with the other gentlemen; but I find that companies and first lieutenancies have been particularly solicited for, and, as my silence, on that head, may be construed into an indifferency in me what rank I obtained, I take this opportunity of declaring my wish for as high a rank in the army as your Honours' may judge my poor abilities capable of filling with propriety, and to your satisfaction.

I am, gentlemen, your most humble servant,

R. THURMAN.

To the Honourable Provincial Congress of New-York.

SAMUEL THOMPSON TO NEW-YORK CONGRESS.

Brookhaven February 15, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: Whereas, by the Convention of this Province, the Committee of Suffolk County were directed to make a return of a draft of the several harbours in said County, to the said Convention, as soon as might conveniently be. Pursuant thereto, the County Committee ordered me to send in a draft of the East and West harbours of Brookhaven, commonly known by the names of Setauket and Stony-Brook harbours; and, although I know myself a bad draftsman, yet I have undertaken the task, unequal to it as I was, and have endeavoured to make something like a plan, not only of the harbours and channels, but, also, of the beaches and lands between them, and have, also, endeavoured to tell something of their length and distances, and, also, of the depth of the water in some places.

By my card, I have made the distance from Mount-Misery-Clift, or Point, by Setauket-Harbour, eight miles and an half; but, I believe, as the shore runs, it is more than ten miles to Rasepeige-Clift, at the west end of Long-Beach, in Smithtown, a long and very defenceless shore; but, although some people think it a matter of small importance whether Setauket-Harbour be fortified or not, I profess I cannot be of their opinion, as there is not one harbour, from the Oysterpond's Point to Setauket-Harbour, that a vessel of any considerable burden can get into, and the distance is more than fifty miles. I think Setauket-Harbour must be secured by a small fort built on the beach that runs off from Mount-Misery-Point, as no vessel of burden can get in without coming within forty rods of said fort. And, if our cruisers should happen to be chased at low water, I think they may run in within an hundred rods of said fort. If it should be done only with a small battery, and the enemy should land to the east of them, and come upon the back of them, as they may do at low water, our soldiers will have no shelter. I think there should be, at this place, not less than six or eight guns, some of which should be nine or twelve-pounders; on the Sound side, small guns would answer; on the back side, Stony-Brook-Harbour would need but two six or nine-pounders, placed on the high clift. Some have thought it would be best to place the battery on George's Neck, four hundred rods from the harbour, but I cannot join with them, (at Setauket-Harbour.) Justice Strong, by whom you will receive these few lines, can, I think, explain the matter more fully to you.

We are very much in want of a gunsmith here to fix our guns and make us bayonets; but gunsmiths are very extortionate in their asking, which I think ought to be looked to, as their work is not worth more now than it used to be, when they would do their work better, and for a much less price. There are several blacksmiths in this town that say they would take in a good workman, and assist him, and, unless we can have a workman, we cannot possibly be fixed as we ought to be, to defend our country. There are numbers amongst us that have no guns, nor could they buy if they had money.

Gentlemen, from your very humble servant,

SAMUEL THOMPSON.

To the Congress at New-York.

WILLIAM BEDLOW TO JOHN BERRIEN.

Fort Constitution, February, 15, 1776.

DEAR SIR: Yours of the 13th instant, by the carpenters, I this day received, and most truly deplore the situation New-York is in. The Lord reigns king, whom, I trust, will soon restore America to peace and liberty.

A paragraph of your letter, where you say, "two or three of the members of the Congress say no time ought to be lost in contracting for and getting the timber and other necessaries to the place for erecting the new Fortress," n which I know not how to act; having no directions what kind of fortress is intended, I cannot tell what timber and necessaries will be wanted. The barrack frame we have had brought down from New-Windsor to Moore's handing, till a convenient opportunity to get it to Pooploop's Kill. Captain Lawrence went, this day, to Poughkeepsie, to procure a place for his family. I have sent down the bearer of this—an honest, good man—express, to obtain some directions respecting the intended work at Pooploop's Kill, which, request you will endeavour to procure, and despatch him back with all speed. I shall give directions to Mr. White, at New-Windsor, to procure timber and frame a store of the dimensions of the one here, with all despatch, as it will be one of the first things, with the barrack, wanted. I beg you will notice that money is wanting now, and will be, continually, to pay contingencies; for the persons we employ to procure the necessaries up here, will have a commission for advancing their cash and doing the business, which will be prevented if we are in cash to pay as things are delivered, and will necessarily forward the work,

I am, dear sir, for self and brother Commissioners, your humble servant,

WILLIAM BEDLOW.

To John Berrien.

GENERAL SCHUTLER TO PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

[Read March 4, 1776.]

Albany, February 15, 1776.

SIR: I was, last evening, honoured with your favour of the 6th instant, covering sundry resolutions of Congress. I feel, with an irradicable gratitude, the approbation which Congress has been pleased to express of my conduct, in Tryon County.

Agreeable to the former resolutions of Congress, of the 9th November, I had given out, in orders, that all officers who chose to continue in the service, should return their names. This was not complied with by many; but lest they might, hereafter, plead ignorance of the order, I, some days ago, directed Colonel Van Schaick to make me a complete return, on that head, of all such of his officers as are on this side of Canada, which I momently expect.

Captain Curtis, late of Hinman's, and Captain Mills, late of Holmes's, to whom I had given recruiting orders before I left Ticonderoga, have completed their companies. Captain McCrackin, of Van Schaick's, has a considerable number inlisted; all these to serve next campaign; and as Congress has ordered four regiments to be levied in this Colony, for the defence thereof, and for garrisoning Crown-Point, &c., and as the three companies above-mentioned were not designated for any particular regiment, I shall incorporate (hem into Van Schaick's. Hence, I hope this regiment, with the assistance of the Committee of this city and County, will be speedily completed.

As Canada does not afford any pork, and very little beef until the Fall of the year, I could wish that I had more pork here to send up. There will, however, be a sufficiency at the upper posts to supply the troops in Canada, until the roads are well settled in the Spring.

Enclose you the Oneidas' and Mohawk's speech, with my answer to it.

I have wrote to a friend at Niagara, who has resided there some time, to procure and send me a state of that garrison. If Butler has a conference with the Indians at that place, they will, I hope, destroy so much of the garrison's provision as to oblige them to abandon it; but should that not be the case, as it is of great importance that it should be in our possession in order to secure all the Indians, I could wish that an attempt was made to get the Indians to consent that we should invest it; perhaps an offer to pay the Indians the value of all the King's stores that may be found in it, cannon excepted, might induce them to consent that we should try to possess ourselves of it. Two regiments, under an active officer, would be sufficient for the business, as I apprehend nothing more is necessary than to cut off the supplies from Detroit. One of these regiments, I have reason to believe, from the temper of the Whigs in Tryon County, might be raised there.