In Captain Thompson’s Company, in Goshen Regiment, returned to fill the place of Coe Gale and Daniel Everett, who are removed into the Minute Company, viz: William Thompson, Second Lieutenant, and Phineas Case, Ensign.

John Hopper, who was appointed Second Lieutenant in Captain Dolson’s Company in Florida and Warwick Regiment, refuses to accept his commission. Returned in his place, Matthew Dolson, Jun., Second Lieutenant; and John Tebons, Ensign, in the room of Matthew Dolson, being advanced.

I also inform your Honour, that a mistake appears in the commission for the First Lieutenant of Captain Dolson’s Company. The commission is come for Henry Bartolf, which should have been for Peter Bartolf, he being the person elected in the Company.

I pray that your Honour may issue the commissions agreeable to the above return.

I am your most obedient very humble servant,

JOHN HATHORN,
Chairman of the Committee of GOSHEN Precinct.

To Nathaniel Woodhull, Esq., President of the Honourable Provincial Congress of the Colony of New-York.

N. B. Have added another return that has this moment come to hand, of the appointing Martinus Decker Second Lieutenant in Captain Cartwright’s Company in Goshen Regiment, in the place of Johannes Decker, he being appointed Major.

J. H.

GENERAL SCHUYLER TO GOVERNOUR TRUMBULL.

Albany, March 9, 1776.

SIR: I am honoured with your favour of the 1st instant. I wish the Paymaster-General had it in his power to comply with my intentions of sending money to your Colony; but he has very little left in chest. An equal scarcity prevails in Canada; but there its consequences are more to be dreaded. The Canadians will not by any means take our paper money, and General Wooster is greatly distressed for specie. I have, with much difficulty, and by giving my own security, procured and sent to him about five thousand three hundred dollars; but vastly more was already due for the necessary contingencies of the Army. Cannot your Colony, my good sir, assist us with some gold or silver? If but a little, it will still be of great service. I have begged Congress to appoint a Committee to liquidate the accounts occasioned by the taking of Ticonderoga. The people unjustly blame me that they have not got their money. On the 6th of August, when I had been but nineteen at, Ticonderoga, I pointed out to Congress the necessity of paying the people, and observed that “many were most truly necessitous.” The river and roads above are almost impassable, which I fear will cause a considerable detention of the troops here. General Washington, I find, is in great distress for arms. I fear I shall not have half enough, after Colonel Burrell’s Corps is supplied, to arm Colonel Van Schaick’s Regiment. We have a variety of difficulties to surmount; but perseverance, I hope, will bear us through. And may Heaven grant, that when our posterity may relate to each other the pain of the struggle, they may feel and reflect on the blessings of the event.

I am, sir, with great esteem and regard, your most obedient humble servant,

PHILIP SCHUYLER.

To Honourable Jonathan Trumbull, Esq.

GENERAL SCHUYLER TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Albany, March 9, 1776.

MY DEAR GENERAL: I am honoured with your letters of the 25th and 27th ultimo, which were delivered me on the 7th by Mr. Bennett. I feel in the most sensible manner the disagreeable situation you are in for want of arms. It adds to the pain this information gives me, that we are here in a similar situation, and unable to assist you. The New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Massachusetts Troops, arrive here more or less without arms, or what may be deemed next to none. I have people in every quarter picking up the few that are to be had, at a most immoderate price, and after all I shall not be able to procure above half a sufficiency for Colonel Van Schaick’s Regiment, which is raising to go into Canada. None are to be had at New-York; and how to arm the four regiments raising in this Colony, no mortal knows. Of a thousand stand the New-York Convention contracted for, six only have been delivered, and they do not expect more than thirty of the whole. I have sent to Schenectady, to Mr. Duncan; but I much doubt if he has any.

Twelve heavy cannon are on their way from New-York, and have got as far as Poughkeepsie, where they wait the opening of the river. But what will General Lee do with them in Canada, without either powder or ball for them. And I shall be in a similar situation at New-York, to which I am ordered by Congress, with the additional mortification of having men without arms.

I wish to be at New-York as soon as possible, if it was only on account of receiving better medical assistance. But what is to become of the Army in Canada, if I leave this before everything is put into such a train as that it may be properly supplied? They are now so short of provisions (although, if common care had been taken, there would have been a sufficiency to June) that I have been obliged to send between three hundred and four hundred barrels of pork in sleds, at the vast expense of seven and a half dollars per barrel.

Two Companies of Colonel Burrell’s Regiment only have arrived here; one of them has gone on, and about half the Pennsylvania and Jersey Troops, all greatly deficient of their full complements. The troops that served last campaign in Canada are chiefly coming away, so that we shall not by any means have that respectable army which was intended by Congress.

I enclose your Excellency a return of the troops which were with General Arnold on the 22d ultimo. This is the first return I have ever received from that quarter.

March 10.—My messenger is returned from Schenectady; but no arms are to be had there.

The ice still continues in Hudson’s River, but is not passable with horses and carriages. By the time it will be navigable, and the waters which are out subsided, the ice in the lakes will be too weak to venture troops on; hence I fear that no more men can get into Canada until the beginning of April.

I have this moment received a letter from General Wooster, of the 1st instant. He says not a word relative to Quebeck; complains of want of specie, and, indeed, not without reason, as he is greatly distressed, the Canadians absolutely refusing to take our paper money. And I have, with much difficulty, been able to procure only about two thousand one hundred pounds here, on my own security, which I sent him on the 28th ultimo. But five times that sum, and more, was already due for the necessary contingencies of the Army.

I enclose you copies of some papers, which will show how Colonel Allen was used.

The difficulty of procuring specie is such, that I fear the most fatal consequences from the want of it in Canada. This induces me to venture a question: Would it be improper to ask General Howe for the subsistence of the prisoners in our possession? If he should consent that they might draw on his military chest for it, the bills might all go in favour of an agent of Congress, and hence, we should have a very considerable supply.

We have many difficulties, my dear General, to encounter; but I have the strongest presentiment that we shall struggle through, and rise superior to our enemies. May God bless and protect you.

I am, most sincerely and respectfully, your Excellency’s most humble servant,

PHILIP SCHUYLER.

To His Excellency General Washington.

P. S. Since writing the above, I am honoured with yours of the 1st ultimo, by Lewis, the Caughnawaga Indian, together with a letter from Colonel Wade, advising me that some part of his regiment had marched on the 24th February, and desiring that provisions might be sent to Onion-River. I am extremely apprehensive that I shall not be able to procure sleds to go there. I shall, however, immediately send an express to Ticonderoga, and if horses cannot be procured, I will order the soldiers that are there to draw it by hand.

P. S.