as in the annexed scheme. When all the Captains are thus provided for, and if there should be still some wanting to complete the regiments, they must be taken in the same manner, from the First Lieutenants, and so go on to complete the whole of both regiments; and if there is not a sufficiency of officers, the best and most alert of the Sergeants must be promoted, until the whole is complete. It may happen by this arrangement, as it often does in the regular service, that an elder Captain in the Army will be commanded by a younger Captain; but that is only on regimental duty, upon detachment of different corps, the command will go with the rank in the Army. I have known Lieutenant-Colonels in the Army commanded by Captains, when they did regimental duty; but when detached with parties of different corps, they acted as Lieutenant-Colonels.

I hope the mode of making the arrangement will be easily apprehended, and prevent those jealousies which are so dangerous in an Army, and so prejudicial to the common cause of America. Uninfluenced by any motives but those which ought to inspire every friend of his country, I shall most readily acquiesce in any other mode that may be demonstrated more eligible.

I am, sir, your most humble servant,

PHILIP SCHUYLER.

To General Wooster.

Montreal, February 11, 1776.

SIR: Your letter of the 26th ultimo, I have received; in answer to which, give me leave to observe to you, that I, also, claim a right to be treated with the respect due to me as a gentleman and an officer intrusted with a command from the honourable the Representatives of thirteen Colonies. Why, sir, are these positive mandates? Have 1 ever disputed your orders? Since I have been in the Army, I have exerted every faculty to promote a union among the officers, and have carefully avoided every thing that might have the least tendency to cause jealousies; in shprt, sir, I have steadily and invariably pursued those measures that appeared to me conducive to the true interest of our country. How ungenerous therefore, is it, that an advantage should be taken of my conciliating disposition; yet, you will pardon me if I misjudge, I cannot account for your imperious conduct towards me upon any other principle. You will remember your letter to me while I was at St. John's, founded in falsehood, and which you could have no other motive for writing but to insult me. I thought it, at that time, not worth answering, and shall, at present, take no further notice of it. I shall, however, send a copy of it to Congress, and of your last letter, together with copies of my own, except the one you observe was wrote with unbecoming subacity, that is, somehow, mislaid, and I shall be obliged to you if you will forward it. I can remember nothing in it either disrespectful or subacid, and, being confident nothing of that nature was intended, I presume that the Congress will find that it is not expressed. As you have already complained to the honourable Congress, I have thought it my duty to show them what passed between us, and they will judge which of us has the greatest reason to complain of ill treatment. For the present, let the matter rest. They will doubtless do justice. This is no time to altercate, the whole of our time is little enough to attend to the operations absolutely necessary for the defence of our country.

You will give me leave to inform you, that the commanding officer who is with this Army is to give out orders, and 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. Since the deatli of the worthy and brave General Montgomery, (with whom I had the happiness to serve in the strictest harmony and friendship, and who ever treated me like a gentleman,) the command devolves upon me, and I shall give out such orders as appear to me necessary for the publick good, and shall send out of the country all prisoners and such persons as may be thought dangerous to our cause. As soon as it can be done with convenience, the returns of the Army shall be made out and transmitted to you. I shall, also, take care that your orders to General Montgomery are executed as far as is possible. I shall do every thing in my power to carry into execution every resolve of the Congress.

Mr. Jordan has accepted the bill for five hundred dollars; when it is paid, I shall credit the publick.

I mentioned to you, in a former letter, that I thought it very necessary that an artillery company, as well as the artillery, stores, &c., should be sent into this country. Should be glad to hear whether they can be spared from the Colonies or not, and what assistance of that nature we may expect.

I shall send a copy of this letter to Congress, and shall also enclose with this a copy of my letter to Congress. If there are any misrepresentations you will have an opportunity to correct them. I am, sir, your most obedient servant,

DAVID WOOSTER.

To Major-General Schuyler.

P. S. I will just observe, further, that I think it would have been much more generous in you to have pointed out to me the exceptionable part of my letters, before you complained to Congress.

Montreal, February 13, 1776.

SIR: I received your letter of the 2d instant, with the enclosed resolves of Congress, and observe the contents, and shall attend to the instructions.

Mr. Hare shall be used with every civility. A return of the names of Commissaries in.Canada, shall be sent you when I can get a return from General Arnold.

I am informed there is great plenty of salt in this part of Canada; more than sufficient for a twelve month.

I will inquire and find out what quantity of cloth, fit for tents, can be procured in this country, but do not expect to find much. I enclose you a return of tents and nails, &c., that are in the stores in this place. As a number of gondolas will be greatly wanted in the river St. Lawrence, and as we have a quantity of seasoned timber and plank, and, you will see by the enclosed return, a quantity of spikes and nails, and as it will be difficult to get such as are built on the lake, and, perhaps, dangerous, if they are anyways large, down the Rapids of Chambly, will it not be well to build them here? yet the articles of pitch, tar, turpentine, and oakum, must, in that case, be sent from the Colonies, as there is none of either in the Province. Some master carpenters would, also, be much wanted—good workmen, poor ones are to be had here.

A proper person shall be appointed to frank the Army letters.

A return of ordnance in this Province is already sent you. The addresses are and shall be published.

I shall send you, by this conveyance, General Montgomery's papers, except the accounts of disbursements, which must be first copied. Captain Van Rensselaer is at present gone to Quebeck to muster the troops there; when he returns, I shall direct him to proceed on to Albany.

With regard to the two regiments to be formed out of the broken corps now in this Province, I hardly know what to say. I rather imagine it would be very difficult, if not impossible, to persuade but very few of them to engage for a longer time than their present inlistments; yet I should be sorry that those officers who are willing to continue in the service should not have an opportunity. The plan you propose, though calculated to prevent jealousies between Provinces, I fear will be impracticable; besides the