Parsons has instructions from his Excellency to get an order from the Committee at Newburyport, for the delivery of two hundred and fifteen stand of arms, which General Sullivan ordered in his name should be delivered for the service on which he last went to Portsmouth. It is the General's request that these arms be delivered up to Colonel Parsons. I am, &c.

To — —, Esq., Chairman, &.c.

ROBERT H. HARRISON TO WILLIAM WATSON.

Cambridge, January 28, 776.

SIR: Your letter to his Excellency of the 26th, is come to hand, with the papers found on board the Norfolk, and Happy-Return, transports, taken by Commodore Manly. You will please to libel them immediately, and the sooner they are brought to trial the more agreeable it will be to the General. You will take notice that the private property of the Captains and crews are to be carefully guarded for them, and that his Excellency approves much of your precaution in getting the ships to the wharf in order to secure the small articles from pillagers.

I hope the Harrison is out on her cruise, and wish she may make a successful one. The General writes by this conveyance to the Commodore. If he is in port you will please to give him the letter. Yours, &c.

To William Watson, Esq., Plymouth.

SUSSEX COUNTY (VIRGINIA) COMMITTEE.

Committee Chamber, January 29, 775.

This Committee from tender feelings for their poor suffering and distressed brethren of the Borough of Norfolk, (who, from their small possessions, and daily labour, were enabled to support themselves, their wives, and tender infants,) are by the tyrannical, cruel, and destructive executioner of Ministerial vengeance, Lord Dunmore, and his banditti of Blacks, and Scotch Tories, and Jacobites, reduced to the most affecting wants of every necessary support of life, have resolved to exert themselves (in which they have the pleasure to find their constituents zealously joining them) in providing houses for the reception of as many poor people as they can, with a sufficient quantity of land to cultivate; to which the Committee, in the most affectionate manner, invite them, hoping thereby, in some measure, to alleviate anxiety, and remove their distresses, in being thus provided for by their brethren beyond the reach of Lord Dunmore's oppressive hand, and the dreadful effects of his nocturnal design, and robberies, declaring at the same time, that this invitation does not proceed from those base, ungenerous, and selfish views suggested by his Lordship, in his late publication, but from motives that his Lordship and his abetters appear to be entire strangers to.

AUGUSTINE CLAIBORNE, Chairman

HANOVER COUNTY (VIRGINIA) COMMITTEE.

At a meeting of the Committee, on Monday, the 29th of January, the following gentlemen were chosen Officers to the Company of Regulars to be raised in this County, viz: Richard Clough Anderson, Captain; John Anderson, First Lieutenant; William Bentley, Second Lieutenant, and Robert Tompkins, Ensign.

Extract from the Proceedings:

WILLIAM BENTLEY, Clerk.

JOHN HANCOCK TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Philadelphia, January 29, 776.

SIR: The Congress have received your letter of the 9th instant, and highly commend your prudence and zeal, in applying to the Governments of New-Hampshire, Massachusetts-Bay, and Connecticut, to raise forces for the service of Canada at this exigency. They have fond hopes, by the zeal and alacrity of those Colonies, troops will be forwarded with such expedition as will not only succour our friends, but in some measure retrieve our loss, and put us in possession of Quebeck before our enemies can receive reinforcements.

The Congress have agreed to add the Massachusetts Regiment to the forces they at first destined for Canada; this is the more necessary, as it is now uncertain whether two battalions, as was expected, can be raised out of the troops in that country; but they do not, by this, mean to weaken your Army. They have, therefore, ordered that