commanding officer in Canada is the only competent judge of what is proper and what not, for the internal regulation of the army, and for the immediate safety of the country." If so, Congress has been mistaken in sundry resolves, which clearly signify that I had something to do with the regulation of the army in Canada. A bare retrospect to these is sufficient to evince this. General Montgomery was then, also, mistaken, for he did not conceive himself entitled to call a General Court-Martial, or make a single promotion when a vacancy happened in Canada, until he had asked for and received my permission, which I gave without hesitation. I shall, however, go on and give such orders as I think will best promote the service, and leave the determination of this assertion of General Wooster's to such gentlemen as may be appointed to inquire into his conduct.

I was apprehensive that the Canadians would suffer in the article of salt, and wrote to General Wooster, to know what quantity was in Canada. I am happy to find there is so much; the scarcity here is incredible, and I fear will be general throughout this and the neighbouring Colonies.

It never entered into my thoughts to build gondolas on Lake Champlain, as I well knew that they could not, without great danger, if at all, be got into the St. Lawrence; although we have very good ship-carpenters here, yet none acquainted with the construction of galleys, it will, therefore, be proper to send a few good hands from Pennsylvania, as none are to be had in Canada; these ought to be sent immediately, although no pitch, tar, or oakum, can be sent on until Hudson's River opens; for these articles I shall apply to the New-York Convention.

Enclose you a copy of the arrangements I sent General Wooster, for the two regiments in Canada. I foresaw that it would be attended with difficulties, and so will that which he proposes; as Field-Officers and Captains must be left out, if the New-York Battalions were to officer one regiment, as there will be more than to complete it. Before I left Ticonderoga I wrote for a return of the troops in Canada, and begged to know what arrangement had been made; but General Montgomery had it not in his power to send it me, occasioned by the multiplicity of his business.

Mr. Frobisher delivered me a letter, signed by himself and several others, containing the substance of the memorial which he will present, and requested the mediation of my good offices with Congress. I am very apprehensive, sir, that if these people shall be permitted to go into the Indian country, they might, if unfriendly to our cause, be very prejudicial to it, and the sending such a quantity of provisions will strengthen the enemy at Detroit and Niagara, for, by whatever route they go, it will be seized by some one of the garrisons and appropriated to their use. Mr. Frobisher's letters urge the danger of their traders starving, if a supply of provisions was not sent up. That may be the case, if they should remain there another year; but the same letter observes, that what is sent away in the month of May, seldom arrives in the trading country before winter sets in; if this be a fact, then they have now near a twelve rnonth's provision, and by sending up two or three canoes express, (navigated by persons we can depend upon,) their traders may be brought away, and their provision will, suffice, at least until they reach Detroit, where they can he in no danger of starving.

Enclose you the Paymaster-General's estimate of pay still due to the Connecticut troops; his chest is empty, and I hayelittle left, as I gave him thirty thousand dollars, part of fifty thousand sent into Canada.

I find that, Mr. Phister, whom I mentioned as an Engineer, cannot be procured. What shall we do for proper persons to fll that branch? I expect, momently, to hear from Schenectady what wages the batteausmen will take.

Every effort I have made to procure forrage has proved ineffectuaJ. The procuring timber for repairing Ticonderoga must, therefore, of necessity, be deferred until Spring. I even fear that I shall not be able to get a sufficiency of hay for the spring work at Ticonderoga, although we offer seven pounds per ton.

Lieutenant Hamer, of the Seventh Regiment, who was made prisoner at Chambly, has a wife in Canada; she is daily expected, and has begged me to procure leave for her husband to, meet her here. Of all the officers that have been made prisoners, I believe he is the least unfriendly tous; in fact, I believe him almost a Whig in principle. I wish, if it can be consistently done, that he may have leave to repair to this place.

It is almost needless to observe to Congress, that no altercation which I may have with any officer, whilst 1 command, will ever draw off my attention from my duty; I trust my conduct in publick life, both before and since I have had a command, have sufficiently evinced my principles on the present unhappy contest; and I assure you, sir, that except the ambition of serving my country, and that which every honest man ought to be influenced by, I have none; I shall, therefore, never court the favour of either officers or men, unless they are deserving; such as are not, I shall always freely and indiscriminately censure. If this gives umbrage, it can never be remedied whilst I am in command, because I cannot hesitate a moment between giving offence and doing my duty. Had I consulted merely my own inclination, I should not have ventured on the storms of publick life, well knowing my want of abilities would expose me to a thousand difficulties, and deprive me of the inestimable comforts of domestick life, and that I should be envied by those weak minds who are dazzled with power, but have not elevation of sentiment enough to conceive that to some men it has no charms.

I am, sir, with unfeigned esteem and respect, your most obedient, humble servant,

PHILIP SCHUYLER.

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

ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE TWO REGIMENTS IN CANADA.

List of Field-Officers supposed to be in Canada: Colonel James Clinton, Lieutenant-Colonel Rodolphus Ritzema, Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel Elmore, Lieutenant-Colonel John Nicholson, Major Herman Zedtwiiz, Major John Brown, Major Lewis Dubois.

Albany, February 2, 1776.

SIR: I understand that the above are the Field-Officers now remaining in Canada, except those of the Canadian Corps, and that they stand in the list as they rank; and as Congress has directed that two regiments should be raised out of the troops now in Canada, and as I have no predilection for any one gentleman more than another, and that they are all, as far as I know, good officers, and men of unexceptionable characters, you will, therefore, make the offers of the regiments to the two first in rank of the Field-Officers, the two Lieutenant-Colonelcys to the two next in rank, and the two Majorities to the two next. Should there not be a sufficient number of Field-Officers willing to remain in the service, to complete the two regiments, they must be filled up out of the eldest Captains in Canada, in the following manner: The eldest New-Hampshire Captain, the first offer; the eldest Massachusetts Captain, second offer; the eldest Connecticut Captain, third offer; the eldest New-York Captain, fourth offer. The Field-Officers being completed, you are to cause four lists to be made, one containing the names of all the New-Hampshire Captains and Subalterns, according to their rank in the regiments; another, those of the Massachusetts; a third, those of Connecticut; and a fourth, those of New-York—in the following manner:

The list being made out as above, you will proceed to take out the officers for the first and second, of the regiments to be raised, in the following manner: The eldest New-Hampshire Captain, for the first Captaincy in the First Regiment; the eldest Massachusetts-Bay Captain, for the first Captaincy in the Second Regiment; the eldest Connecticut Captain, for the second Captain in the First Regiment; and the eldest New-York Captain, for the second Captaincy in the Second Regiment; and so on