Treasury. I have done the like to five of the Highland chiefs. The last prisoners from Canada I have sent to Ulster County, as I had an opportunity by returning sleds. They will remain there until further orders. Enclose the return of them. I have now only two officers left here, who are indisposed.

I think small quantities of provision should be stored in different places, near Hudson's River, between this and the Highlands, as an immediate supply in case there should be a necessity to call out the force of the country.

So long a march as that from Pennsylvania and Jersey into Canada, will disable many of our men. I have offered, if this County will push them on twenty or thirty miles beyond Crown-Point in sleds, to pay for each sled four shillings a day, to enable the sledmen to find forage.

All the stores that were here are already gone to Fort-George, and I have sent off a number of carpenters to procure the timber for the batteaus.

Such is the scarcity of forage, that I am at my wits end to procure what will be necessary for the Spring work at Ticonderoga.

February 6.

Yesterday Colonel Ritzema arrived from Canada, and brought me a letter from General. Wooster, copy whereof enclose. Colonel Ritzema does not think it possible to complete two regiments out of the last campaign's troops, now In Canada. I shall be agreeably disappointed if one can be raised there, I have advised Colonel Ritzema to proceed to Philadelphia, that Congress may have an opportunity of examining him as to our affairs in Canada, The civil police of that country, I am very certain, claims immediate attention. Its arrangements ought not to be left to any military commander, who must necessarily have his hands full of other business.

Enclose an account that has been sent me by Governour Skene's overseer. He supposes that by this time a much greater quantity of staves than what he has charged, are destroyed. I have so many applications of the like kind that I am ashamed of the conduct of our troops. Tories and Whigs are indiscriminately the object of plunder whenever a fair opportunity offers. You cannot, sir, imagine, how detrimental, this is to our cause; and what remedy to apply, I know not. I have given orders, I have entreated the officers to attend and prevent such scandalous depredations, but all in vain.

I believe there are very few arms left in Canada, either of those found in the garrisons taken, or those left by the soldiers,. What is become of them? They are stolen and brought down; the country. Very few, fit for any thing, are left in store here. Half the regiment raising in Connecticut is to be supplied here. If I should have a number sufficient, they will hardly be worth the carrying. The arms of the two companies from Pennsylvania, that are arrived, are also much out of repair. Could not the arms taken from the Tories on Long-Island, be immediately sent up?

I conceive that the quantity of powder Congress has ordered up is vastly short of what will be wanted in Canada. Let the fate of Quebeck be what it will, fifteen tons would not be too much.

I am, most respectfully, and most sincerely, sir, your obedient, humble servant,

PHILIP SCHUYLER.

To the Honourable John Hancock, Esq., &c.

ROBERT H. HARBISON TO WINTTHROP SARGENT.

Cambridge, February 4, 177G.

Acknowledged receipt of his letter, of the 2d instant, giving an account of the brig Henry and Esther, laden with sixty-two cords of wood, one hundred and fifty butts with water, forty suits of soldiers' bedding, taken by Captain Waters and Captain Tucker, and sent in to Sivan-Harhour. Ordered the private property to be given up, after Captain Nelles proves the same on oath; to libel her immediately. If the harbour is unsafe, to remove her to a place more secure. If the sailors will engage on board of any of oar armed vessels for twelve months, they will be entitled to one month's pay advance; but they must be dispersed, so that many of them may not be on board any one vessel.

To Winthrop Sargent, Esq., Cape-Ann.

BRITISH FLEET IN JAMES RIVER.

Nansemond, Virginia, February 5, 1776.

Saturday night last, we received intelligence of six tenders sailing from Norfolk the day before, and that three of them were on their way up this river, which was confirmed about nine o'clock by three vessels anchoring, one near Sleepy-Hole Ferry, and two more, two or three miles higher up, having come as far as the flood tide served. Their boats were moving about the remainder part of the night, one up the river, since supposed as high as Goodrich's, five miles higher up, and just within the Narrows, but returned a little before day. They attempted nothing till the morning, when a boat full of armed men approached the shove within half a mile of the tenders, and were fired upon by four men from the bank, at one hundred yards distance; they returned the fire, and rowed wide of the place, when the four men were honoured with a salute of well directed cannon, but without any bad consequence. This first effort seemed of singular service, as they never attempted landing after, except at one desolate place, which they effected in the night, and burnt a house with some corn in it belonging to Mr. Couper. It appears, by indubitable proof, that this incursion was partly intended, with the concurrence of Goodrich and sons, to get possession of two vessels loaded with pork, bacon, and other provisions, which, to the discredit of his neighbourhood, those avaricious, false men have been suffered to collect, and put on board, and with all expedition put themselves under the protection of the tenders. Though it was with a good deal of difficulty the last of them effected it, (from the fire of our men, and the tenders' boats Being repulsed,) they weighed, ran up, and took possession, under a heavy fire of our brave men, who had nothing but small arms, and a scanty portion of ammunition to oppose their cannon and musketry. There was one occurrence happened, which, had we foreseen, a tender and her prize would have fallen into our hands. The wind being ahead on their return, they were obliged to come within sixty yards of a high bank; fifty men, with a plenty of ammunition, could have drove them below decks, and prevented them from tending the sheets, by which they must have come ashore, A few regulars, with the help of ammunition to our own men, would secure as in such a manner, that the fertile lands on this river may be cultivated to the no small advantage of the community; whereas, if we are drove back, the lands are so indifferent, for near one hundred miles, that a famine must be the inevitable consequence,

SURRY COUNTY (VIRGINIA) COMMITTEE.

Surry County, February 5, 1776.

At a meeting of the Freeholders of the said County, at the Court-House, agreeable to an Ordinance of the last Convention, the following gentlemen were chosen to serve as a Committee for the said County:

William Hart, Allen Cocke, William Brown, William Clinch, N. Faulcon, Jun., Etheldred Gray, Charles Judkins, John Cocke, Jun., John Watkins, Jun., John H. Cocke, William Simmons, Benjamin Putney, James Kee, John Cocke, John Watkins, Willis Wilson, William Hamlin, Henry Howard, William Nelson, Lemuel Cocke, Rev. B. Blagrove.

In Committee, February 6, 1776.

Allen Cocke, Gentleman, was unanimously chosen Chairman of the said Committee, and John Wesson, Clerk thereof.

Resolved, That the Clerk of this Committee do transmit a copy hereof to the Publick Printer, to be published in his Gazette.

JOHN WESSON, Clerk.

CAPTAIN DUNCAN CAMPBELL TO PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

Philadelphia, February 5, 1776.

SIR: The state of my private business, and the unfavourable season of the year, to move a sickly woman and a very young family, hath induced me to apply to the Congress, for leave to go to the Province of New-York, and reside at my own house. This indulgence will save me a very heavy expense, and enable me to settle some debts that I owe.