Ordered, That the said Letters and Returns be referred to and committed to the Committee of War.*

A draft of an Answer to Lord Stirling was read and approved, and is in the words following, to wit:

In Provincial Congress, New-York, February 20, 1776.

MY LORD: It gives this Congress pain to be obliged to declare their inability to supply your Quartermaster with the loan of money for subsisting the troops under your command until the Continental Congress shall regulate that matter. The Continental drafts on our Treasury for large advancements properly within our department, exhausts it as fast as its supplies come in, and we find ourselves under an absolute necessity of looking narrowly into the application of our issues, lest our Treasury should be deficient to answer the proper calls on it. We doubt not that the Continental Congress will, at your request, make speedy provision for the subsistence of your battalion.

Permit us to hint, that we think a provision in the interim will more properly be made by the New-Jersey Congress, now sitting so near this city; and to assure you that we are, my Lord, your Lordship’s most obedient humble servants.

By order of Congress.

To the Right Honourable the Earl of Stirling.

Ordered, That the said Letter be engrossed, and signed by the President, and transmitted.

A Letter from General Washington of the 10th instant, was read and filed, and is in the words following, to wit:

“Cambridge, February 10, 1776.

“SIR: Being in the greatest want of arms at this alarming and important crisis, for the Army under my command, and without the most distant prospect or hope of getting more from these Governments than what I already have, I beg leave to solicit the favours of your Committee of Safety in this instance, and earnestly request that they will use their exertions to get and send to me, in the most expeditious manner, all that they can possibly procure. I imagine that there are several belonging to the Colony, and have been informed of many Tories being disarmed, and, therefore, expect that it will be in their power to obtain a considerable supply. Whatever quantity is sent me, I will take on the Continental account, and make payment for, with the expenses incident to their transportation.

“This application being founded in necessity, and arising from the exigency of our affairs, I make no doubt will meet your most ready and early attention, and that nothing will be wanting on your part to give me the most speedy relief.

“I am, sir, your most humble servant,

“GEORGE WASHINGTON.

“To Pierre Van Cortlandt, Esquire.

“P. S. I wish to have only such arms as are good and serviceable, and shall be glad to have bayonets with them.

“G. W.”

A draft of an Answer to General Washington was read and approved, and is in the words following, to wit:

In Provincial Congress, New-York, February 20, 1776.

SIR: The Congress have just now received your letter of the 10th instant, directed to the Chairman of our Committee of Safety. They are extremely sorry they have it not in their power to supply you with the articles you mention, as the Army raised here last summer has entirely drained them of the arms belonging to the Colony, which have never been returned; and the more, as they are, by order of Congress; now levying five new regiments—one for the defence of Canada, and four for defending this Colony, arid preventing depredations on Long-Island, which they suppose will chiefly be destitute, and obliged to be supplied by them; and with respect to the arms taken from the Tories in this Colony, they inform you are neither in their possession or at their disposal. Hence, you will perceive that they cannot give you any relief, which they would most cheerfully do were it in their power.

We are, sir, your most humble servants. By order. To General Washington.

Ordered, That a copy thereof be engrossed, and signed by the President, and transmitted.

Peter T. Curtenius delivered in an Inventory of the Hospital and other Stores taken out of the lower Barracks, by order of this Congress, which was read and filed, and is in the words following, to wit:

“Inventory of sundry Stores, taken out of the lower Barracks by order of the Provincial Congress, viz:

“Six thousand seven hundred and thirty-six Osnaburgh Sheets, new; 300 Osnaburgh Sheets, old; 140 white Sheets, new; 20 white Sheets, old; 92 check Sheets, new; 1 empty Medicine Chest; 1 chest with Lint; 3 boxes with Tow; 370 Pillow-cases, Osnaburghs, new; 120 bolstercases, Osnaburgh, new; 725 wooden Bowls; 556 wooden Trenchers; 1,700 wooden Spoons; 1 large copper Kettle; 22 earthen Chamber-pots; 160 old moth-eaten Blankets—most of them fit for nothing but making cartridges for the field-pieces; 4 Camp Colours; 125 boxes Candles, delivered me by Mr. Norwood —they weigh, upon an average, about forty-five pounds each, which is six thousand six hundred and twenty-five pounds.

“Taken this 19th of February, 1776.

“PETER T. CURTENIUS, Commissary.”

Ordered, That Colonel Curtenius preserve those Stores, or such of them as are now in his custody, with particular care, for the use of an Hospital; and that he do not part with, or deliver out, any of those Stores, by any order whatever, unless by an order of the Committee of Safety of this Colony, and that only for the use of an Hospital, or by the order of the Provincial Congress of this Colony.

The Members from the City and County of Albany informed the Congress that sundry mistakes were made, through haste, by the County Committee and Field-Officers, in arranging the Regiments of Militia in that County, whereby many Companies were very inconveniently placed under Field-Officers at a distance from them; and, in other instances, Companies out of one vicinity placed in different Regiments. That a more convenient arrangement of the Militia of that County is now made; but, to carry it into execution, it will be necessary to have some of the commissions altered, and new commissions issued in other instances: of all which alterations, amendments, and arrangements they have now produced a complete form, or list.

Ordered, That all the amendments and alterations be made, and such new Commissions issued as will be necessary to complete the arrangement of the Militia of the County of Albany.

A Letter from William Smith, Esquire, Chairman of the Committee of Suffolk County, dated the 24th of January last, and which was received by the Committee of Safety, was read. They thereby recommend as Field-Officers for their Regiment of Minute-men, to wit: Josiah Smith, Colonel; John Hulbert, Lieutenant-Colonel; Isaac Reeve, First Major; Jonathan Baker, Second Major; Isaac Overton, Adjutant; and Ebenezer Dayton, Quartermaster.

Ordered, That Commissions issue to those gentlemen accordingly.

A Return from Lewis McDonald, James Raymond, Peter Flemming, and Marcus Mosenell, Committee-men of Harrison’s Precinct, in Westchester County, with a Certificate of William Miller, Deputy Chairman, were read. They return the Officers elected in a Company of Minute-men in Colonel Drake’s Regiment, to wit: Hezekiah Gray, Captain; Cornelius Clark, First Lieutenant; James Miller, Second Lieutenant; and Isaac Titus, Ensign.

Ordered, That Commissions be immediately issued for those gentlemen. And they were issued accordingly.

On motion of Lieutenant-Colonel Graham,

Ordered, That Peter V. B. Livingston, Esq., as Treasurer of the Provincial Congress of this Colony, pay to Samuel Drake, Esq., Colonel of the Regiment of Minutemen from Westchester County, now in Continental servic

* A List of the Men in one of the Companies of Colonel Swartwout’s Regiment. —James Varian, Samuel Crawford, Isaac Oakly, Joseph Tod, Oliver Killick, James Sanderson, William Thomson, John Drake, Micah Townson, Daniel Horton, Gideon Arden, Ezekiel Dayton, John Baker, Jedediah Owens, John McDonald, Seth Winchell, Andrew Fack, David Johnson, Gilbert Horton, James Brundige, Matthew Carryheart, Philip Heustis, James Farrel, Robert Graham, Stephen Shelly, James Vincet, Robert Hutchings, Benjamin Boyer, Jacob Morril, Valentine Rider, Samuel Townsend, Jonathan Allabee, William Brown, Jun., James Hops, Charles Roe, Abraham Morris, John Moreland, Uriah Travis, John Roe, Jesse Burrel.