Colony can spare them, that they may be immediately detached for this place; but if it is disbanded, that you would, if possible, send to this place a body of volunteers, equal in number to that regiment, completely armed and accoutred. I am sensible, sir, that it must be extremely teazing both to the men and officers, to be thus eternally counter-ordered, marching and counter-marching, but I hope they will do me the justice to attribute it, not to any indecision or uncertainty of mind in me, but to several whimsical circumstances in our situation, which cannot, at present, be explained to them.

I am, sir, with the greatest respect, your Honour's most obedient, and very humble servant,

CHARLES LEE.

To His Honour Governour Trumbull.

P. S. General Clinton arrived almost in the same instant with myself. He has brought no men with him, at least that we can discover, and has given his word of honour that none are intended. Says that it is only a friendly visit to Mr. Tryon. But the fact is, (I suppose,) he came only to reconnoitre whether the coast was clear, and his friends, the Tories, ready for his reception.*

The gentlemen of the Committee of Safety of this city are with me this moment; they entreat you would, without delay, forward and complete those powder mills which are now erecting, and as many others; as yon can possibly set on foot. I congratulate you on the arrival of sixty tons more of saltpetre. Thirty tons of powder, and thirteen hundred small arms at Philadelphia. Such an important acquisition will, I hope, enable us to face our enemy on more equal terms.

GENERAL SCHIJYLER TO PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

[Read February 14, 1776.—Referred to Mr. Wythe, Mr. J. Adams, and Mr. Chase.]

Albany, February 7, 1776.

SIR: Since my last to you, by Colonel Ritzema, Major Ogden is arrived from Quebeck with the enclosed to you from General Arnold. He also delivered me a letter from General Wooster, copy whereof, with copy of a return of the military stores in Canada, I also enclose.

By the return of the military stores, you will see how vastly deficient we are in almost every article, and how necessary it is that a supply should be sent. I have it not in my power to send any thing, for I have nothing.

Mr. Trumbull's Deputy goes to Canada with what little money there is in chest. I have desired him to take all the money he can get in Canada, and draw upon his principal here; a considerable sum I believe will be got in that way, as a number of merchants are gone with vast quantities of West-India goods. I have encouraged them to bring blankets, and such things as our army may stand in need of, and that whatever might be wanted, would be purchased of them.

By Colonel Hazen, I sent General Wooster a plan to officer the two regiments to be raised in Canada, and desired that he would send down recruiting officers.

The Captains of the two Pennsylvania Companies have this moment informed me that their men are without mittens and moccasins. Of the latter, I have only been able to procure about one hundred and twenty pair; of the former I have none. I shall try to supply them somehow or other. I could wish that every Colony, in which troops are raised, supplied the men with all these necessaries. It caused a long detention here, and after all, they cannot be equipped as they should be.

The troops in Canada will be in great want of shoes. Major Ogden informs me that none are to be had there, nor can I get any here. I have employed people to purchase what they can get.

Be so good as to send up money, that the Connecticut troops may be paid. I have been under the necessity of allowing the pay from the places where they were dischaged until they got home, and for their subsistence on the way; if I had not done this, the recruiting service would have gone on very tardily.

The accounts of moneys advanced to any of the regiments for the Northern Army should be transmitted to the Deputy Paymaster-General as soon as the regiments march, otherwise the same confusion will take place that has distressed us so much last year. I shall take the liberty to make this request to all the different Colonies.

I am, sir, with the most respectful sentiments, your most obedient, and very humble servant,

PHILIP SCHUYLER.

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

STEPHEN MOYLAN TO MATTHEW THORNTON.

Cambridge, February 7, 1776.

SIR: As you presided at the honourable Convention, when a complaint was made against Colonel John Stark, by his Excellency's command, I address myself to you upon that subject. A Court of Inquiry has been held, in the process of which Colonel Stark has seen that be was very blameable, and sent an acknowledgment of his fault in writing, which I have the honour to enclose you. His Excellency wishes that this may prove satisfactory to the members of your honourable Congress, as the Colonel is a good officer, who understands and does his duty; but if you, and the gentlemen who have been ill treated upon this occasion, insist that he should be brought to a trial by Court-Martial, his Excellency will, on receipt of your answer to this, order one to try this affair; though, as I before mentioned, it would give his Excellency great satisfaction that it was made up in an amicable manner.

I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient servant,

STEPHEN MOYLAN, P. T. S.

To the Hon. Matthew Thornton, Esq., President, &c.

Copy of the Paper, referred to in the above Letter, sent by Colonel STARK.

Whereas, on the 30th day of December last, some persons belonging to my Regiment, without orders or warrant from me, for so doing, proceeded under arms from their barracks on Winter-Hill, to the lodging of Samuel Hobart, Esq., at Medford, and there assaulted and took him prisoner, and brought him to my encampment at Winter-Hill, and I being at that time much perplexed with business, and not knowing the many aggravated circumstances attending said assaults, and not considering at that time the dangerous tendency of such an insult offered to him, while in the execution of his office, as Paymaster of the troops from the Colony of New-Hampshire, neglected to confine and punish those offenders, but being before wearied with their complaints for want of pay, and much perplexed with other business, hastily, and inconsiderately, threw out some warm and illiberal reflections upon some of the members of the Congress, in that Colony, for which I am sincerely sorry, and heartily ask their forgiveness, and beg leave to assure them that those reflections proceeded only from heat and passion, and not from any settled design to slander or defame them.

JOHN STARK.

MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY TO DELEGATES IN CONGRESS.

GENTLEMEN: Immediately on the receipt of Mr. Alexander's, of the 30th January, with the resolution of the Congress, we appointed gentlemen in each County of this Province, to collect all the gold and silver they could in their several Counties, the amount of which you shall be acquainted with as soon as we are informed of it by them.

We have, also, received a letter from Messrs. Paca and Alexander, of the 2d of this month, and are sorry to find we are likely to be disappointed in our prospect of getting cannon from New-York or Philadelphia, as they we now

* NEW-York, February 7, 1776.—The town is in the greatest confusion. The Congress have recommended for the inhabitants to move out. The Mercury, man-of-war, has demanded three months' provision, which is refused. Lord Stirling came to town this morning with Jersey forces.

The Governour sent for the Mayor, and desired him to assure the publick, that General Clinton was only come to pay him a visit on his way, and that the troops should not land here; nevertheless, it was thought necessary to keep a strict look out, for fear they should land by surprise; in consequence of which, half of our battalion kept guard all night, the other half the next, and the second battalion are doing the same. Nothing hostile has yet commenced, but God knows how soon it may. The ice obliges the ships to warp close to the wharf. This day the ice, in large cakes, were chock from side to side, and many people upon it.