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PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS TO MR. DEWEES. Philadelphia, March 28, 1776. SIR: I have it in command from the Congress to desire you immediately to confine, in separate apartments, Mr. Connolly, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Kirkland, who were some time past committed to your custody by order of Congress; and I am further to direct that you suffer no person whatever to visit or converse with either of the above-named persons, without an order from me in writing. I am, sir, your most obedient servant, JOHAN HANCOCK, President. To Mr. Dewees, Keeper of the Philadelphia Prison. PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS TO NEW-JERSEY COMMITTEE OF SAFETY. Philadelphia, March 28, 1776. SIR: Your two letters of the 27th being received by express, were communicated to Congress; and I have their orders to inform you, that the Congress see no reason to change their requisition of the 15th. I have it, therefore, in command, to request you to exert your utmost endeavours in expediting the march of the troops to New-York, agreeable to the requisition of the commanding officer. I am, sir, your most obedient servant, JOHN HANCOCK, President. To the Honourable Samuel Tucker, Esq., and Gentlemen of the Committee of Safety of New-Jersey, at Trenton. NEW-JERSEY COMMITTEE OF SAFETY TO PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS. In Committee of Safety. New-Jersey, March 28, 1776. SIR: Major Dunn, the bearer hereof, has represented to this Committee that on the return of Colonel Heard from Philadelphia, where he had been in order to lay the accounts of his expenditures to Long-Island before the honourable Congress, and reporting that the detachment of Militia under his command in that service were only allowed for their subsistence while on that expedition, it caused a general dissatisfaction among them, alleging they thought it but reasonable they should receive the same pay while on the service of the Continental Congress, as other troops employed by them. This Committee taking the said representation into consideration, and finding that Colonel Heard received express order from Congress immediately to march the Minute-men under his command, and transmit an account of his expenditures, while on that service, to Congress; also a letter from your honourable body, of the 25th of October last, directed to our Provincial Congress, wherein you say that “where they (Minute-men) are taken into Continental service, they will be entitled to the same pay as the other Continental troops;” and as these men, on account of the inclemency of the season, were obliged to pass through much fatigue and hardship, and many of them chiefly dependant on their daily labour for support, we cannot forbear humbly hoping that the honourable Congress will reconsider their case, and grant them redress. I am, sir, your humble servant. By order of the Committee of Safety of New-Jersey: HENDRICK FISHER, Vice-President. To the Honourable John Hancock, Esq. WILLIAM BURNET TO LORD STIRLING. Newark, March 28, 1776. I have the pleasure to acquaint you, my Lord, that John Young, the Professor, who made his escape from the guard here, was taken up at Elizabethtown this morning, and is now in jail there. I am going down there to examine him immediately, in hopes to find who has harboured him here, and by what means he made his escape. Perhaps it will be best to keep him here a few days: something important may be discovered. However, we want your orders. The Committee is adjourned to Tuesday next, when the guard are to be tried for their negligence. If you think proper for him to be detained until that time, we will have them face to face. I am, my Lord, with much respect, your most obedient humble servant, WILLIAM BURNET. To Lord Stirling. JOHN HARING TO NEW-YORK COMMITTEE OF SAFETY. Orangetown, March 28, 1776. SIR: Colonel Lent was with me the evening before last, and appeared to be much out of humor on account of the late behaviour of part of his regiment. He says that his orders have been treated with contempt, and himself slandered, by those from whom he expected assistance. The Colonel has, for a number of years last past, been a Militia officer, and I believe we never had one who was more punctual in obeying and performing the orders of his superiors; and he consequently expected that those under his command should also obey him; but by experience he finds that he cannot get the orders of Congress, which from time to time I send, properly expedited, and he is apprehensive that, if he continues in office any longer, he will be censured by his superiors as well as blamed by his inferiors. The Orangetown Regiment is chiefly composed of such as know but little of the English language, and nothing of military affairs; wherefore I must impute their backwardness and delays to ignorance, and ill-founded jealousies of being imposed upon by their commanders, and not to disaffection. The commission of the Colonel, together with his resignation, you have enclosed. He brought the commission to me, and would not be prevailed upon to take it home again; so that I thought it my duty to send it to you by the first opportunity. The command of the above-said Regiment now devolves upon Lieutenant-Colonel Blauvelt. I am fearful that Lent’s resignation will be followed by others; but I shall do all that is in my power to prevent it. I am, sir, your most obedient and very humble servant, JOHN HARING. To the Chairman of the Committee of Safety, New-York. RESIGNATION OF COLONEL ABRAHAM LENT. To all to whom these presents shall come or may concern: Whereas I, the subscriber, have some time since been commissioned by the honourable Provincial Congress of the Colony of New-York to be Colonel of the Regiment of Militia-foot in Orangetown; and whereas I have been much blamed and slandered by some officers and others in said Regiment, for giving orders in pursuance of a late resolve and order of said Congress; I have thought proper to resign my said commission, and accordingly do resign the same, choosing rather to serve as a private than command people who are prejudiced against me. Given under my hand, the 26th day of March, Anno Domini 1776. ABRAHAM LENT.
To ABRAHAM LENT, of ORANGETOWN, in ORANGE County, Esq., greeting: By virtue of the authority reposed in us, we do hereby nominate, authorize, constitute, and appoint the said Abraham Lent, Esq., to be Colonel of the First Regiment of the Militia of Foot of Orangetown and Precinct of Orange, in Orange County, in the Colony of New-York; hereby requiring you, before you enter into the exercise of your said office, to make in writing, and subscribe in presence of the Chairman of the Committee of the City, Town, District, or Precinct wherein you reside, the Declaration appointed and directed by the eleventh section of the seventh Resolve, contained in the Rules and Orders for regulating the Militia of the Colony of New-York, recommended by this Congress on the 22d day of August, 1775, and authorizing you fully to execute all the powers belonging to your said office by virtue of the said Rules and Orders, and the said Declaration. And we do hereby require all persons under your command to pay due obedience to you, according to the said Rules and Orders, and such further rules and orders as shall be made and recommended for the Militia of this Colony, by the present, or any future Continental Congress or Provincial Congress of this Colony. By Order. JOHN HARING, President pro tem. Attest: JOHN MCKESSON, Secretary.
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