will appear from the enclosed copy of a letter which I have received from them. This disappointment, together with Others, will leave my battalion deficient upwards of two hundred stand of arms, notwithstanding the seventy-nine which I have received from Hackensack, and thirty-six from Newark; and how to remedy the deficiency I know toot, unless the Congress of New-Jersey will order that such of the Provincial arms, imported during the last war, as are not yet disposed of by the counties or towns, to which they were sent, be immediately collected and paid for, to such counties or towns, out of the moneys advanced by the Continental Congress. This, I have reason to believe, would produce a considerable number, as I am informed the Counties of Monmouth and Middlesex have never yet disposed of their quota of these arms. Be pleased to lay this matter before the Congress of New-Jersey.

And am, sir, your most humble servant,

STIRLING.

To Samuel Tucker, Esq.

Elizabethtown, January 27, 1776.

SIR: I do now deliver into your custody and charge, and you are hereby authorized and directed, in behalf and on account of the Continental Congress, to take charge of the ship Blue-Mountain-Valley, lately commanded by Captain John Hamilton Dempster, and now lying at or near Elizabethtown-Point, in New-Jersey, with all her cargo and stores, and the same to preserve and secure in the best manner you can, until further order from the Continental Congress, their General or Commander-in-chief in this Province, for the time being.

And you are, in the most exact way in your power, to see that the said Captain Dempster's private property on board said ship, and that of each of his officers and men be secured and preserved until such further order as aforesaid. I shall, in the mean time, send on board, and in the neighbourhood of said ship post such guards as I find necessary to preserve her from any attempts that may be made on her.

In behalf of the Continental Congress of the United Colonies in America.

STIRLING.

To Captain William Rogers.

Elizabethtown, February 2, 1776.

SIR: By the enclosed copies, which I must beg the favour of you to lay before the Congress of New-Jersey, they will see the informations I received with regard to vessels loading in this Province with provisions and lumber, contrary to the rules established by the Continental Congress, and the steps I have taken in order to prevent the same. I am very lately informed that there are now two or three vessels loaded, or loading, with those articles at or near Brunswick; they have never produced any permit or license to me. These attempts will convince the Congress of the necessity of some persons being appointed to have a general superintendency of this matter, to whom all permits or licenses should be produced. I have hitherto acted from the necessity of keeping so consequential a rule pf Congress inviolate. I shall always be ready, while I remain in this Province, to give the best assistance in my power to all publick measures.

I am, sir, your most humble servant,

STIRLING

To Samuel Tucker, Esq.

Elizabethtown, January 12, 1776.

DEAR SIR: In consequence of orders I have received from Congress, I shall, I believe, very soon be obliged to order your regiment to the east part of this Province, and, probably, farther. I must, therefore, request that you will, as soon as possible, put your regiment in order for actual service, and hold them in that order, and in readiness for marching, in twenty-four hours after notice.

I now send you two dozen of the last edition of the Articles of War, and have directed Captain Conway to send you from Brunswick one of the frocks of his Company, which you may use as a pattern.

STIRLING.

To Colonel Maxwell, Trenton.

Elizabethtown, January 18, 1776.

DEAR SIR: I hope you received my letter of the 12th instant, desiring you to put your regiment in order for actual service, as soon as possible. I have since received orders from Congress immediately to direct you to put your regiment in a state of readiness to march to Albany, and, as soon as ready, to inform Mr. Hancock, the President, thereof, that the particular orders of Congress may be transmitted for your proceedings. I must, therefore, request that you will immediately inform Mr. Hancock of the present state of your regiment, and send a duplicate thereof to me. As soon as the regiment is ready to march, you will inform him, as well as myself thereof; and afterwards, as frequently as you can, you are to inform me of your proceedings.

STIRLING.

To Colonel Maxwell.

Trenton, January 29, 1776.

MY LORD: I had the honour of receiving yours of the 18th instant, this day, as also yours of the 12th, some days ago; at the same time the Mustermaster came here, with whom I was obliged to go to Burlington, from which place I despatched an officer, with a party, to the Congress, with the same directions you sent me, with additional orders for flints. I expected them from Philadelphia before this time, with which I intended to have answered yours, and which I hope, in some measure, will plead my excuse for not having done it before; but whenever they come, you may depend I shall immediately transmit them to you.

I have received from Mr. Livingston, the orders of the Congress for my march to Canada, but no orders to transmit to them the state of my regiment, but shall now do it as soon as possible; and when done, send your Lordship the duplicates, according to your request, and, also, an account of any thing besides that may be worthy your notice. I must acknowledge that, to manage a new regiment left in winter quarters, amongst their friends, and so much in want of every necessary, is a task much harder than I thought. Your drums and fifes have been here two or three days. I endeavoured to get an empty wagon to send them on to Brunswick, but could not. I informed Mr. Lowrey of their being here, who promised to send them with the stockings, as they should come. Five hundred pair came here Saturday evening; they are all to go off in the morning. I wish them safe to hand.

And am, your Lordship's most obedient, humble servent,

WILLIAM MAXWELL.

To the Right Honourable the Earl of Stirling.

ARENDT VAN HOOK TO NEW-YORK CONGRESS.

New-York, February 2, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: Having been active in discipline from the earliest period in which it was thought expedient to call us forth in the defence of our country, and willing to be as extensively useful as possible, at this time of embodying more troops, am induced to deliver in my name to the House for a Captaincy, and am led to hope that the letter recommendatory, put into the hands of Joseph Hallett, Esq., will be a strong motive to induce the honourable House to grant my request.

I am, gentlemen, with the greatest deference, your obedient, humble servant,

ARENDT VAN HOOK,

To the Honourable the Provincial Congress of New-York.

New-York, February 1, 1776.

Mr. Arendt Van Hook, Gentleman, of this place, lately belonging to the Independent Company of Fusiliers, having served as a private in said company, and received his discharge from the same with intent, as he informs us, to enter into the Provincial service as Captain, we do, therefore, most heartily recommend him to the attention and favour of the Congress, being fully convinced that (from the cheerful and unwearied attention which he has always paid to his duty, and those mental qualifications of which he is possessed) he will fill, with honour, the station for which he solicits.

HENRY G. LIVINGSTON,

WILLIAM S. LIVINGSTON.